Taiwanese artist Chu Teh-i (曲德義) passed away on Oct. 27 at the age of 73. Upon hearing the news, Minister of Culture Li Yuan expressed his deepest condolences and commended Chu for his lifelong dedication to promoting contemporary art as well as his remarkable achievements in artistic creation and education.
Born in 1952 in South Korea, Chu studied fine arts at National Taiwan Normal University, where he graduated in 1976. During his studies, he explored modern painting under the guidance of Li Chun-shan (李仲生), a pioneering figure in Taiwanese modern art. Later, he traveled to France to further his education, earning a Master’s degree in Art Design from the École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs and a Master’s degree in Sculpture from the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts.
Devoted to art education throughout his life, Chu served as a faculty member at the School of Fine Arts, Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA). He also chaired the Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts preparatory committee and became the museum’s first director upon its opening.
Renowned for his abstract paintings, Chu conveyed personal sentiments through a meticulous use of color and a bold exploration of spatial concepts. His works are part of the permanent collections of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts.