Lin Shih Pao (b.1962, Taiwan) is a Taiwanese artist based in New York since 1995. He is currently an artist-in-residence at Crystal Foundation and Park, a program established by Crystal Window & Door Systems Ltd. in New York. As soon as Lin saw discarded window materials at the factory, he saw an opportunity for rebirth. He gathered trash and built sculptures with it for Golden Age, his latest series. He heated, reshaped, and gilded PVC in a style not unlike the gorgeous, baroque architecture in the Disney classic, Beauty and the Beast (2017) —a miraculous story about love and the transformation of life.
Each of his “affectionate” works — as Lin puts it — reveals people’s stories of life and love, layered with experiences and dreams, piece by piece, item by item. In his Golden Age paintings, Lin ambitiously gives us an “Endless view of the universe,” adding in both a passionate nostalgia and a yearning for new, scientific imaginations. With gold, he emphasizes his optimism and love for humankind, as if to say every single person’s life is infinitely radiant and complex. Lin’s work also integrates Asian philosophy and art styles. A collage of traditional Asian painting techniques with modern media, Lin’s work is uniquely post-surreal.
