A symbol of hope and revelation, the sun’s light facilitates Tseng’s journey of self-discovery throughout these new works. It also illuminates the conflicting parts of her identity and the impossibility of existing between multiple spaces at once. A patchwork puzzle of clashing realities, Tseng’s work creates a safe space for all the disparate parts of ourselves—a place “that could only exist in the painting world.”
Goldfinch is proud to present “Piece together (times)” a solo exhibition from Brooklyn-based painter Tsai-Ling Tseng. Featuring four new oil paintings, “Piece together (times)” marks Tseng’s first solo exhibition at Goldfinch.
Born in Taiwan, Tseng explores the intersection of identity and culture using the saturated colors and scribbled outlines of a child’s dream. In “Piece together (times),” Tseng widens the scope of her fantasy, using larger canvases than her previous series to create immersion and intimacy. “Since the paintings are bigger, they allow me to get lost in the process and feel physically more connected within the larger canvas,” she says. “Instead of having a distance from the figures in the past smaller works, I feel the larger works made me believe that I could be a part of something that is happening inside the canvas.”
Using bits and pieces of her life in Brooklyn juxtaposed with memories of her family and home in Taiwan, Tseng transforms day-to-day humdrum into magic through the alchemy of art. The sun often appears as the grinning protagonist in her fantasy, whether she’s cowering under the covers after waking up to a bright new day, or imagining a final visit with her grandfather and his dog. A symbol of hope and revelation, the sun’s light facilitates Tseng’s journey of self-discovery throughout these new works. It also illuminates the conflicting parts of her identity and the impossibility of existing between multiple spaces at once. A patchwork puzzle of clashing realities, Tseng’s work creates a safe space for all the disparate parts of ourselves—a place “that could only exist in the painting world.”
Tsai-Ling Tseng: "Piece together (times)" runs from April 28th through June 8th 2024. The exhibition’s opening reception takes place on Sunday, April 28th, from 2-5pm.
Artist’s Bio:
Tsai-Ling Tseng (b. 1991, Taipei) lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. The artist holds an MFA from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA from the School of Visual Arts, New York. Recent exhibitions include: Small Paintings at OTP Copenhagen (Denmark); When Feelings Become Form at Cassina Projects, Milan (IT); Icons at Harkawik Gallery, New York City (US); and Minor Feelings at Kapp Kapp, New York City (US). Tseng was a Spring 2019 Finalist for the Hopper Prize.
Artist's Statement
"My studio practice focuses on transforming my daily life experiences into visual form. I work to capture the process of transformation itself—I want not only to make images, but also to use a canvas as a space to think through the possible relationships between art and experience.
Colors are the initial marks on my canvas. I try to find light within these colors, which becomes the main character for me to visualize an unknown yet familiar event of the painting. Images of landscapes, plants, animals, and humans are products of discovery within my painting process. I relinquish control over any specific narrative and allow it to happen spontaneously, whenever images collide. The objective is not only to surprise viewers, but to surprise myself with these unexpected collisions." -- Tsai-Ling Tseng
