Loretta H.S. Yang
- Pioneer of the Chinese Liuli Art Movement

In 2007, one of New York’s top modern glass art galleries Leo Kaplan Modern introduced the city to a name from the East: Loretta H.S. Yang.

Leo Kaplan Modern has exhibited the works of artists also found in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Musee des Arts Decoratifs and Victoria & Albert Museum. In 2007, they presented the exhibition Intersection featuring the art of William Carlson, Steven Weinberg and Yang. Carlson and Weinberg are founders of the American Studio Glass Movement in the 60s; Yang is responsible for the revival of Chinese liuli and development of contemporary Chinese liuli art.

In attendance on opening day was Corning Museum of Glass Curator of Modern Glass Tina Oldknow, Museum of Arts and Design Chief Curator David McFadden, Urban Glass Executive Director Dawn Bennett, Glass Magazine representatives and noted art critics.

楊惠姍，
華人世界琉璃藝術運動先鋒

2007 年，美國紐約的歷史中，印記著一個來自東方的名字：楊惠姍。

美國紐約最重要的現代琉璃藝廊 Leo Kaplan Modern， 在紐約麥迪森大道有三十年的歷史，在這個藝廊展出的藝術家， 全是大都會博物館 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)， 史密森尼博物館 (Smithsonian Institution)， 法國裝飾藝術博物館 (Musee des Arts Decoratifs Paris) ， 英國維多利亞與亞伯特博物館 (V&A Museum) 所收藏的重要藝術家。

2007 年由該藝廊舉辦 「INTERSECTION」 展， 展出的藝術家共三人： William Carlson， Steven Weinberg， 另一位則是楊惠姍。 William Carlson 和 Steven Weinberg 是 1960 美國 studio glass 運動先鋒大師級人物，他們兩個人的名字等於 「美國工作室玻璃藝術」， 這也是該藝廊第一次出現東方風格的琉璃藝術作品， 對於一手開闢東方華人世界琉璃藝術運動的楊惠姍而言， 更是一個重要的里程碑。

展覽開幕當天， 紐約各大重要博物館代表人物皆出席， 美國康寧玻璃博物館 〈 Corning Museum of Glass 〉 Tina Oldknow 女士、美國紐約藝術與設計博物館 〈 Museum of Art & Design 〉 主席策展人 David Mcfadden 先生、 紐約Urban Glass 玻璃藝術推廣機構執行總監 Dawn Bennett 女士， 以及玻璃藝術專業的 Glass 雜誌編輯與專業藝評家。

Chinese Liuli Takes New York

Corning Museum of Glass curator Tina Oldknow acquired Proof of Awareness on behalf of the museum at the opening ceremony. She said, “I had previously seen pictures. But its energy and power can only be felt by seeing it in person. Pictures do not do Loretta’s work justice. From both technical and creative aspects, her work in liuli raises glass art to a new level.”

The Corning Museum of Glass is the longest standing glass museum in the United States. It is a global powerhouse for the professional study, research and promotion of glass art with a permanent collection of over 45,000 pieces spanning across 35 centuries. Its collection is a comprehensive documentation chronicling the development, breakthroughs and history of glass. Yang’s addition to the museum’s collection signals her impact not only as a Chinese artist but as an international one. Proof of Awareness was also acquired by the Museum of Arts and Design.

轟動紐約！華人琉璃藝術史上的里程碑

開幕當天， 紐約康寧玻璃藝術博物館館長 Tina Oldknow， 立刻以美國康寧玻璃藝術博物館的名義， 收藏楊惠姍展出的作品之一 《澄明之悟》。 她說： 「我先前看過照片； 但是， 親眼看見作品， 才感覺它令人震憾的力量。 楊惠姍的作品完全不是照片所能傳達。 楊惠姍的作品， 不論是技術上或者創意上， 為琉璃藝術界跨越了新的高度。」

美國康寧博物館， 作為全世界最權威、 最專業， 歷史最悠久的美國玻璃博物館， 含括45000多件收藏品、 前後跨越35個世紀， 完整呈現了人類玻璃工藝發展至今的重大突破與歷史脈絡。 楊惠姍的作品被該博物館典藏， 代表了她的創作， 不僅僅是東方華人現代琉璃的重要藝術家， 更是全世界琉璃藝術創作中的重要里程碑。

在康寧博物館之後， 美國紐約藝術與設計博物館也表達希望收藏 《澄明之悟》。 在全世界上美國最重要的， 最專業的玻璃藝術與設計兩家博物館， 在短短不到一個星期內爭相收藏楊惠姍這朵盛開的透明無色的巨型牡丹； 此項紀錄， 至今無人能及。

The Proof of Awareness
A Permanent Bloom in New York City

An Asian Name Found in World Renowned Museums

For her Proof of Awareness collection, Loretta H. Yang reimagined the peony in exaggerated scale and extracted all color leaving behind a crystal clear flower that reflects the artist’s life philosophy and a key moment in her artistic evolution.

Within the Chan and Buddhist philosophies, suffering and hardship is caused by attachment; and from the void, we gain an understanding that suffering arising from life creates a more compassionate and profound consideration.

Yang said, “Life is brief and difficult, existence is nonexistent. The larger a flower blooms the more its beauty is magnified and the more sorrow and suffering it can bear.” Upon gaining perspective on this life principle, she realized that her flower must be transparent and penetrable by light. For light begets awakening; it is an unveiling of color and release from this mortal life.

Life is impermanent. As it should be.
Is it possible to live more humbly and cherish every present moment?

Within a large sculptural mass, liuli and light interact with complexity through a uniquely Chinese lens that incorporates the Chan understanding of existence. Yang’s sculpture breaks through the confines of contemporary liuli art to proffer a revolutionary new means of communication in glass. Her voice is an important one in the history of contemporary glass art.

《澄明之悟》
在紐約永遠綻放

一個華人藝術家的名字進入世界級的博物館

楊惠姍在 《澄明之悟》 系列的創作中， 巨大的花朵， 把所有的色彩全部抽出， 留給每一件作品澄澈透明的樣貌， 是她思考生命也是創作歷程的另外一個階段。

在禪與佛家的哲學中， 一切的「苦」皆因「無常」， 從「空」與「無」的概念， 對生命的苦產生更慈悲的更深切的觀照。 楊惠姍說： 「人生是短暫與痛苦的， 而存在是虛無的。。。 花朵愈大， 愈顯完美， 同時也能承載愈多的憂傷苦痛。」 當她透視了生命的本質， 她突然覺得， 花應該是澄澈的， 是穿透的， 在光裡覺醒， 對色彩了無罣礙， 對紅麈亦無罣礙。

" 生命既是無常， 是否能用更謙卑的心， 珍惜每一個當下？”

尺寸的體積感， 琉璃與光線流動之間的多樣複雜感， 加上如此充滿東方宇宙生命觀的創作， 蘊含禪意與對生命的體會， 在眾多歐美現代玻璃藝術家之中， 楊惠姍的作品， 是一種當代琉璃藝術的新超越， 一種充滿革命性的新語彙， 這是華人琉璃藝術在現代琉璃藝術史上的重要簽名。

Life Philosophy of the Flower

Despite the impermanence in life,
One must bloom with exuberance.

Master Hsing Yun once said, a flower possesses six spiritual perfections: generosity - the joy a blooming flower brings; principle - a flower does pull on other plants to grow; endurance - of a seed buried in the dark soil, of a flower battered by wind, frost, rain and snow; commitment - a flower offers its scent when its petals open and nutrition as its petals fall in the cycle of life; introspection - in silence and tranquility, a flower blooms; wisdom - transforming, extraordinary, bearer of boundless insight.

The Six Perfections in Buddhism are six dimensions of human character that lead to enlightenment. The life cycle of a flower encapsulates all these stages.

From the philosophical standpoint of Chan and Buddhism, the root of impermanence and life’s suffering is attachment. A flower blooms and wilts, every moment in our lives is a direct confrontation to our existence as we know it. Yet we never stop striving to blossom, to bring beauty into this earth. Yang once said, “The discussion of life need not be esoteric. It can be simple, like a single flower.”

Using flowers as a metaphor for life is a reminder to treat the suffering of life with deeper compassion and understanding. Regardless of how the world around you changes, focusing on kindness will soothe the soul like a beautiful flower. As a form of self-practice, it is a wisdom that encourages the release from suffering and gaining of happiness.

花的生命思想

即便生命充滿無常，
仍要盡情綻放

星雲大師說， 一朵花具有六度精神： 「花開帶給人歡喜是佈施； 花不攀附其他植物是持戒； 種子在土裡忍受黑暗、 花耐住風霜雨雪是忍辱； 花開散布芬芳花謝化作養份， 為繼起的生命而生生不息是精進； 花靜靜地開放， 寧靜， 祥和， 安忍是禪定； 花有千變萬化， 奇妙不已， 蘊含無限智慧是般若。」

「六度」， 是佛教修行中， 使生命離開煩惱， 安住在喜樂中的六種方法， 花的綻放充滿著佛教哲學中的智慧。

在禪與佛家的哲學觀點中， 無常乃生命之苦的根源， 而花開花謝， 無時無刻不面對生命的無常， 但仍奮力開花， 將美好帶給人間。 楊惠姍曾說： 「談生命， 不一定要說的很深奧， 一朵花， 可以說一個生命。」

以花的世界隱喻人的生命，是一種提醒，對生命的苦產生更慈悲的更深切的觀照。無論外界環境怎麼變，一念向善，讓心一如花朵美好，成為一種自我修持，一種離苦得樂的生命智慧。

Introducing a New Palette for 21st Century Liuli

Sculptors never thought to or could not alter a material’s intrinsic color until artists in 17th century France began toying with the possibility of using color to add motion and life to a static object.

In the 19th century, French sculptors Henri Cros and Auguste Rodin’s experimentation led them to glass. Glass is one of few mediums that can absorb color. Yet in its molten state its fluidity makes the application of color a challenge. This is why experimentation with color placement in glass is one of the greatest journeys a glass artist can take.

Colorful bees, insects, and lizards were commonly represented during the 20th century Art Nouveau period. But what about flowers? Artist Emile Gallé, one of the major forces of French Art Nouveau once said that the colors found in flowers were God’s creations.

Loretta H. Yang approaches liuli art as both sculpture and painting. She believes that color can be applied to liuli the same way it is used in painting. Yet in a 1,400C kiln, what was once solid becomes liquid and what was once defined loses definition as glass and color move through each other. For thirty-two years Yang has experimented with color placement through the pate de verre technique. Breaking through the confines of color limitations in liuli sculpture, Yang has mastered the application of color in her large-scale floral blooms.

The color found in sculpture is not on the surface, it is incorporated into the material itself. Transforming as it interacts with light, sculptural art reaches another dimension through the elements of liuli, light and color. In the 21st century, color finds new life under Yang’s skilled hands.

開創二十一世紀琉璃顏色新境界

在人類漫長的雕塑歷史上， 幾乎沒有一種雕塑材質能隨藝術家創作色彩。 法國自17世紀開始許多藝術家思考著， 如何讓作品更有生命力， 顏色變成一個很重要的層面， 因為 「色彩」 是表達美感的元素之一。

19 世紀， 法國雕塑家亨利．克羅斯 Henri Cros 和羅丹 Auguste Rodin 透過大量的實驗， 不斷的摸索， 最後在 「琉璃」 中找到答案。 琉璃是少數可以融入色彩， 又能永久保存的一種雕塑材質， 但高溫中的琉璃呈液態流動， 如何精準 「定色」， 成了藝術家新的探索旅程。 仔細觀察歐洲新藝術時期中有關 「定色」 的創作， 有蜜蜂， 有昆蟲， 有蜥蜴， 偏偏唯獨沒有花。

Emile Gallé 說過， 花朵的顏色， 是上帝創造的顏色。

琉璃藝術，對楊惠姍來說，是雕塑；也是繪畫。她相信琉璃的顏色可以如繪畫一樣，揮灑自如。然而，1400多度的高溫中，滾燙的琉璃漿彷彿有自己意志，隨機流動的過程中，影響色彩的位置與變化。32年來，無數次慘烈的挫折，絕望的失敗，楊惠姍在脫蠟鑄造的基礎上，一點點的，摸索粉燒定色的技法，最終，突破琉璃雕塑和顏色的束縛，為盛大的花朵揮灑上豐富的色彩。

雕塑藝術的顏色從材質表面進到材質，隨著光影的改變，顏色也隨之變化；琉璃、光、色彩三者的融合，為雕塑藝術帶來前所未有的豐富生命力。21世紀的「定色」，在藝術家楊惠姍手上，發展出一個全新的境界。

Loretta H.S. Yang

Liuligongfang Founder / Creative Director
Pioneer and Founder of Contemporary Chinese Liuli Art
Former Honorary Professor at Tsinghua University, Beijing
Guest Professor at Modern Glass Art Museum in Ishikawa, Japan
Guest Professor at CIRVA (Centre International de Recherche sur le Verre et les Arts Plastiques), France
Guest Instructor at The Studio Corning Museum of Glass, New York
Founder of Shanghai Liuli China Museum
Illustrious Actress in Taiwanese Cinema
Two time Golden Horse Best Actress Winner
Asia Pacific Film Festival Best Actress Winner

楊惠姍 Loretta H.S. Yang

琉璃工房 創辦人 / 藝術總監
中國現代琉璃藝術奠基人和開拓者
曾任中國北京清華大學美術學院玻璃藝術學系顧問教授
日本石川縣能登半島玻璃美術館示範教席
法國馬賽 CIRVA 玻璃藝術中心任示範教席
美國康寧玻璃博物館客座授課
上海琉璃藝術博物館創辦人
臺灣電影界著名的表演藝術家
兩屆臺灣金馬獎最佳女主角
亞太影展最佳女主角

Second Act

Loretta H. Yang was one of the premiere actors in 70s Taiwanese cinema. Her starring roles in the seminal films Teenage Fugitive and Kuei-mei, a Woman earned her the Golden Horse award Best Actress trophy for two consecutive years. In the 80s, her work in Jade Love earned her the Best Actress award from the Asia Pacific Film Festival.

An actor’s job is to embody someone else’s life and to come back to your own after filming. For over ten years, Yang went in and out of different lives but the feeling she could never escape was that of unrest. At the height of her career in 1987, Yang left film for liuli. From a tiny workshop in Yinge,Taiwan, she began her second act in the founding of Liuligongfang. At the time, she had no knowledge of sculpting or pate de verre but across three and a half years and NT$75,000,000 (US$2.4 million) later, she willed it into shape.

亞太影后的華麗轉身

楊惠姍， 1970年代臺灣知名電影表演者， 以電影作品 《小逃犯》 和 《我這樣過了一生》， 連續兩年獲得金馬獎最佳女主角肯定， 並以 《玉卿嫂》 獲得亞太影展最佳女主角殊榮， 為當時臺灣電影界最重要的表演藝術家之一。

電影工作本身， 戲劇情節如夢般投入， 轉眼間， 又是真實生活的面對。 十多年的表演事業， 回頭， 又是刻骨銘心的不安。 在1987年電影生涯最高峰時， 毅然決然選擇了琉璃創作。 從一個鶯歌破舊工作室的小溝旁， 開始她生命裡一個嶄新的學習， 當時， 她連雕塑是怎麼一回事都不懂。 琉璃脫蠟鑄造法的摸索困難重重， 歷時三年半， 負債七千五百萬台幣， 最困難的時候， 身上連一顆茶葉蛋的錢都沒有。

Chinese Liuli Faces the World

Across film and liuli, Loretta H. Yang has reached into the depths of life to confront the hardship and fear of birth, ageing, sickness, death, wanting what one can not have, facing what one does not want and loss of love. Poet Bai Juyi penned, “Like scattered clouds, the fragility of liuli.” The beauty and ephemerality of liuli makes it the ideal medium to convey the concept of impermanence. With liuli as her stage, she explores life through sculpture.

Borrowing from her training as an actor, Yang imbues the craft of pate de verre with humanistic and philosophical sensibilities. She revived the ancient lost art of Chinese liuli and introduced contemporary liuli art to a global audience to widespread acclaim. She strives to elevate people and culture through liuli and to find her own voice through the process. From Taiwan to the world, Yang is a unique voice from the east in the forum of liuli art.

From Movie Star to Liuli Artist

For thirty-two years, the artist’s work has travelled across Europe to Asia to the Americas; her liuli sculptures can be found in the permanent collections of 19 internationally renowned museums. Since her groundbreaking exhibition at Leo Kaplan Modern in 2007, her voice as a Chinese liuli artist has made a profound impact in the realm of contemporary glass art worldwide. Her guest instructor stint at the Corning Museum of Glass in 2010 made her the first female Chinese artist to hold that position.

Loretta H. Yang - the Chinese name heard around the world.

代表東方琉璃藝術，向世界發聲

從電影到琉璃，楊惠姍反覆且深刻地體認生命深處，充滿無窮的顛沛和恐懼；生、老、病、死，求不得，怨憎會、愛別離。白居易詩作「彩雲易散琉璃脆」，琉璃的華美與脆弱，成了一種最能呈現生命無常的材質。經歷三年半在材質與技法的摸索，琉璃，漸漸成為楊惠姍一種新的表演語言。花，是她喜愛的創作主題之一， 也是她展演生命的方式。

楊惠姍延續表演藝術上的成就， 以 「脫蠟鑄造法」 的工藝技法與豐沛的人文哲學思想， 讓中國琉璃藝術在失落千年後， 再度以現代琉璃的創作受到國際矚目與肯定。 在她的心底， 對於民族文化的渴望激情， 日日夜夜與琉璃的戰鬥， 只為尋求一種獨特的創作語言， 從臺灣走出去， 代表東方琉璃藝術向世界發聲。

從影后，到世界級琉璃藝術家

一路走來， 作品迄今橫跨歐、 亞、 美全球19家國際博物館典藏紀錄， 一個讓全世界感動的華人琉璃藝術家。 2007 年於 Leo Kaplan Modern 藝廊展覽一舉轟動紐約， 被譽為中國現代琉璃藝術的前衛推動者。 2010 年更獲邀至美國康寧博物館開設琉璃藝術大師工作坊， 成為首位於康寧授課的華人女性玻璃藝術家。

楊惠姍，一個進入世界級博物館殿堂的華人名字；一個世界的楊惠姍。

Loretta H. Yang - the Name Heard Around the World
Yang’s liuli flowers make their mark on the world

楊惠姍 - 世界的琉璃花
楊惠姍琉璃花的世界足跡

The Pure Spring Reflects the Orchid 《清泉映蘭》

Year 2000
Acquired by Museo del Vidro, Monterrey, Mexico
墨西哥蒙特利市維多博物館

The Flowers are Beautiful and The Moon is Full 《花好月圓》

Year 2002
Exhibition at Steninge Palace, Sweden
瑞典 Steninge Palace 博物館展出

Year 2004
Exhibition at Capazza Galerie, Nançay, France
法國南錫Capazza藝廊展出

Year 2007
Exhibition at Leo Kaplan Modern, New York, USA
美國紐約 Leo Kaplan Modern 藝廊展出

2007 The Proof of Awareness 《澄明之悟》

Year 2007
Acquired by Corning Museum of Glass, New York, USA
美國康寧玻璃博物館典藏

Year 2007
Acquired by Museum of Arts and Design, New York, USA
美國紐約藝術與設計博物館典藏

Year 2008
Exhibition at Leo Kaplan Modern, New York, USA
美國紐約 Leo Kaplan Modern 藝廊展出

Year 2008
Exhibition in Malaysia
馬來西亞展出

Year 2009
Receives award at Habatat Galleries’ Int'l Glass Invitational Award Exhibition
獲美國 Habatat 藝廊國際玻璃藝術大展獎

Springtime Dance 《春之舞》

Year 2010
Acquired by Glasmuseet Ebeltoft, Denmark
丹麥艾貝爾托夫博物館典藏

Imminent Spring Dance 《且舞春風共從容》

Year 2010
One Hundred Years, a LIULI Flower Blooms exhibition in Singapore
《一百年，開出一朵琉璃花》 新加坡展出

Year 2010
One Hundred Years, a LIULI Flower Blooms exhibition in Malaysia
《一百年，開出一朵琉璃花》 馬來西亞展出

Year 2010
One Hundred Years, a LIULI Flower Blooms exhibition in San Francisco, CA
《一百年，開出一朵琉璃花》 美國舊金山展出

Imminent Spring Dance 《且舞春風共從容》

Year 2013
Acquired by the National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
中國美術館典藏

Song of the Morning Flower 《朝花之歌》

Year 2015
Featured in Chase Bank’s Mastery campaign
美國 CHASE 銀行年度形象代表 MASTERY 為廣告代表作

Golden Glow of Enlightenment 《金光明菩提願》

Year 2016
acquired by Musée des Arts Décoratifs
法國裝飾藝術博物館典藏

Imminent Spring Dance 《且舞春風共從容》

Year 2016
One Hundred Years, a LIULI Flower Blooms exhibition in Brussels, Belgium
比利時布魯塞爾展出《一百年，開出一朵琉璃花》

Year 2018
One Hundred Years, a LIULI Flower Blooms exhibited at Goüin Museum, Tours, France
法國圖爾古安博物館展出《一百年，開出一朵琉璃花》

Related Artist Collection:

The Proof of Awareness (Artist's Edition)
澄明之悟 (藝術家收藏版)

A Chinese LIULI Flower (Artist's Edition)
一朵中国琉璃花 (藝術家收藏版)