G_The Spirit of Liberty Series

G01	I Love Paris, I Love Liberty "France and the United States unite once more. Chagall's Paris full of Eiffel Towers, lovers, and roses, creates a cultural crown for our Lady. She thinks of Paris, but sees New York, Gracefully, Chen's majestic Magritte bird provides the soulful link between the two." -P.B.-S.
G02	City Gleaners J.F. Millet: "The Gleaners", 1857. Louvre, Paris Gauguin: "And the Gold of their Bodies", 1901. Museum d'Orsay, Paris What a glorious way to close this commentary, with one of my favorite Chen paintings. One of the most urbane and well-informed artists of the nineteenth century Jean Francois Millet (1814-1875), did not immediately find public favor, especially with the French middle class, who viewed his canvases, which glorified the moral superiority of hard labor, as politically revolutionary. Chen sees a deep linkage between Liberty and religious experience, and he uses a number of Millet icons to show this. In "Praying in the New Land" he took two figures from Millet's "Angelus", which is named after the Latin prayer recited at the start of day, noon, and end of day, and placed them in the view of the Statue of Liberty. While not religious, "City Gleaners" is a devastating commentary. Chen freely uses three peasants from another Millet, the familiar "Gleaners (1857)". Although the colors and tonal placements of the painting are lovely, these ladies have not chanted the Angelus, nor does their work seem ennobling. They are picking up the trash of a profligate society, scavenging cans from a dump. The figure on the right carries a totebag imprinted I LOVE NEW YORK. Do they scavenge the soft drink cans to clean up the mess of litterers, or are they gleaning to have something to sell? Take your choice. The image of Liberty standing on a Classic Coke can is delicious. It can never be said that Chen's Neo-Iconography lacks humor. (by Lawrance Jeppson)
G03	Sunday Morning, Liberty! Edward Hopper: "Early Sunday Morning," 1930, Whitney Museum of American Art In Chen's book "The Spirit of Liberty", he states: "The driving desire of all human beings to make choices cannot be taken away; nor can it be ceded successfully. The craving dwells innately within the heart and spirit of human beings. Whatever our circumstances, as long as we are rational, we are in Liberty's power forever." To celebrate the Statue of Liberty's Centennial several years ago, Chen painted more than 100 iconographic tributes to her, "calling into service his extraordinary erudition, his effusive love for all of humankind's varied expressions of culture over past millennia, and his passion for the eternal truth, of humankind's universal freedom-seeking spirit." "Sunday Morning, Liberty!" is a quintessential American piece, which takes a popular image from Edward Hopper (1882 - 1967), who frequently took his images from stark, seedy, urban America. Chen's introduction of the Liberty icon in such a dramatic fashion drives home the point that even when no human beings are in view, the social context is a product of human decisions. (by Lawrance Jeppson)
G04	The Spirit of Liberty "After experiencing the jolt of the dramatic close-up vis-a-vis encounter solely with the head of the Statue, Chen's careful exchanges become apparent: her crown, a ring of Eiffel Towers; her eyes and nose, a synthesis of both the aggressive eagle and the peaceful dove. He, in essence, completes 100 years later the message of the Statue. It now not only is the traditional image of friendship between one nation and another, but becomes in Chen's hands a more universal concept through this new universal neo-iconographic image."-P.B.-S.
G05	Challenging Free Frontiers "The sacrifice of your loved ones has stirred the soul of our nation and, through the pain, our hearts have been opened to a profound truth: the future is not free, the story of all human progress is one of a struggle against all odds. We learn again that this America, which Abraham Lincoln called the last best hope of man on Earth, was built on heroism and noble sacrifice. It was built by men and women like our seven star voyagers, who answered a call beyond duty, who gave more than was expected or required, and who gave it with little thought to worldly reward. Today, the frontier is space and the boundaries of human knowledge. Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short. But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain. Our nation is indeed fortunate that we can still draw on our immense reservoirs of courage, character and fortitude - and that we are still blesses with heroes like those of the space shuttle Challenger." - excerpt from President Reagan's eulogy at a memorial service for the seven Challenger astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on January 31st., 1986.
G06	Hail to the Statue of Liberty So many flags; so much freedom. Rousseau's skybound and winged Liberty Lady trumpets invitations to our Lady. The French boats come..... The Liberty birds come..... Even the men from Mount Rushmore come. The torch is too significant to ignore.-- P. B. S.
G07 G08 G09 G10	Reflecting Liberty serigraphy in four versions: blue, yellow, pink and white "Elegantly placed on Mondrian's code of colors, the Statue exists simultaneously as a reflection on a screen and as a reflection on an open window. Precisely, Chen's image is both simple and complex - and Freedom is both simple and complex." -- P.B.-S
G11	The Awakening Gypsy Henri Rousseau: "The Sleeping Gypsy," 1897, MOMA, NYC In Chen's 100 commemorations, he often radically transformed the Statue of Liberty to underscore her significance to all people. Rousseau described his painting The Sleeping Gypsy as a realistic painting, despite a wandering lion. She was, he said, a Black girl wandering in a desert. Exhausted, she fell asleep beside her mandolin and a jar of water. In this version, Chen has awakened the gypsy and put her on a suitcase pedestal, which, along with her walking stick, are symbols of wandering and migration. She thrusts up her waterjug, from which Liberty's torchflame blazes out. (by Lawrance Jeppson)
G12	Greeting From the East "Chen's being is filled with an incendiary mix of East and West, of old and new, of lasting and ephemeral, of material and spiritual..... He is a volcano of ideas, ideals, and artistic tools. He is an artist of mindful passion..... This eye-popping cargo of Liberty litanies is also a hosanna to the flowering of Neo-Iconography, which is a limitless way of uniting time and space and esthetic diversity into fresh artistic expressions and insights." So I wrote in "The Spirit of Liberty." East and West: Liberty's crown, insert like diamonds with Buddhas, recalls medieval figures surrounding cathedral doors. The sky is filled with a treasure trove of Chinese icons. The crown's spikes divide the sky. The painting reminds one of the temples in Taiwan, where hardly an inch is left undecorated. (by Lawrance Jeppson) "East - West Convergency. The crown of Buddhas recalls medieval saints circling cathedral portals. Above, spirits of the Buddha world transport treasures from the East. She gazes and waits. The gifts are endless." -- Priscilla Bain-Smith
G13	Chagall Visiting the Statue of Liberty "Chagall's couples float idyllically over villages, over countryside, over other couples. They know and rejoice in the message of Chen's Statue: there can never be too much freedom."P.B.-S.
G14	Liberty Harbor Van Gogh: "Boats at the St. Maries," 1888. Laren Collection V. W. van Gogh In Chen's delightful Liberty Harbor, the composition is held together by strong vertical elements: a portion of the Statue of Liberty with upraised arm dominating the foreground, the masts of four beached sailboats in the middleground, and the massive twin towers of the World Trade Center in the background. The canvas abounds in triangular underpinnings, such as the sails of the smaller crafts and one tall ship. The beached boats can be found in "Boats at the St. Maries." Chen's boats are almost identical, except that the one originally called Amitie (Friendship) has lost its name. Then tiny crafts have brought their human cargo, who have debarked, their safety assured and their futures open. The little sailing vessels, though Dutch, seem vaguely Oriental. (by Lawrance Jeppson)
G15	Sailing in Liberty Harbor Signac: "Le Port de St. Tropez". Musee de l'Annonciade, St. Tropez. In one omnipotent abracadabra Chen moves Paul Signac's entire fleet of sailing pleasure boats from the harbor of St. Tropez to waters between Liberty island and Manhattan, where they participate in the Statute of Liberty Centennial Celebration. The Liberty Lady in the foreground and the twin towers of the World Trade Center in the back leave no doubt as to the location. Signac (1863-1945) was one of the founders of the Society of Independent Artists, where he met Georges Seurat (1859-1891), whose lead he followed in the creation of Pointillism. Francoise Cachin wrote of him, "..... by his religion of color he was able to play a role alongside the Fauves; by his asceticism, alongside the Cubists; by his effort of rational analysis, alongside Matisse; and by the will power of his style, his detachment from nature, and his obsessions with pure paint and color, alongside Delaunay and Kandinsky, the father of abstraction." Chen has given the entire painting a Divisionist (pointillist) treatment: the medium becoming icon and part of the message. (by Lawrance Jeppson)
G16	Rising Tide of Liberty Hokusai, Great Wave off Kanagawa, #4, The 36 Views of Mount Fuji "Greet the Universal Tide of Freedom. Meet Chen's universal boat people Drifting from many lands, from many Times, to this Icon of Peace. These Are the unfortunates of the world and the Liberty Lady hoists high her torch to welcome them."P.B.-S.
G17	Open to Liberty The Crescent still hanging in the darkness Hardly visible, Manhattan deep in her dream ..... Yet hoisting high Liberty's torch reaching afar ..... Across the vast ocean Hiroshige's morning glories open Like trumpets, echoing the call for freedom, Gathering early dews, to be turned into diamonds, When the Sun rises! (by T. F. Chen)
G19	United Around Liberty Lady "They dance. They harmonize. The statue's presence provides reasons for this festive jubilee. And with Matisse and Chen Humankind unites once more." -- Priscilla Bain-Smith
G20	Everlasting Cry for Freedom The striking power of this masterpiece resides in the astonishing presentation of the grand facade of the Statue of Liberty as well as the richness of assorted image-elements and their accompanying symbolic meanings. The noble face, half-yellow and half-blue, half light and half dark, presides over the vast sky and deep waters during the continuing cycle of time and its seasons. A pair of sunglasses shades the eyes of the Liberty Lady. The reflection of a pair of elegant, flying doves -- the universal symbol of "Hope and Peace" (derived from Magritte's "La Grande Famille") -- becomes the focal point of the painting, just as "the eyes are the window to the soul." The two doves, in flight, extend their power through the crown of the Lady. Chagall's icons enrich and enhance the picturesque structure of this painting, forming the crown resting upon the Lady Liberty's head. Amongst the vastness of interpretations of Parisian landscapes, Dr. Chen admires Chagall's handling of them the most, for their color, variety and fantastic nature. Chen feels that Chagall painted his dreams and his loves, with insight and purity of heart, completely capturing the soul of Paris. Chen draws upon much of Chagall's visual vocabulary to construct this particular scene. With the Eiffel Tower (borrowed from his "Paris through the Window"), forming the central tine of the crown, and the red tower of "St. Germain-des Pres" on the right, the wedding couple from Chagall's "Song of Songs" forms the left tine. The scene is echoed by the intense surrounding semblances from Chagall's world: the dove in a radiant disc, the couple at the Opera House, the large red sun radiating from between a blue cock and the endearing marine nude, etc.. Thus, Chagall's Paris combines gloriously with Lady Liberty, exemplifying the Lady's intrinsic value, the mother of eternal happiness and freedom. Liberty, a fundamental human right and the foundation for human dignity, has not always been so accessible. A glance through human history reveals numerous instances when liberty has been threatened by dictatorial regimes. Even now, in many parts of the world, the Statue's light has yet to pierce the darkness. Dr. Chen painted this artwork in 1990, just after the Tienanmen Square Incident in Beijing. In the lower, right hand corner a painted cut-out of a photograph depicting a thin, young man standing in the way of approaching tanks testifies to the courage of the people in opposing an unjust government. On the lower, left hand corner of the canvas we see a presidential candidate, covered in blood and beaten terribly, another violent act at odds with democracy. Even in Taiwan, Dr. Chen's motherland, the KMT regime had placed thousands of opposition leaders into prison (see the grey silhouettes behind the bars), until finally the abolition of the 37-year long state of martial law finally paved the way for free election. Picasso's creation of the original goddess stretching forth her lamp as an everlasting cry for freedom seems an apt theme for empowering the present with compassion for a history such as that of our world's. Together with the Lady, Picasso's woman keeps her lamp lit for the world, blessing its vast and continuing struggle for Liberty. (by Lawrance Jeppson)
G18	Floating Kandinsky Liberty Lady What's your dream at night? Do you sleep or not? I see you lift the lamp day and nigt. Lady Liberty Where's the land you call home? Do you ever take vacation? I see your silhouette all year long. Liberty Lady Why are you in green, not in gold Do you follow the fashion? I see you stand aloof and tall. My dream is everybody's dream I'm the Home to everybody My light penetrate every mind I'm the diamond of the world. ( T. F. Chen )
G21	Liberty Bird in Flight Soaring Like Birds "Over your head the vast expanse of sky under your feet, a great wonderful Land to the distant shore your casting light Were it not for that voice, color, and feeling you would remain unknown, even one thousand years passed by Upright erected, you command the bay casting your hope upon people's Mind You are the torchlight for seafaring tribes reaching out your voice to all humankind We demand Dignity, Quality, Humanity forever enduring as Our dreams Soaring like birds swimming like fish moving like animals radiating like God, your ultimate brightness silently, unceasingly bringing Liberty, Peace, and Love to every corner of the Earth." -- Lin Jong-teh (translated from Chinese to English by T. F. Chen) 11 March 1986
G22	Burning with the Starry Night Van Gogh, Starry Night, 1889, Museum of Modern Art, NY "She stands before and in the Starry Night. Her torch fuses with Van Gogh's frantic sky of Freedom. Protecting the now unseen village -Chen's vision puts Liberty first..... and then all is calm."-P.B.-S. Freedom Mother of Creation Light of Civilization Source of everlasting inspiration Kindle the stars Kindle the constellation Kindle canvas Kindle van Gogh's brushes Whirling in a cosmic rhythm, With Fire of Freedom, flamming in celestial joy With Fire of Passion, bursting in emotional ecstasy When van Gogh married Liberty Lady Time and Space fuse together All is but Love and Light. (by T. F. Chen)
G23	Violin Duet for Liberty Chagall, The Fiddler, 1912-13, The Green Violinist "Their music never stops. Chagall's Fiddlers fiddle And Chen's Statue becomes a performing platform For their universal notes. With Chen, Harmony dominates And Our lady remains silent Yet strong."P.B.-S.
G24	She Saves T. Gericault, The Raft of the Medusa, 1819, Louvre, Paris. "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" -Emma Lazarus (1849-1887)
G25	Liberty States My Liberty "America, so beautiful, and blessed with Liberty; Each morning I sing a song of thanks, so grateful to be free. Miss Liberty, my Liberty, remain forevermore ; A symbol of the Freedom, the whole world's striving for."-Louise Sanders New York is free, a state of Liberty New Jersey is free, a state of Liberty So are New Hampshire and new Mexico California and Florida, From the mountains to the oceans From the valleys to the prairies From the Atlantic to the Pacific From ranches in Texas to Michigan Lake From presidents to sellers on street All are equal and free Under God Before law With Love So just stamp "LIBERTY" on all states, You will have a United "LIBERTY" States United States, blessed with Freedom by Liberty Lady (by T. F. Chen)
G26	Gracious Rain of Liberty "It's raining, but it doesn't matter. It is a gracious rain. Hiroshige's workers Still go to work; Hiroshige's workers Still return from work. Boats in the river Work and play; Chen's Statue looms gigantically near the Eastern Bridge connecting itself to the Western metropolis. The East-West Convergency Nears completion."P.B.-S.
G27	Sailing in Liberty Harbour Soft breeze Blessed by the Lady Under the bright sky Sailing in liberty Homer's children Sailing in the Hudson River Across the Atlantic Through the Mediterranean From the Aegean Sea, from Athens From the Age of Helen and Paris of Venus and Zeus, Sailing to the 21st Century with Love and Liberty. (by T. F. Chen)
G28	Independence and Freedom artist unknown, First half of 19th Century: General Washington on a White Charger. "Riding, riding, riding..... these two historical symbols of Freedom prance gaily but steadfastly throughout the blessed land. Led by the dove of peace Through fields of flowers And golden sunshine, Their message reaches all."P.B.-S.
G29	Burning with Cosmic Rhythm In the vast darkness Turn the constellations in a symphony of cosmic rhythm Only Beethoven can hear With his deaf yet deft ear; In the deep night Burn the constellation celebrating the burst of Creation Only van Gogh can catch With his color and brush Liberty, Mother of Creation Hoist high her holy fire Through time and space Penetrating the Soul of Humankind The Cradle of civilization! (by T. F. Chen)