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¡@¡@In 1999, Mr Chen Forng-shean visited The Lins' Garden in Ban-chiao and noticed the traditional brick-carving, stone-carving, and wood-carving, the craft of which has gradually been stopped passing on. With a sense of the mission to pass on the craft, he was diverting his specialization in micro-carving to brick-carving creations.
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¡@¡@At this time, Mr. Chen organized a carving club at the Central Engraving and Printing Plant, whose members also wished to learn crafts other than wood-carvings. Taking this opportunity, he introduced brick-carving to the club by starting to collect brick-carving related reference books, and he started to work on ancient Chinese Characters and transcription, a threshold of simple techniques. The club members were serious to learn the craft, and they strengthened the desire of Mr. Chen to devote himself to brick-carving and revived the neglected brick-carving craft.
¡@¡@In appreciation of the club members' finished carving creations, Mr. Chen further strengthened his confidence in brick-carving creation and he also made his decision to promote this craft in many other organizations, covering living compounds and schools. He started visiting various schools, telling stories about brick-carving and teaching students carving of bricks. He exhibited their finished carvings on walls, forming a mobile brick-carving museum.
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| ¡@¡@When Mr. Chen had inspiration, he
would first make sketches on bricks and then make indented carving,
projecting carving, or three-dimensional carving. As to the
selection of bricks, there is no specific limit. He may select
a larger piece of brick with higher density, being stronger,
and not easily wearing off by weather. Such a piece of brick
may become even more flexible because of long-time weather influence.
¡@¡@¡§Heavenly Horse Brick¡¨ is kept at the Mainland National
Palace Museum. It is the most precious source material that
Mr. Chen has ever used to make carving creations. The one
piece unit price for Heavenly Horse Brick is over NT$4,000,000.
It is not comparable to the ordinary brick which is sold at
about NT$2.50 a piece.
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| ¡@¡@The brick-carving technique that Mr. Chen often
uses is pre-kiln carving. Post-kiln carving, because of its
hardness, requires higher skill, and the tools used are comparatively
dangerous. The most difficult ones are Inner Carving and Double-face
Three-Dimensional Carving because it is hard to pinpoint the
fine portions. When the job is done, it must be fixed on acrylic
frames. Regardless how hard the job is, Mr. Chen uses his delicate
hands to carve the brick with great patience. During the whole
process of carving, Mr. Chen is totally enjoying himself with
great inner joyfulness. |
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¡@¡@ Mr. Chen's promotion of brick-carving starts from his own
community area. The community is building an ¡§Art Wall¡¨. He
will take further steps by increasing media advertise and
giving lectures at schools. At schools, he will teach the
students and the school teachers. At the communities, he will
help volunteer workers to make brick-carving popular. These
activities are aimed at allowing the general public to join
and create brick-carving together. Mr. Chen's final objective
is to let the 400-year brick-carving culture of Taiwan prevail
overseas. |
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