Altrove, his first solo exhibition in Italy, currently underway at the Sulmondo Gallery in Naples, is a journey into the poetics of Taiwanese artist Wu Kuan-Te. Born in 1979, he began his career in 1995, graduating from the Fine Arts Institute of Taiwan Normal University. Born in 1979, he began his artistic career in 1995, graduating from the Fine Arts Institute of Taiwan Normal University. His thinking and art are deeply influenced by international travel experiences – such as his 2011 trip to France following in the footsteps of Paul Cézanne – as well as by Eastern philosophy and the observation of nature.
Wu Kuan-Te, “Awakening”, oil painting on canvas, 120 x 120 cm, 2025, ph. courtesy Galleria Sulmondo
His initiation into art came from his paternal uncle, Yao-Zhong Wu, whose tragic death profoundly marked Kuan-Te, leading him to reuse his uncle’s old easel, sketchbook and oil paints. His first steps in the art world were represented by watercolors painted en plein air, immersed in the nature that permeates all his work, a safe refuge from life’s sorrows and a symbol of the Dao (the Way) that guides his path. Later, the artist dedicated himself to large-format oil painting, often rendered in large ovals, developing a personal interpretation of Action Painting interwoven with elements of Eastern philosophy.
Wu Kuan-Te, “Lustrous Glow”, oil painting on canvas, 120 x 120 cm, 2024, ph. courtesy Galleria Sulmondo
The exhibition features numerous ovals, a format inspired by the concept of circular or cyclical temporality, in opposition to the typically Western linear view of time, echoing Buddhist Samsara. The subjects depicted are exclusively nature, central to the Chinese shān shuǐ (山水, “mountain-water”) tradition that spread during the Southern Song dynasty (10th-12th centuries). Drawing from this heritage, Kuan-Te does not represent a visible world, but an inner landscape evoked by memory, heart, and mind: every landscape, waterfall, tree, or root does not exist in reality but takes shape as a trace of memory. The creative process behind the works is equally significant. In a meditative practice, Kuan-Te works by subtraction, applying a dark background (often gold, a color he considers the most precious and fundamental to all form and matter) onto which he applies pigments, later removed using natural objects like branches. This is a gesture that involves the entire body and becomes a direct expression of the artist’s emotional states.
Wu Kuan-Te, “Momentum”, oil painting on canvas, 200 x 200 cm, 2021, ph. courtesy Galleria Sulmondo
The works are characterized by numerous chromatic nuances, from warmer tones to blues and greens, down to darker, brownish hues. The circular images, designed in the exhibition to rotate (some offering a mirrored perspective, making it difficult to distinguish the reflection) do not present a single viewpoint. They reflect the mutability of time, adapting to the gaze of the observer who immerses themselves in the work. The use of empty space is also fundamental, skillfully managed by Kuan-Te through the liúbái (留白) technique, which leaves room for the imagination evoked by the absence of color.
Wu Kuan-Te, “Breath of Spring”, oil painting on canvas, 40 x 40 cm, 2022, ph. courtesy Galleria Sulmondo
The installation of the exhibition is meticulously curated, with great attention to lighting designed to enhance the colors of the works. The pieces are spaced away from the walls using special supports, avoiding visual flattening and promoting a more suspended perception of the images. The informal, light-toned exhibition space invites meditation and immersion, accompanied by a discreet musical backdrop that amplifies the contemplative experience. In this context, Wu Kuan-Te’s art presents itself as an invitation to slow down, reconsidering our relationship with nature and reminding us of our fragile and transient existence. Perhaps, as these works suggest, balance is found precisely in the simplest things.
Francesco Papillo
Info:
Wu Kuan-Te. Altrove
5/12/25 -16/01/2026
Sulmondo
Via Chiatamone, 26 – Napoli
www.sulmondo.com
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