Category: New Contemporary Art

Thinkspace is pleased to present his debut solo exhibition with us by Taiwanese artist KCN ‘Dark Energy’ and includes a collection of eight detailed graphite new works on canvas that examine the emotional relationships between humans through various aspects of art, technology, culture, war, and science. The boundaries of time and individuality become indistinct as themes of alienation and “the other” emerge, with KCN’s exploration of the historical occupation of Taiwan by Japan serving as a recurring theme in his narrative portraiture.

Our interview with KCN shares his upbringing in Taiwan, explores his artistic journey, and reveals the meaning behind his alias.

• What motivated or inspired the collection you’re presenting in this exhibition?

The theme and inspiration for this exhibition are drawn from my interpretation of the universe’s “dark energy.” Like antigravity, it pushes apart all forms and structures, ultimately shaping the evolution of the large-scale structure of the universe.

• Are there any recurring themes or symbols in your paintings? If so, what do they represent to you?

In this body of work, I did not incorporate any recurring symbols. However, in many of my previous works, I often included elements and symbols associated with pre-war Taiwan. These symbols also represent my background and my sense of identity.

• Can you share a particularly memorable moment or experience that influenced your artistic journey?

What has shaped my artistic journey the most is the era in which I was born. I grew up during a contradictory period—a time that transitioned from scarcity to abundance. When I was young, pursuing a career as an artist was extremely difficult. Later, as the manga industry began to flourish in Taiwan, I entered the field as a traditional hand-drawn manga artist. However, within just a few years, the industry quickly collapsed.

At the same time, the digital era arrived. To make a living, I had no choice but to set aside traditional drawing and transition to digital art. I worked as an illustrator before eventually entering the video game industry.

Then, in recent years, the rise of AI brought yet another major disruption to digital art. Fortunately, seven years ago, I made the decision to leave the game industry, abandon digital painting, and return to traditional hand-drawing, because hand-drawn art has always been where my heart truly belongs.

I no longer wanted to compromise my artistic ideals simply to make a living. If I could start over again, I would choose to remain committed to traditional drawing from the very beginning.

Having lived through the transition from traditional art to the digital era, and now witnessing the impact of AI, I feel that my generation has constantly struggled to keep up with the speed of change. Yet despite everything, I have finally returned to where my passion for art first began.

• Are there any specific artists, movements, or periods in art history that have significantly influenced your work?

In truth, I have been influenced more by the spirit of different eras than by any individual artist.

Everything that emerged after the Industrial Revolution, as well as the rich vintage culture that existed up until the pre-war period, has always fascinated me. At the same time, I was deeply influenced by the popular culture of the 1970s through the 1990s.

I wouldn’t say that any single artist has had a defining influence on my work. However, if I had to name two artists whom I truly admire, they would be H. R. Giger and the Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum.

• What’s on your art career bucket list?

From the circumstances of my birth to the environment in which I grew up, I have never had many choices in life.

Now, with the support of your gallery and the appreciation of collectors who enjoy my work, I already feel deeply grateful and fulfilled. My only wish is to continue creating—to devote myself to painting for the rest of my life, and to keep making art until the very end of my journey.

• If you could collaborate with any artists in any sort of medium (i.e. movies, music, painting) who would you collaborate with, and what would you be making?

Haha, I actually don’t often think about this kind of possibility. However, if I ever have the opportunity, I would not be opposed to collaborating with creators from any field—especially in film and music, because these are two areas that I personally love very much.

As for what kind of work I could create together with filmmakers or musicians, I believe my contribution would mainly be through visual expression. At most, I would hope to help create a unique world and its atmosphere.

• Who would be on the guest list if you could throw a dinner party for five people, dead or alive? What would be on the menu? What would be the icebreaker question?Haha, that’s a difficult question. 

If I could host a dinner for five guests, I think I would invite President Abraham Lincoln, Vincent van Gogh, Franz Kafka, the members of The Beatles, and Keanu Reeves.

The menu would probably be the traditional home-cooked dishes prepared by my grandmother.

For my opening words, I would say, “Thank you all for accompanying me throughout my growth, and for giving me the courage to keep moving forward along my journey.”

•  How do you approach the naming of your pieces, and what significance do titles hold for you?

I usually name my works by drawing comparisons between the things I love, my own reflections on the philosophy of life, and existing scientific terminology.

• Can you tell us a bit more about your artist alias/nickname?

My artist name, “KCN,” is the chemical formula for potassium cyanide. Potassium cyanide itself is an extremely toxic substance, and this name is closely connected to my personal journey. Since I was young, my way of thinking has often been very different from those around me. Living in such circumstances for a long time made me feel as though my very existence was, to others, a kind of poison.

• How has your cultural background influenced your artistic style? I know this is somewhat tied into the question above…

I was born in Taiwan during a time when the country was still under an authoritarian regime. It was not until my teenage years that Taiwan began its transition toward freedom and democracy.

Because of this historical background, Taiwan’s cultural environment was relatively limited during my early years. However, I was raised by my grandparents, who belonged to the pre-war generation, and I also grew up near areas filled with heavy industry—shipyards, shipbreaking yards, and steel factories.

Because of these experiences, I developed a deep emotional connection and passion for pre-war vintage culture, as well as industrial machinery and mechanical structures.

• If your paintings had a soundtrack, what kind of music would we hear while viewing them?

I love Western popular music from the 1970s through the 1990s. Even today, I still mainly listen to music from that era.

So when people view my artworks, I hope they can imagine that the soundtrack surrounding them is music from the 1970s to the 1990s.

• What’s the weirdest or most unexpected inspiration you’ve ever drawn from for a painting?

I’m not sure whether there has been a single strangest or most unexpected source of inspiration throughout my artistic journey.

However, some of the imagery in my works comes from dreams I had during my very early childhood, before the age of six. I seem to have dreamed of scenes from a post-apocalyptic world, and those images have remained deeply imprinted in my memory.

I believe these visions may be one of the origins behind the decaying mechanical atmosphere that appears throughout many of my works.