BuZi (CHEN Tsung-chen)

卜茲（陳宗琛）

1959-2013, Taiwan

‘The heart is the final destination of the path of calligraphy. It is only when technique is unfettered and the hand and the heart are united that calligraphy can attain its fullest expression. It is only when the wisdom gained from life experience becomes the flame that fuels technique, that calligraphy can become truly autonomous, untrammeled and free.’

test test2 test3

BuZi, (a.k.a. Putze, real name Chen Tsung-Chen), was born in Tainan, Taiwan in 1959. Influenced by his father, BuZi began practicing calligraphy in his childhood. In his lifetime he was an active member of the Danlu and Hongdaomenqiang calligraphy societies in Taiwan. Early in his career BuZi established an exhibitions team at the National Museum of History in Taipei, giving him the opportunity to gain a deeper insight into traditional culture. BuZi passed away in 2013.

BuZi practiced many different forms of calligraphy, but it was his cursive script calligraphy (caoshu) that drew the greatest accolades. When writing in his ‘wild cursive’ style (kuangcao) he used the ‘eight surfaces of the brush’ (bamianchufeng) method, with his brushtip hitting the paper with such force that it produced a startling sound as it sped across the surface, twisting and turning like a whirlwind. The strong improvisational quality of his calligraphy evinces a confidence and ease that is mesmerizing.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2014	Beyond the Line．Sacred Wild Cursive — BuZi Solo Exhibition, The Vision Hill Arts Center, Tianjin, China
2013	The Art of Soul．Sacred Wild Cursive — BuZi, Author Gallery, Shanghai, China
	The Art of Soul．Sacred Wild Cursive — BuZi, 2013 International Fair China (Tianjin Binhai) Cultural and Creative Industry, Tianjin, China
	The Magnificent World of Wild Cursive — BuZi, Elisa Gallery, Tainan, Taiwan
2012	Marvelous Art Wild Cursive With Seal Script — BuZi, Solo Exhibition, Butchart International Contemporary Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
	BuZi Wild Cursive III, Shanghai Art Fair 2012, Elisa Gallery, Shanghai, China
	BuZi Wild Cursive II, Beijing International Art Expo, Lience Art Gallery. Tainan, Beijing, China
	BiZi Wild Cursive I, ART SHOW BUSAN 2012, Lience Art Gallery. Tainan, Busan, South Korea
	Marvelous Art．Sacred Wild Cursive — BuZi, Solo Exhibition, Suzhou Museum, Elisa Gallery. Tainan, Suzhou, China
2011	The Eternal Being of the Univers — BuZi, Solo Exhibition, Elisa Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
	The Inner Spiritual Universe of BuZi, Solo Exhibition, ART TAIPEI 2011, Butchart International Contemporary Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
	The Energy of The Universe — BuZi, Solo Exhibition, Moon Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
	The Magic Universe — BuZi, Solo Exhibition, Eslite Performance & Exhibition Hall, Butchart International Contemporary Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
2010	A Space Performance — BuZi, Solo Exhibition, Lience Art Gallery, Tainan, Taipei
2009	The Mysterious Universe — BuZi, Solo Exhibition, Butchart International Contemporary Art Space. Taipei, Taiwan
	BuZi Cursive Script, ART TAIPEI 2009, Butchart International Contemporary Art Space. Taipei, Taiwan
2008	The Flow of Universe World — BuZi, Solo Exhibition, Butchart International Contemporary Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
	BuZi Cursive Script, ART TAIPEI 2008, Butchart International Contemporary Art Space, Taipei, Taiwan
	The Flow of the Grand River—BuZi’s Wild Scribble Spiritual Movement, Moon Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
2000	BuZi’s Wild Scribble World, Solo Exhibition, Providence University Art Center, Taichung, Taiwan
1997	Serenity．Movement, Baluba Art Space, Tainan, Taiwan
1996	Cursive．Regular Script, Hong Zhan Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
	Mind．Space, Shoushan Art Space, Tainan, Taiwan
1993	Calligraphy Solo Exhibition, Give Yanase Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
	Calligraphy Solo Exhibition, Kyoka Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan
1990	Calligraphy Solo Exhibition, Tainan Municipal Cultural Center, Tainan, Taiwan
1989	Calligraphy Solo Exhibition, Shin Sheng Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

Selected Group Exhibitions

2011	Dancing line in the air: Yu Cheng Yao, Hung Tung, Hsiao Chin, BuZi, Elisa Gallery, Tainan, Taiwan
2008	Southern Travellers—Lee Yi Hong, Hsu Yu Ren, BuZi, and Wu Ji Tao Joint Exhibition, Lience Gallery, Tainan, Taiwan
	Fans Welcome the Spring, Sincewell Gallery, Tainan, Taipei
2007	Artist’s Gay and Material World—Play Moon, Moon Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
	Artist’s Statement of Soaring, Cloud Art Center, Tainan, Taiwan
	Wild Scribble Trends—Contemporary Cursive Deduction and Creation, Academia Sinica Gallery, Institute of History and Philosophy, Taipei, Taiwan
	Chinese Calligraphy Biennial—TRADITION AND EXPERIMENTATION, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
2006	BuZi and Wu Ji Tao, Two Men Exhibition, Arthis Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
	Track Dahua—Decoding New Ink Dimension, Taipei KdMoFA, Taipei, Taiwan
	The Dialogue Between Contemporary Art and Philosophy, Taipei KdMoFA, Taipei, Taiwan
	The Tranquillity of Zen—One Hundred Years of Development of Calligraphy in Taiwan, Shin Kong Wu Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
2005	Inaugural Exhibition—2005 Kuandu Extravaganza, Taipei KdMoFA, Taipei, Taiwan
2004	The Old Awn (Miscanthus), Cicada, Long North No.9, Mayor’s Residence Arts Salon, Taipei, Taiwan
	Calligraphy and Seal Carving, Joint Exhibition, Forestry Exhibit Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2003	Chinese Calligraphy Biennial—TRADITION AND EXPERIMENTATION, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Tainan, Taiwan
2001	BuZi and Chen Yung Mo, Two Men Exhibition, David Arts Center, Taipei, Taiwan
	Chinese Calligraphy Biennial—TRADITION AND EXPERIMENTATION, Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, Tainan, Taiwan
1994	Chen Zong Shen & Chen Yong Mo Exhibition, Yun Center for the Art, Taipei, Taiwan
1987	13^th Taipei Fine Arts Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan

Selected Awards

1986	13^th Taipei Fine Arts Exhibition, First Prize
1981	22^nd Japanese-Chinese Art Exhibition, Gold Medal
1980	21^st Japanese-Chinese Art Exhibition, Gold Medal