25. 8.–10. 9. 2025
Gallery Biga, Kyoto, Japan
A student of the Studio of Illustration and Graphics at UMPRUM, Visual Arts program in English, Peng Hsiung will share his experiences from Italy in his latest exhibition. At the Biga Gallery in Kyoto, Japan, he will present a series of stylized drawings inspired by his study stay.
"During my exchange period in Italy, there were so many “ahhhhhh” moments. My close friend’s mother passed away, the hard water in Italy gave me terrible skin allergies, the opportunity I introduced to a friend ended in regret, and I constantly felt like I wasn’t making progress in learning Italian.
Throughout my time in Italy, there were “ahhhhhh” moments here and there, but because of this, I often found myself chatting about my mother’s past stories, my father’s nose hair, and somehow, through my own regrets, I discovered little pockets of happiness in life.
Besides all those chaotic “ahhhhhh” moments, I also made lots of friends — from Italy, from Austria, from Czechia, from Turkey, from Slovakia — people who stayed with me through it all, screaming together and yet quietly living a life where I simply wanted to keep drawing."
Hsu Peng Hsiung (1987) is a Taiwan-based storyteller who expresses his narratives through the art of illustration. His unique blend of wax crayons and oil pastels brings his picture books to life, capturing the essence of his stories with warmth and whimsy. Selected as a finalist at the 2020 Bologna Children's Book Fair, Hsu Peng Hsiung's work showcases a harmonious interplay between his ideas and techniques. Through his enchanting illustrations, he invites audiences into magical worlds that resonate with the heart and stir the imagination.
