The Twelve Signs • The Twelve Beasts takes inspiration from Yuyu Yang’s creative experience during the 1950s, when he worked as the art director of Harvest magazine. During this period, he frequently traveled through rural Taiwan, carrying a sketchbook to capture farmers at work, the postures of cattle, and the many animals that coexisted with the land. These observations from everyday life gradually evolved into his distinctive sculptural language and form the creative foundation of this exhibition.
Centered on the Chinese zodiac, the exhibition extends Yuyu Yang’s exploration of animal imagery into one of the most familiar cultural systems in East Asia. More than markers of the passage of time, the twelve zodiac animals embody cultural memories, symbolic meanings, and human characteristics that have been passed down through generations.
The exhibition features works by Wang Hsiu-Chi, Lee Pao-Lung, Yang Feng-Chen, Wang Wei-Ni, and Yang Chun, each responding to the twelve zodiac animals through their own artistic language. Moving between figuration and abstraction, the artworks transform familiar zodiac symbols into contemporary artistic expressions, inviting visitors to rediscover the relationship between humanity, nature, tradition, and self through the language of sculpture.