ZOOK!


bio:



ZOOK! Is from Taiwan. Even though he never received an Arts education, this hasn’t stop him from developing an artistic career both locally and abroad. His paintings reflect his environment, a traditional Taiwanese culture in the middle of a modern, industrialized city. The juxtaposition of the old and new Taiwan inspires ZOOK!’s work and the way he lives his life. He has a unique personal style and has developed a set of symbols which allow him to reinterpret Taiwanese culture. Featuring bold colors, satire, and irony ZOOK!  showcases his reality and gives a new image of Taiwan.



cv: 


b. 1994 , Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 

- (group) When The Sun Goes Down | Arcade Art Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 2017
- (solo) ZOOK! A solo Exhibition Vol. 1 | Arcade Art Gallery,  Kaohsiung, Tawain. 2018.  
- (solo) ZOOK! Unbalance | Dope! Gallery | Shanghai, China. 2018.
- (group) From Here to There | Arcade Art Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 2019.
- (group) RoyalTees | Art Gang, Montréal, Canada. 2019.
- (residence) Residents. | Taiwan. 2019. 
- (solo) ZOOK! Life goes on Vol. 2 | Arcade Art Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 2020.

- (solo) ZOOK! Vol.3 | Arcade Art Gallery & Mozuku Gallery Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 2022.






WORKS (selected) :


 
‘Environment Killer’

acrylic on canvas
100cm x 80cm
2017

private collection Germany

‘Social Ninja’

acrylic on canvas
60cm x 60cm
2017
private collection Taiwan
‘I Live, I Die, I Live Again’

acrylic on canvas
100cm x 80cm
2019
private collection Canada


‘Good Day & Good Night’

acrylic on canvas
45.5cm x 38cm(each)
2020
private collection U.S.A.


‘Chillin Vibe’

acrylic on canvas
100cm x 72.5cm
2020

private collection Canada

‘Make It Rain’

acrylic on canvas
72.5cm*60.5cm
2020




‘With No Fear’

acrylic on canvas
72.5cm x 60.5cm(each)
2021

‘Born Rich’

acrylic on canvas
116.5cm x 91cm
2021

private collection Taiwan

‘More Pain More Gain’

acrylic on canvas
100cm x 80cm
2021



‘One Shot One Chill’

acrylic on canvas
72.5cm x 60.5cm
2021


‘Fan-tastic’

acrylic on canvas
100cm x 80cm
2021





EXHIBITIONS (solo) : 




About the Exhibition :

‘ZOOK! : A Solo Exhibition’ showcases a bold selection of his most recent works. A player in the local Taiwanese street scene, ZOOK!’s imagery finds a balance between Traditional Chinese motifs, the Modern Cartoons of his Youth, and day to day life in the gritty Industrial Hub of the Island.


@Arcade Art Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. 
March 2018.

About the Exhibition : 

‘(...) His iconic character, the Young Zook, whose lines are inspired from the Buddha is easily recognizable. We often see his characters with a large rounded faces and gangsters’ resemblance. However, Buddhas’ also depicts the connection between the grassroots characters of traditional society and their street culture. ‘


@Dope! Gallery, Shanghai, China. 
November 2018.
About the Exhibition : 

‘ Arcade Art Gallery is pleased to announce “ZOOK! Vol.2; Life Goes On” a new
solo exhibition by Taiwan-based artist ZOOK!.
It’s been 2 years since ZOOK! had his last solo show with Arcade Art Gallery,
and we are proud to present his new body of work, ’ZOOK! Vol.2; Life Goes On’.
This new exhibition oers a much more personal, humorous commentary on
Taiwanese Culture focused on ZOOK!’s daily life. The works oer thoughtful
critique, while simultaneously paying homage to traditional Taiwanese values
and beliefs. With his now trademark, personal colour palette and strong lines,
ZOOK! has given the Taiwanese Grassroots culture a new voice.’


@Arcade Art Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
March 2020.
About the Exhibition : 

The song ‘Summer Breeze’ by Seals and Crofts is what plays in my mind when I see the new body of work by ZOOK!  The work in ZOOK!’s third solo show evokes the joyful, laidback nostalgia of a slow summer in Southern Taiwan. The still lifes in VOL.3 are clearly intended to showcase the simple pleasures of life during the humid Taiwanese summer months. The pieces ‘Smoke Trap’ and ‘After Work’ are perfect examples, and they encourage the viewer to relive their own carefree, late summer nights.

As per usual, ZOOK! doesn’t hesitate when it comes to color or imagery, and in these pieces his characteristic bold palette and strong cultural message are once again on display. A perfect example of this is the piece ’Five Poisons’, which pays homage to ZOOK!’s Taiwanese roots,  by showcasing a God who protects households from danger during the month of May as a glorious warrior with bold lines and strong colors.

This latest installment by ZOOK! features a range of subject matter; however everything is masterfully tied together via the reliance on cultural symbolism and sweet nostalgia for summers gone by.  This December, we invite you, to remember the warmth of summer once again. To quote Seals and Crofts “Summer breeze, makes me feel fine. Blowing through the jasmine in my mind.”

-José Enrique Montes Hernandez, Director of Arcade Art Gallery


@Mozuku Gallery, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
December 2022



Collaborations :

 
‘Zook! in Collaboration with Japanese Artist ; Kenxxxooo , creates an Agmented Reality Experience.’
‘Zook! paints a mural with PSO MAN.’




Media Press : 


HYPEBEAST

‘ZOOK! Comments on Taiwanese Culture in Colorful Painting Exhibition’ 

Read more : https://hypebeast.com/2020/3/zook-vol2-life-goes-on-exhibition-arcade-art-gallery-taiwan
NEOCHA :

‘For those who’ve visited Taiwan, their memories of the island will most likely call to mind a rich world of sights, sounds, and scents. Perhaps it’s the view of Taipei 101 looming over the capital, the smell of burning incense wafting from the temples, or the street-side vendors who call out for passersby to peruse their stall. For Kaohsiung-based artist Zook, Taiwan conjures up something altogether different. In his works, he spotlights the less-glamorous—yet indisputable parts of Taiwanese culture: betel nuts, cigarettes, and cheap liquor.’

Read more : https://neocha.com/magazine/life-goes-on/
RADIO TAIWAN INTERNATIONAL :


‘ZOOK ! Un artiste taiwanais à suivre qui peint la culture populaire de Taïwan’

Read more : https://fr.rti.org.tw/radio/programMessageView/id/102179
SHOUT OUT LA

‘We had the good fortune of connecting with ZOOK! and we’ve shared our conversation below.’

Read more : https://shoutoutla.com/meet-zook-artist/



For more information about ZOOK! please contact us

︎ ︎ ︎


KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN
T:+886 09 65 731 957
2F No. 154, Nanhua Road, Xinxing District, Kaohsiung City, 800 Taiwan (R.O.C)
info(a)arcadeartgallery.com
COPYRIGHT © 2016 - 2023 Arcade Art Gallery ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.