Taiwanese-American Artist Lin Shi-Pao Dedicates Daily Painting to Pray for Ukraine
Lin Shih-Pao has painted 735 pieces for two years, conducted charity sales, recycled missile debris, and crafted a peace bell.
The Taiwanese-American artist Lin Shih-Pao has been painting one piece a day to pray for Ukraine since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, which marks its two-week anniversary today. The conflict continues unabated, with Lin dedicated to his daily artistic prayer, resulting in a total of 735 paintings thus far. Yesterday, Lin held an art exhibition and sale, with proceeds intended to assist Ukrainians affected by the war and to recycle missile debris to create a peace bell.
Lin explained that from the first day of the conflict, he decided to use "brushes instead of swords," creating a watercolor painting each day. His aim is to pray for an end to the war and for peace to return to Ukraine through his artworks, following the principle of "one prayer, one painting."
The background colors of the 735 paintings all feature the yellow and blue colors of the Ukrainian flag. The paintings are divided into three periods: the initial period focuses on praying for an end to the war, especially on the 24th of each month, when Lin always includes an image of a peace bell. In the middle period, peace doves and the Ukrainian national flower, the sunflower, are frequently depicted, conveying messages of peace and hope for the Ukrainian people to flourish again under the sun. The theme of the third period is reconstruction.
Lin mentioned that in December last year, he visited frontline cities affected by the war in Ukraine, assisting in the construction of hospitals damaged by the conflict and providing supplies to local orphanages. During the trip from the capital Kyiv to the eastern part of Ukraine, the once beautiful scenery gradually transformed into ruins due to the conflict. Lin was regularly awakened by air raid alarms, and volunteers would lead everyone to hide in air raid shelters. Within ten to twenty seconds, they would hear the sound of missiles landing, motivating him to do more for Ukraine.
Currently, Lin is collaborating with local cities in Ukraine to recycle missile debris from the war and create a three-meter-high peace bell, hoping to pray for the end of the war through the power of art. He is also collaborating with the Taiwanese Association of Emergency Relief in Zurich, Switzerland, to hold an "Art Exhibition for Love and Peace" recently, exhibiting and selling eighty paintings from the "One Prayer, One Painting" series in Taiwan. The proceeds will be used to assist in recycling missile debris and providing supplies to local residents.
Lin Shih-Pao, who was once awarded the top prize at the "Japan-France American Exhibition" at the age of 26, has received more than 20 international art awards to date. He has been recognized by the United Nations as a contemporary "Outstanding Artist." Lin often uses discarded items to create art. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he collected 3,000 New York subway cards to create the artwork "Bull King," hoping for a swift return to normal life and paying tribute to frontline workers.
(As reposted from Liberty Times)
