A Stroke of Wild Bloom: Sofu TESHIGAHARA’s Calligraphy with Ceramics by Chris LO Sze Lim and LIANG Han-Yun, and Floral Installation
Sofu TESHIGAHARA
Chris LO Sze Lim
LIANG Han-Yun
A Stroke of Wild Bloom: Sofu TESHIGAHARA’s Calligraphy with Ceramics by Chris LO Sze LIM and LIANG Han-Yun, and Floral Installation
A Stroke of Wild Bloom
Sofu TESHIGAHARA’s Calligraphy with Ceramics by Chris LO Sze LIM and LIANG Han-Yun, and Floral Installation
2026 May 2 — May 16
Hiro Hiro Art Space is proud to present the exhibition “A Stroke of Wild Bloom,” centering on the calligraphic works of Sofu TESHIGAHARA. By integrating ceramic vessels with contemporary Ikebana (Japanese Flower Arrangement), the exhibition forms an intersecting experiment involving calligraphy, materiality, organic matter, and space. As the founder of the Sogetsu School, Sofu was once hailed by TIME magazine as the “Picasso of Ikebana.” Unbound by the traditional norms of Ikebana, his creative philosophy evolved in tandem with modern art, spanning calligraphy, sculpture, and floral design across diverse cultural and artistic contexts. Throughout his career, he engaged in close exchange and co-creation with luminaries such as Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, Isamu Noguchi, and Andy Warhol. For Sofu, ikebana did not exist as an isolated entity but rather as a relational dialogue within a space or environment; he viewed sculpture, painting, and calligraphy as extensions of “arranging flowers.” Regarding “form-making” (zokei) as a process of breathing life into work, he treated environments as massive vessels and all things as botanical elements to be composed. This sense of “one-time-only” occurrence that can only exist in a specific time and place mirrored the essence of ikebana, allowing his groundbreaking large-scale creations to perfectly prophesy and pioneer the framework of contemporary “Installation Art.”
This exhibition takes several of Sofu Teshigahara’s calligraphy works as a point of departure, redefining the generation of “form” within space through the juxtaposition of diverse media. Sofu believed that “flowers can be extracted from calligraphy, just as calligraphy can be extracted from flowers,” perceiving the structural beauty of written characters within the very branches and roots of wood. Simultaneously, the ceramic vessels of Chris
LO Sze Lim and LIANG Han-Yun engage in a dialogue of structure, and texture. These objects transcend their functional roles as supports, transforming into active elements of spatial composition. Between the flower and the vessel, there is no longer a relationship of dependency, but a dynamic equilibrium of mutual attraction.
Curator Chen Pin-Yu—who is both the director of Hiro Hiro Art Space and one of the floral artists—collaborated with Huang Shu-Ching, a First Grade Ri-chi (Master Instructor) of the Sogetsu School, along with several other floral designers to create a bamboo-based installation that pushes the lines of Sofu’s brushwork into three-dimensional space. Flowers, serving as materialized time, are pruned and reconstructed to generate immediate forms—situated between control and spontaneity—that keep the materials, vessels, and space in a constant state of flux. Having recently earned her teaching certification within the Sogetsu system, the curator Chen brings an internal perspective to this practice, translating Sofu’s concepts into concrete operations within a contemporary field.
“A Stroke of Wild Bloom” is not merely a presentation of a single artist, but an organizational experiment unfolding with Sofu as its axis: when writing leaves language and flowers departing from nature, how is form transferred, extended, and reorganized across different media? Between the growth of flowers and the condensation of ink, this exhibition attempts to propose a state of continuous becoming, shifting the viewer’s gaze away from the material itself and toward the relationships and spaces they construct.
Works
About Artists
Sofu TESHIGAHARA
Sofu Teshigahara (1900–1979), the founder of the Sogetsu School of Ikebana, is widely celebrated as the “Picasso of Flowers” for his revolutionary impact on modern Japanese floral art. Born in Tokyo, he mastered traditional techniques before boldly breaking away to establish his own school in 1927. Driven by the philosophy that “Ikebana is art,” he advocated for creative freedom, encouraging practitioners to transcend the boundaries of the plant world by incorporating diverse materials such as scrap metal, stone, and driftwood. Teshigahara insisted that Ikebana must possess a three-dimensional presence and an asymmetrical balance, believing that while forms may change infinitely, the core principles remain eternal. He was instrumental in introducing Ikebana to the global stage, earning prestigious honors including the French Order of Arts and Letters and the Legion of Honour, effectively elevating a domestic decorative craft into the realm of international avant-garde art. Beyond his mastery of flowers, he achieved significant acclaim in sculpture and calligraphy, and his visionary spirit continues to profoundly influence Japanese visual culture today.
Chris LO Sze LIM
Chris LO Sze LIM was born in Hong Kong in 1967 and graduated from the Department of Fine Arts at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1990. With a prolific career in ceramic art spanning over 30 years, he has built an extensive exhibition history. After relocating to Taiwan, he founded the Da Tao Studio, where he focuses on his creative practice. LIM has held numerous solo exhibitions and participated in international showcases across Japan, Taiwan, Korea, the United States, Europe, China, and Hong Kong. His works are held in the permanent collections of major art institutions, including the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the National Museum of China, The John Michael Kohler Arts Center in the U.S., and The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, as well as in various private collections.
LIANG Han-Yun
Born in Kaohsiung, Han Yung-Liang draws profound inspiration from the natural world. After majoring in English as an undergraduate, she pursued advanced studies in the Visual Arts Division of the Institute of Applied Arts at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. During her graduate studies, she participated in academic exchange programs at the Pratt Institute in New York and Aalto University in Finland, where she joined a ceramics club and began experimenting with three-dimensional materials. Following graduation, she balanced a career in design with her personal artistic practice, integrating natural elements into her work to develop a distinctive ceramic style.
In 2017, she relocated to Kochi Prefecture in Shikoku, Japan, to apprentice under the renowned ceramicist Teppei Ono. After her debut solo exhibition in Osaka in 2020, her work has been exhibited extensively across Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Sweden, and Singapore. She was selected by the Ministry of Culture for a residency at The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan. Since returning to Taiwan in 2022, she has continued to create and exhibit her work; in the same year, she received the Next Art Tainan award and was later shortlisted for the 2025 Kaohsiung Award in the Spatial Art category.
CV
Chronology of Sofu Teshigahara (1900–1979)
1900
Born in Osaka as the eldest son of Wafu Teshigahara. His given name was Koichi.
1926
Decided to become independent and left his father’s school.
1927
Founded the Sogetsu School.
Emerged as a leading figure in the “Ten Great Masters of Ikebana” (Seika Jikke) poll.
1928
Held the 1st Sogetsu Exhibition (Senpikiya, Ginza).
Appeared on the radio program “Household Lectures” by JOAK (now NHK).
1929
Broadcasted a 7-part series titled “Nageire and Moribana for Everyone” on JOAK radio.
1932
Held the 7th Sogetsu Exhibition (Josui Kaikan, Kanda).
1933
Held his first solo exhibition “1st Sofu Exhibition” (Josui Kaikan, Kanda).
Published New Methods for Ikebana (Shufu-no-Tomo Sha).
Founded the Shinko Ikebana Kyokai (New Ikebana Association) with Mirei Shigemori and Bunpo Nakayama, and co-drafted the “Shinko Ikebana Declaration.”
Completion of the Sogetsu School Hall (Kojimachi Sanbancho).
1939
Lectured on “Natural Form” (Shizen Zokei) at the Department of Art, Nihon University.
1942
Held the “Exhibition of Three Masters” with Houn Ohara and Bunmo Kojima. Debuted “Ultra-Miniature Ikebana” (Cho-shohinka).
1943
Held the 7th Sofu Solo Exhibition. Introduced “Found Object Vases” (Waste-material vases).
1945
The Sogetsu Hall was destroyed during the air raids.
Held the first post-war exhibition, “Sofu Teshigahara and Houn Ohara Duo Exhibition.”
1946
Opened Ikebana classes for wives of US military officers at the Nomura Bank Club.
1947
Moved the Sogetsu Hall to Mita Tsunamachi.
1949
Exhibited Ode to Reconstruction (Saiken no Fu) at the 1st Minister of Education’s Invitational Ikebana Exhibition.
1950
Exhibited Silence (Moku), Genka (Mysterious Flower), and Bokofu (Ancient Scores) at the 1st Japan Ikebana Exhibition.
1951
Solo exhibition at Mita Tsunamachi. Debuted “Object Ikebana” (Ikebana as sculpture/object) with works like Hand and Garden of No One.
Exhibited Locomotive (originally Train I) and Two Birds at the “Three Great Masters Exhibition.”
Collaboration with photographer Ken Domon on works like Black Sunflowers.
1952
First visit to the US as a judge for the International Flower Show in New York.
Published the photo book Ikebana (Photography by Ken Domon).
1953
The Sogetsu Foundation was officially established.
Exhibited the relief work Drifting Sand (Ryusa) at Nihonbashi Takashimaya.
1954
Exhibited Statue of the Sun at the São Paulo Art Festival.
1955
Solo exhibition at Parc de Bagatelle, Paris; the work Sycamore (Platanus) received critical acclaim.
1956
Exhibited the monumental work Life (Inochi) at Nihonbashi Takashimaya.
1957
Met avant-garde artists Georges Mathieu and Sam Francis in Japan.
His work Thorn was selected for the 1st Tokyo International Exhibition of Prints.
1958
Offered large-scale works Skyscraper (Maten) and Dance of the Sacred Tree at the Ise Grand Shrine.
Sogetsu Art Center (designed by Kenzo Tange, Akasaka) was completed.
1959
Held solo exhibitions in New York (Martha Jackson Gallery), Paris (Galerie Stadler), and Barcelona.
Befriended Joan Miró and Salvador Dalí.
1960
Awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government.
1961
Toured Germany as a cultural envoy.
Awarded the Légion d’honneur (Legion of Honour) by the French government.
1962
Received the 12th Art Encouragement Prize (Geijutsu Sensho).
Participated in the Seattle 21st Century Exposition (Century 21 Exposition).
1963
Created works inspired by the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters), such as Eight Clouds (Yakumo).
Designed the “Water Garden” for the Japanese Pavilion at the Grand Palais, Paris.
1964
Solo exhibition at the Lincoln Center, New York.
1966
Published the international edition of My Flower (Kodansha International).
1967
“Sofu Teshigahara Sculpture Exhibition” at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.
1968
Solo exhibitions at the Hermitage Museum (St. Petersburg) and the Pushkin Museum (Moscow).
1970
Exhibited Mirror of the Gods (Shinkyo) at the Osaka Expo ’70.
1971
Solo exhibitions at the Middelheim Open Air Sculpture Museum (Antwerp) and Musée Galliera (Paris).
1977
Completion of the New Sogetsu Hall (designed by Kenzo Tange, featuring Isamu Noguchi’s stone garden).
1979
Passed away due to acute heart failure at the age of 78.
Posthumous publication of Sofu Teshigahara: Kadensho (The Book of Flowers).
Education & Professional Experience
1990: Bachelor of Arts, Department of Fine Arts, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Has focused on ceramic art since graduation.
1992–1995: Technician at the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre (vAc); managed art studio operations and assisted in promoting art courses and activities.
1993–2014: Member of the Contemporary Ceramic Art Association (CCAA), Hong Kong; served as Vice-Chairman from 2002 to 2003.
1993: Part-time Instructor for ceramic courses at the Hong Kong Arts Centre, the Art Specialist Programme of the Art Promotion Office (APO), and the Certificate in Ceramics program at HKU SPACE.
1995: Founded Cobo Ceramic Workshop.
2009: Began integrating art into community cultural activities, focusing on art creation and education for people with intellectual and physical disabilities; collaborated with St. James’ Settlement “St. James’ Creation” (藝想) on various workshops and exhibitions.
2014–2019: Museum Expert Adviser (Ceramics) for the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), Hong Kong.
2015: Co-founded the Hong Kong Ceramics Research Society; conducted oral history research and documentation of “Hong Kong Painted Porcelain” (Gangcai).
2017: Formed the Hong Kong Dragon Kiln Focus Group to advocate for the preservation and revitalization of the Castle Peak Dragon Kiln, the only remaining dragon kiln in Hong Kong.
2019: Relocated to Taiwan and established Cobo Ceramic Workshop – Taiwan, focusing on personal artistic creation and teaching.
Artist Residencies
2007: Arts/Industry Residency Program, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, USA.
2007: The Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shiga Prefecture, Japan.
Selected Exhibitions
2026
Sign of Spring, gallery ms+w, Tokyo, Japan.
Winter Ceramic Vessels, gallery ms+w, Tokyo, Japan.
Silence: Chris Lo Ceramic Solo Exhibition, Letterpress Tea House, Taipei, Taiwan.
2025
Landscape between Our Hands: 8-Artists Group Exhibition (Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong), Cobo Ceramic Workshop, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Want to Fly: Chris Lo Ceramic Sculpture Exhibition, In-Symmetry Gallery, Tainan, Taiwan.
2024
Urban Circulation New York (Group Exhibition), KATE OH Gallery, New York, USA.
A Grain of Sand, A Moment: Chris Lo Ceramic Solo Exhibition, The Gallery by SOIL, Hong Kong.
Encounter: Chris Lo Ceramic Sculpture Exhibition, Chun Object, Taipei, Taiwan.
2023
Beyond Grief and Euphoria: Chris Lo Ceramic Solo Exhibition, Letterpress Tea House, Taipei, Taiwan.
A Port Without Gulls: Chris Lo 30-Year Retrospective, Cobo Ceramic Workshop, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
2002–2004
Major Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Ceramics, Musée Ariana, Switzerland, and Guangdong Museum of Art, China.
2003
Yuen Yeung: Exhibition of Coffee and Tea Vessels, Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong.
The Art of Taste: Ceramic Exhibition, Hong Kong Heritage Museum.
A Dream in Life: Contemporary Ceramic Pillows Exhibition, The Pottery Workshop, Hong Kong.
2002
2002 Asia-Pacific Contemporary Ceramics Invitational Exhibition, Yingge Ceramics Museum, Taipei.
The 3rd Biennale Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Young Ceramic Artists, West Lake Museum of Art, Hangzhou, China.
The 10th Anniversary Exhibition of Contemporary Ceramic Art Association, Hong Kong Central Library.
2001
2001 Yixing International Ceramic Art Conference and Exhibition, Yixing Ceramics Museum, China.
Salon d’Hiver IV, Galerie Martini, Hong Kong.
Lantern Exhibition, The Pottery Workshop, Hong Kong.
2000
25 Seconds: Chris Lo Ceramic Solo Exhibition, The Pottery Workshop, Hong Kong.
The 5th International Group Show, Global Culture Centre, Osaka, Japan.
CUHK Fine Arts Alumni Association Exhibition, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre.
Ode to Ceramics: The 15th Anniversary Exhibition of The Pottery Workshop, Hong Kong.
Clay, Meaning, Form: CCAA Group Exhibition, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre.
1999
New Impressions of Hong Kong Modern Ceramics, Macao Museum of Art.
99 Beijing Millennium Ceramic Invitational Exhibition, Beijing, China.
Sculpting Time: Ceramic Installation by Chris Lo and Lee Chi-fun, Galerie Martini, Hong Kong.
1998
Unity and Diversity, The Pottery Workshop (Hong Kong) and Guangdong Museum of Art (China).
Floating Organs: Ceramic Installation Exhibition, Para Site Art Space, Hong Kong.
Not Cups and Saucers ’98, Hong Kong Arts Centre.
1997
Unity and Diversity, The Pottery Workshop (Hong Kong) and Manitoba Crafts Council (Canada).
1996
Not Cups and Saucers, Hong Kong Arts Centre.
Hong Kong Ceramics 1985–1995, Hong Kong Museum of Art.
1995
Manulife Young Artists Exhibition ’95, Hong Kong Arts Centre.
Hong Kong Ceramic Artists Group Exhibition, Tsuen Wan Arts Festival.
1994
Painting Ceramics: Chris Lo Solo Exhibition, Fringe Festival, Hong Kong.
CCAA Group Exhibition, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre.
Education
2009—2014 MA Visual Communications Design, Institute of Applied Arts, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
dissertation: I die, Idie
(Idie的先死後生—— Link to the Thesis・in Mandarin ）
2013—2014 School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland (Exchange student)
2011—2012 Graduate Communications Design, Pratt Institute, New York, USA (Scholarship)
Apprenticeship
2017.11—2022.1 Mr. Ono Teppei (Japanese Artist)
Artist in Residence
2022.5—8 Tsung-Yeh Arts and Cultural Center AIR, Tainan, Taiwan ・ 台南總爺藝文中心藝術家駐村計畫
2022.1—5 Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan ・ 日本滋賀県立陶芸の森 (SCCP)
2021.1—7 Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan ・ 日本滋賀県立陶芸の森 (SCCP)
Solo Exhibition
2025 “The Anchors of Memory“ 純Object, Taipiei, Taiwan
2024 “entrance．exit“ Mizusai gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2023 “Undertones of Earth”, Chin Chin Pottery, Tainan, Taiwan
2022 “To be a land”, Luce Giardino, Taipei, Taiwan
2022 “Vessel of Life”, Red-Brick Office Gallery D, Tsung-Yeh Arts and Cultural Center, Tainan, Taiwan
2022 “My Loam”, Soka Art, Tainan, Taiwan
2021 “process of…”, norm gallery, Wakayama, Japan
2021 “the lake, the seed and the bonfire”, wad+ Gallery, Osaka, Japan
2020 “hurt, heart but never break“, Gallery MARUNI, Kobe, Japan
2020 “the end and the beginning”, wad+ Gallery, Osaka, Japan
Group Exhibition
2025 “Shijimi,“ George Paton Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
2025 “return,” Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Art, Taiwan
2024 Mizusai at Kaolin, Kaolin gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2024 “行先”, norm gallery and Kfleurs plant atelier, Wakayama and Osaka, Japan
2023 “Vessel of Life“, Yingge Ceramics Museum (Taiwan Ceramics Awards), New Taipei City, Taiwan
2022 “A Year Made Object”, Objectifs, Singapore
2022 “The egg, the stone, and the land“, Mattauw Triennale 大地藝術季, Tsung-Yeh Arts and Cultural Center, Tainan, Taiwan
2022 『アーティスト・イン・レジデンス企画展—台湾の作家たち—陶芸の森×台湾文化センター』, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shiga, Japan
2022 The Nature of Cities Festival (TNOCF)—screening documentary “process of…”
2022 “no titles”, Mizusai gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2021 『書之參贊與超越：藝術家的書』Artists’ Books: Mediating Heterogeneity, NYCU Arts Center, Taipei, Taiwan
2021 『マルニ コレクション展』—gallery MARUNI 15th Anniversary Collection Exhibition, Gallery MARUNI, Kobe, Japan
2020 『生命の誕生』 , チニアシツケル gallery, Kyoto, Japan
2018 “Scattered stuff”, TTYL Three Artists Group Exhibition, Artqpie, Taichung, Taiwan
2018 “26/60”, Institute of Applied Arts group exhibition, Arts Center, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
2016 “A Piece of Daily” group exhibition, YIRI Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
2016 “Going back to the start (Laos)” Taipei Free Art Fair, Taipei, Taiwan
2016 “Dream—Memory of Bones” ON SITE ART FESTIVAL, Taipei, Taiwan
2014 “SHOW IAA” Institute of Applied Arts group exhibition (NCTU), URS127 Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2014 “Idie“, IAA Alumni Exhibition, Taiwan Designer’s Week,Taipei, Taiwan
2013 “väliin / in between” (Environmental Art), Helsinki, Finland
2013 “IDIE”, Institute of Applied Arts group exhibition, Arts Center, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
Award / Grants / Scholarship
2023 Selected Award, Taiwan Ceramics Awards
2022 Winner, Next Art Tainan
2021 Taipei Culture Foundation funded Artist in Residence at SCCP (Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan) from April to June
2011—2012 Taiwan Ministry of Education Scholarship Program for Overseas Study in Arts and Design, GradComD program at Pratt Institute, NY