Intro

Name

Timeless．Limitless．Chen Hung-Yao

Period

2025-12-05 ~ 2026-03-29

Venue

臺中國家漫畫博物館籌備處 Preparatory Office of NTMC

Address

臺中市西區林森路33號, West District, Taiwan, 403

Enduring Classics Persist Through Enthusiastic Devotion Cheng Yung-Chung, Curator In 2025, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of comic artist Chen Hung-Yao’s passing (1964–2015), the exhibition Beyond Limits – The Art of Chen Hung-Yao was presented for the first time. This time, Timeless．Limitless．Chen Hung-Yao, presented at the east-side area of the National Taiwan Museum of Comics in Taichung, focuses on the perspective of “fans and enthusiasts” and demonstrates how enthusiasm and fans continue to revive his work, transcending time and space. The exhibition space recreates the wood partitions from when the artist created his work, Ouch! Big West, allowing visitors to step back in time. The opening scenes of Chen’s representative work, The Legend of Yi-Tao, alongside its later manuscripts, are displayed, enabling fans to re-experience the shock and melancholy once felt by its devoted readers. The original color cover artworks are shown in two separate stages for the first time—a gesture of sincerity marking the artist’s debut at the National Comics Museum. Additionally, the much-requested Red Fox, a fan favorite, is also showcased in two phases, featuring rare original manuscripts. The section “Posters of Video Games from the 1990s” captures Taiwan’s golden age of video games, evoking the youthful memories for players. Additionally, the cover of the traditional Chinese edition of Tanaka Yoshiki’s novel series, The Legend of the Galactic Heroes, remains a collective memory for first-generation readers. The cover art for the Discovery Channel series, Unknown Taiwan, highlights Chen’s ability to communicate through craftsmanship. In his independently published short sci-fi work from 2011, Time Trick, each story reveals a unique style and has been affectionately dubbed by younger generations as “our black mirror.” The magical allure of time travel, which fascinates fans, is vividly realized by the “airman.” A decade after Chen’s passing, the world has undergone tremendous change—from social media to artificial intelligence. Culture now spreads through “memes,” and comics were among the earliest forms of memetic creation that inspired dedicated fandoms. The phrase “enthusiastic devotion” in the exhibition title honors “fans and enthusiasts,” acknowledging that timeless works cannot exist in isolation—they endure because of those who love them. We appreciate each visitor for their passion; through your enthusiasm, the classics remain ever new and eduring.

Artworks

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The Left Wing — Chen Hung-Yao: Biography

The Central Panel — Chen Hung-Yao: Creative Journey

The Right Wing — Chen HungYao: Creative Journey

Business cards from the 1990 San Diego Comic-Con.

Doodies created with spending times with the children.

#10

Pen and brush holders on the work desk.

About the Curation

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Organized by

Preparatory Office of NTMC

In April 2023, the Ministry of Culture moved beyond the model of a single museum building and selected the Taichung Penitentiary architectural complex for revitalization and adaptive reuse. The site is being developed into the National Taiwan Museum of Comics (NTMC), a 2.93-hectare compound that brings together the functions of a museum, library, and creative base. The compound connects nineteen existing historic buildings, while a new main museum complex will be built on the northern side to integrate comic archiving, research, exhibitions, education and outreach, a library, and an animation cinema. Just as comics are born through continuous imagination and creation, the NTMC will present comics of different themes and generations across historic buildings that bear the imprint of memory and new museum facilities designed for the future. Through a wide range of comics exhibitions and programs, the museum creates a dynamic dialogue between past and future, and between constraint and innovation, giving vivid expression to the vitality of Taiwanese comics.

Curator

Cheng Yung-Chung

Wife and agent of comic artist Chen Hung-Yao, and Curator of Timeless．Limitless．Chen Hung-Yao.

Curatorial Team

Trihedron Ltd.

[Trihedron Ltd.] was founded in 2024 by three partners from the arts and cultural field. Trihedron Ltd. is a creative team specializing in arts and cultural services as well as exhibition and event planning. With solid hands-on experience and strong resource integration capabilities, we provide tailored strategies and execution plans based on each client’s needs and unique conditions. From exhibitions and cultural events to market curation, our core approach emphasizes multidimensional thinking and integration. We engage closely with contemporary themes, always starting from a human-centered perspective—exploring the role and positioning of individuals within arts and culture, while also addressing cultural diversity and equality. Guided by our three core principles—innovative thinking, in-depth planning, and precise execution—we approach every project with dedication and professionalism. Whether you are an individual, an organization, or an institution, we are committed to delivering refined, outstanding, and efficient results, transforming each outcome into a powerful representation and promotion of your brand.

Artist

Chen Hung-Yao

Chen Hung-Yao (1964–2015) showed early talent in drawing and storytelling. He started his career at 17, working in comics and illustration. He also contributed to storyboarding for animation and designed props for video games and theater. Often seeing himself as someone from the future, Chen possessed extraordinary insights into time and space. He had a passion for sci-fi themes and often depicted martial arts and historical stories, partly because his looks resembled ancient Chinese figures. Known for his delicate and versatile art style, he mastered the dynamic pacing of Japanese manga and the literary character of European comics. In 2025, to mark the tenth anniversary of Chen’s passing, the Taiwan Comic Base hosted his first solo exhibition, titled Beyond Limits – The Art of Chen Hung-Yao, in August, to celebrate the artist’s creative spirit. Starting December 5, the exhibition is moved to the east-side area of the National Comics Museum and retitled as Timeless．Limitless．Chen Hung-Yao, emphasizing the perspective of “enthusiasts/fans.” From the selection of works to the overall design, the exhibition highlights the artist’s targeted-market approach and the reciprocal forces created by the interaction between the artist and the “enthusiasts/fans.” Chen’s published works include Magic BMX, Ouch! Big West, The Legend of Yi-Tao, Lovely Animals, Time Trick, the novel titled World Cup China in 1026, various comic scripts, and more.