- 1949 born in Hong Kong
- 1973 graduated from the sculpture department of the National Taiwan Academy of Arts.
- 1980 received M.F.A. degree from University of Wyoming, US
- Currently lives and works in Fujian, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
He later traveled to Italy where he practiced sculpture at Henraux Studio in Carrara, which is famous for its quarries and sculptures. During this time, Lai had the opportunity to work alongside Henry Moore, Isamu Noguchi, and Pietro Cascella. After four years in Italy, he received a fellowship to further his education in Wyoming under the sculptor, Robert Russin. In 1980, he received his M.F.A degree in sculpture from the University of Wyoming. During this period, he married Paulien. In 1982, he was admitted as a member of the Beeldende Kunstenaars Regeling (the first government-sponsored fund for artists in the Netherlands).
In 1984, he was invited by Taipei University of the Arts, where he taught in the Fine Arts Department for more than 30 years. Having experienced life in Hong Kong, Italy, the United States, the Netherlands, and Taiwan, Lai was able to foster a rich and diverse perspective on aestheticism. This kind of background gave him a multicultural worldview. Eventually, Lai Chi Man returned back to oriental culture to look for identity, and neutralized the conflict between Chinese traditional aesthetics and modern abstract concepts by breaking the dichotomy fallacy between realism and abstractionism, and experiment and tradition. While comprehending the differences between China and western civilisation, he neutralised the conflict between Chinese traditional aesthetics and modern abstract concepts by breaking the dichotomy fallacy between realism and abstractionism, experiment and tradition. He uses the principles of Chinese lexicography, such as "pictograph" and "compound ideograph" of the six categories as the concept and extended to the philosophy of life, view of natural and their relationship in the society nowadays. Lai expresses his feelings and thoughts through lines and shapes in sculpture and on paper, giving people endless imagination.
Lai Chi Man believes in the power of nature. Thus, he chooses natural materials in creation. Stone, as a part of nature, is a precious heritage of ancient civilization; The creation should not be a waste of resources, but a method to preserve resources. Through applying materials like stone, rope, and rice etc., he achieves his own balance with nature. Lai declares, “Over the past thirty years, I have been constantly exploring and developing an artistic vocabulary. This echoes the evolution and depth of mankind's harmonic coexistence with nature. The roots for this resulting sculptural vocabulary can be traced to the six ways of constructing Chinese characters, whose forms echo the cultural virtues of an ancient tradition and reflect the essence of Eastern thought. Through such an approach, I contemplate Eastern philosophies regarding the relationships amongst mankind and nature. And, throughout the creative process, I use pictographs and meanings similar to those found in Chinese characters to express a message that transcends culture and communicates universal values.”
In 1989, he presided over Taiwan's first international sculpture workshop in Tainan City, during which he promoted public art legislation in Taiwan. He had important exhibitions in many countries and regions including Netherlands, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Lai participated in different public art creations, artworks are exhibited in different public areas in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong including schools, court, and outdoor areas of museums. Lai is warmly welcomed and recognized by the international art field and he was the first contracted artist of Taiwan Eslite Gallery. His artworks were collected by series of important art institutions such as Dutch National BKR visual arts organizations, University of Wyoming Art Museum, Taipei Fine Arts Museum and Japan Hara Museum.
Main Awards
2006
The First Public Art Award, Council for Cultural Planning and Development, R.O.C.
1993
First Prize in the Open Competition in stone sculpture "Great Commonwealth of Peace and Prosperity", Council for Cultural Planning and Development, R.O.C.
1985
The Grand Prize at the First R.O.C. Sculpture Exhibition, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, R.O.C.
EXHIBITIONS | EVENTS | ART FAIRS
SOLO EXHIBITION
2020
Bountiful Journey【Relaxing is an option-Solo Exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
Amanda Wei Gallery【Chill Out!】-Hong Kong
2018
Longmen Art Projects【Harmony, 2018 Sculpture Exhibition of Lai Chi Man】-Shanghai, China
2016
ArtDoor Taipei【Oneiric Subjectivity-Solo Exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
PiaoPiao Art Space【Solo Exhibition featuring - Sketch Collection of Lai Chi Man】-Taipei, Taiwan
2013
Beyond Gallery【Sculpture Exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
ArtDoor Taipei【Between Nature and Mind-Solo Exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
2012
Pema Lamo Gallery【Sculpture Drawings 1990-2012: Lai Chi-Man Solo Exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
2011
Beyond Gallery【Human and Nature】-Taipei, Taiwan
2010
Taiyu Beaux Arts Salon【Lai Chi Man Solo exhibition】-JiaYi, Taiwan
2008
Taiyu Beaux Arts Salon【Solo exhibition】-JiaYi, Taiwan
Beyond Gallery【Work on Paper-Solo Exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
2005
Modern Art Gallery【Virtual and Real－Sculpture Exhibition by Lai Chi Man】-Taichung, Taiwan
2004
IT Park【Solo exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
Huashan Creative Park【Tension in the Space】-Taipei, Taiwan
1999
HsinChu Cultural Center【Solo exhibition】-Hsinchu County, Taiwan
1998
Dimension Art Center【Solo exhibition】-Taipei and Taichung, Taiwan
1997
Galerie Pierre【Solo exhibition】-Taichung, Taiwan
1994
Eslite Gallery【Solo exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
1992
Eslite Gallery【Solo exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
1991
Contemporary Gallery【Solo exhibition】-Taichung, Taiwan
1989
Eslite Gallery【Solo exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
1987
China Culture Promotion Center【Solo exhibition】-Hong Kong
1986
Spring Gallery【Solo exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
1985
Ming Men Gallery【Solo exhibition】-Taichung, Taiwan
1982
Etten Leur de Nobelaer【Solo exhibition】-Holland
1977
234 Gallery of University of Wyoming【Solo exhibition】-US
Gallery D'eendt【Solo exhibition】-Amsterdam, Holland
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020
Ask Art Space【The Other Realm】-Taipei, Taiwan
ARTDOOR【INFINITE WHITE】-Taipei, Taiwan
2019
IT Park【Sui Generis: Jing-Pai of Taiwan Part II】-Taipei, Taiwan
2012
Taipei Fine Art Museum【Formless Form, Taiwan Abstract Painting】-Taipei, Taiwan
Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts【Production of Senses 】-Taipei, Taiwan
2008
【International Sculpture Exhibition】-Aglie, Italy
2005
Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art【Potential Power of Asia】-Aichi, Nagoya, Japan
2003
IT Park【Discourses on Love: 64 Conversations in SARS' Era】-Taipei, Taiwan
1999
IT Park【Work on Paper-Group Exhibition】-Taipei, Taiwan
【Volume & Form Singapore 1999 Sculpture Exhibition】-Singapore
1998
Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts【Kaohsiung International Sculpture Festival】-Kaohsiung, Taiwan
National Cheng Kung University【Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition】-Tainan, Taiwan
Fu Pang Art Foundation【The Little Dining Car of Arts】-Taipei, Taiwan
Yuzi Paradise International Sculpture Symposium-Guilin, China