Artist who discovered the power of art makes Malta his home

Taiwanese artist Jason Lu, who has lived in the US and travelled the world, has chosen to make Malta his current home - the ideal base to sort out his thoughts and transpose them onto his canvases.

"I discovered Malta by accident on the way to Tunisia and I loved it - the warmth of the sun and the people, and the sea."

It is not that Malta inspires Lu's art, but it is a good environment in which to "relax, calm down and digest my emotions. My travels shake me up and I return to Malta to put down my thoughts".

The 27-year-old artist has been living in Marsascala for two years after spending three years studying classical art in Florence. Lu also studied three-dimensional animation and web design in the US, but has returned to his classical background.

"It is impossible to survive on abstract art," he said, struggling as it is to make ends meet.

"There is a conflict between art nowadays and what I do, which is not the trend. But I do not want to jump into abstract art and I have to believe in myself and what I do."

Lu dived into art when he moved from Taiwan to San Francisco at the age of 15 and had problems communicating with his peers. "I could barely string a couple of sentences, so I tried to express myself through art. In the beginning, people used to make fun of how I pronounced my English," but as he developed his talent, they developed an interest in him and what he was doing.

"That is when I discovered the power of art. It is a simple language to express emotions." Lu's art moves hand in hand with his life experiences - that is what he portrays in his oils on canvas. They are personal and never commissioned.

Balance (picture), for example, an oil on canvas semi self-portrait, depicts Lu's state of mind and how he felt about himself at the time he created it. "I would squint to blur my vision to create this work."

As regards the local art scene, Lu highlights the importance of foundation training, which seems to be lacking. It is a solid foundation training that eventually leads to more freedom to create, he believes.

"Today, artists dive into abstract art immediately, but it would be better to build on sounder skills and then move into the direction they choose.

"Young artists seem to be trying to follow someone else's pattern, but their art should be developed gradually. In the beginning, you are more of a craftsman and then you become an artist.

"Some say the more you know, the more polluted you are and that your painting does not come from the heart. But, in my view, the more you know, the better artist you can be."

The Chinese-American is currently working on a three- by five-metre canvas, that expresses his struggle in life to survive as an artist.

"I'm trying to survive in a foreign country, where I have no background, no roots and no connections, but I have no regrets either."

Lu has been working on the painting for five months, building layer upon layer and even wiping out the whole thing when he feels not happy with it.

His first solo exhibition - "I wanted to wait until my works were powerful enough" - includes nine acrylics on canvas and is being held at Auntielucy in the Baystreet complex until the end of August.