(Photo: CNA)
Chinese name: 鄒駿昇
Born: 1978
Birthplace: Taichung City (Central Taiwan)
Born a Hakka in Fengyuan District, Taichung City in 1978, Page Tsou is a well-known picture book writer, illustrator, and curator. After graduating from university, Tsou initially worked as an art teacher in an elementary school in New Taipei City. His parents hoped their son would live a stable life as a primary school art teacher, but Tsou was not restricted by expectations. As the illustrator put it: “Instability makes artists seek innovation and change; to me that is the driving force for improving.” A thought lingered in Tsou’s mind: “If I continue to teach, I will definitely regret it.” This made him determined to give up his teaching career to move faraway to the U.K. to study and reach his longtime dream of going to Europe to receive a higher education in art.
When he first entered the Royal College of Art, Tsou went through a painful low ebb, and his life was dark and frustrated. At that time, no matter how hard he tried to do his best, none of the teachers appreciated his work. Throughout the semester, Tsou’s work was never affirmed, his grades were low, and his self-confidence also suffered a serious blow from the sharp criticism.
Later, a classmate inadvertently asked him: "Why do you care so much about what the teacher says?" This made Tsou startled and made him realize that he should not judge the quality of his work based on the mindset of putting his professors as the top priority. After all, in the world of art, evaluation is often subjective and highly dependent on personal preference. After Page Tsou figured this out, he decided to use "competition" to find his creative position.
As a result, he actively signed up for national and international painting competitions, and even participated in more than a dozen competitions a year. "I recognize myself through competitions," said Tsou. “Every time I come home with a prize, I have more self-identification.” In 2011, he successively won important awards, such as the International Award for Illustration in Bologna and the Best of Show at the 3x3 International Contemporary Illustration Awards in the United States.
Tsou gradually realized that his unique painting style is actually a valuable asset. "I can't force myself to cater to other people's preferences because it doesn't suit me. I should learn to accept myself," he said.
Over the years, he has continuously participated in competitions, has broken the winning record, and is regarded as a constant winner of international illustration competitions. In recent years, as a judge, he has been active in major art competitions, with works spanning visual art, graphic design and commercial creation. He has also served as the curator of the Young Designers' Exhibition (YODEX) in Taipei and the Taiwan Pavilion of the Bologna Children's Book Fair, fully demonstrating his versatile talents.
In 2019, Tsou drew an illustration for the Romantic Route 3 Arts Festival that served as the main visual image of the event: The Romantic Scenery of Taiwan Romantic Route 3. The artist took into consideration the concept of slow life throughout the art festival, so he hid the leopard cat in the mountain and added ecological connotations in his illustration. When viewers look at this painting, they must slow down and think, to get a glimpse of the details.
Even though he has won numerous awards, Page Tsou always strives to improve himself. He said: "I hope that I will always maintain a certain state of vigilance, rather than feel good about myself." He hopes that after five or ten years, he will not get tired of seeing his own creations.