Relaxation often emphasizes spontaneity and the natural state of the subject. The works in this exhibition at Hong Kong Wong Chuk Hang Space show the pursuit of tranquility through the artificial reinforcement of “inaction”. In a sense, the artists have projected and processed their diluted personal emotions and existential confusions onto the canvas. These silent games, composed of visual compositions, present subtle enigmas that penetrate the surface of simple or contradictory narratives, allowing the viewer to slowly discover the hidden emotions and hinted clues of the creator. This exhibition will run from August 10 to September 10, 2024. Hong Kong Wong Chuk Hang Space is a gallery with multiple branches in Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Seoul and Singapore.
Image above: Space Liu Bin Spore Skirmsih Oil on canvas 200×180 cm 2022
Zhang Hui’s works are often described as novel-like due to their narrative power. The four works in this exhibition go beyond surreal dreams to embody realistic photographs in which memories are woven into multi-dimensional narratives. The stories, metaphors and reflections in the paintings become insignificant through the dilution of historical references in brighter colors. What remains is the pure calm and vitality that the artist has sought to explore over the past eight years.
The diverse and complex human nature is often treated as the subject of representation. Liu Bin attempts to vividly depict the simple but often recomposed figures by leading the viewer into an absurd and nihilistic emotional world that encompasses horror, madness, innocence and warmth. Liu Ye, on the other hand, draws inspiration from biblical stories and Dante’s Divine Comedy. The figures in his paintings go beyond simple physical structures, always maintaining a sense of balanced sequence. The flower of sin seems hidden in this divine tranquility, with a slightly melancholic classical temperament that directly and subtly reflects the purity, greed, vanity, indifference and other contradictory and chaotic feelings of human nature.
Wang You frequently collects inspirational objects from daily life and reconstructs the stories of people, objects and scenes from different times and spaces of life to create an expression that is different from conventional visual compositions. Her lively and vibrant technique is gentle and unobtrusive, giving the entire work a unique and delicate emotion. The dancers with their different facial expressions, the luxurious and realistic swans, the internally confused boy – these vivid images blur the boundaries between creating and viewing, the narrative is in itself a space left to the audience.
Shi Yanliang reflects on the urban landscapes and expresses his preoccupation with the mysteries of time through a state of stillness. The bright, slightly cartoonish colors are complementary to the emotionally significant moments in people’s lives. While time passes in reality, memories are preserved on the canvas. This sense of calm reveals the confusion and disorientation that most people feel in today’s society.
Zhu Zi (Wu Jian’an) constructs a surreal world full of innocent elements through the subjective reconstruction of natural landscapes. In contrast to the rigid characteristics of flat painting, his skillful use of basic painting components composes a dynamic rhythm through the structured yet flowing harmony between the pigment and the dots, lines and planes.
Yu Xuan has focused on exploring the relationship between nature and man-made objects. Paintings such as the three white sheep standing against a monotonous gray-blue background with a barbershop sign in the upper right corner and the four pandas resting quietly against a striking red background aim to create a strong sense of intrusion and emotional contrast within the tranquil scenes. The accumulation of oil paint disappears from view, while the cold yet vibrant scenes reflect the artist’s conflicted understanding and response to contemporary social landscapes.
These works are not simply realistic depictions, but an artificially relaxed calm. The artists do not directly depict specific subjects, but consciously and subtly express different concepts and different landscapes. By reworking objects with a strong lens of subjectivity, a theatrical scenic variation is created. This unnatural relaxation is another form of the true state of creation and a unique kind of struggle.
Exhibition curated by Fiona Lu & Sherry Wang.
Artist:
Liu Bin
Liu Yie
Shi Yanliang
Wang You
Yu Xuan
Zhang Hui
Zhu Zi (Wu Jian’an)
WHEN?
Exhibition dates: Saturday, August 10 – Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Opening hours: Sunday – Saturday, open 24 hours
WHERE?
Hong Kong Wong Chuk Hang Space
20/F, Landmark South
39 Yip Kan Street
Wong Chuk Hang
Hong Kong
