Modern Masters from Hong Kong showcases the works of six modern masters who were at the forefront of Hong Kong’s art scene since the 1960s and played a pivotal role in its development.
Hong Kong art is a unique product of the city's culture and natural ecology of East and West. Hong Kong artists are known for their ability to skilfully incorporate the rich tradition and culture of Chi- nese ink painting with Western artistic traditions and techniques while incorporating modern themes and methods. Hong Kong art has been influenced by Western culture since the 1940s, while still remaining grounded in Chinese artistic practices. Since the 1960s, Hong Kong artists have gone one step further in their creative approach of combining the principles of Western modern art with Chi- nese media such as calligraphy and ink painting. This has resulted in a unique Hong Kong art style that has expanded into new realms, such as sculpture and other forms of contemporary media.
Through this exhibition, Alisan strives to promote the understanding and appreciation of Hong Kong art to a broader international audience. A talk “Introduction to Hong Kong Modern Masters"
will be held in conjunction with the exhibition. These Hong Kong artists are: Ink Master Lui Shou- Kwan and his students Irene Chou, Kan Tai-Keung, and Wucius Wong; Hon Chi-Fun, one of Hong Kong's most iconic artists; and Rosanna Li, a well-known female ceramicist.
About the artists showcased
Lui Shou-Kwan. The founder of Hong Kong’s New Ink Movement Lui Shou-Kwan (1919–1975, b. in Guangzhou, China) nurtured countless Hong Kong ink painters, including Irene Chou, Kan Tai-Keung, and Wu- cius Wong, whose works are also on show; and exerted a profound influence on the development of contemporary Chinese ink art. Through the exhibited work Boat House, we can trace Lui's ex- traordinary painting technique of describing a portrait of a Hong Kong fishing village in the 1960s, as well as the literati spirit of carrying forward the traditional ink painting. Boat House has been exhibited in Ashmolean Museum’s solo exhibition in 1962. In addition, Lui’s paintings are currently on view at the Art Institute of Chicago until 2 July.
Irene Chou (1924- 2011, b. in Shanghai, China) was a prominent figure in the Hong Kong New Ink Movement. Her abstract ink paintings possess distinctive personal qualities that fuse abstract ex- pressionism techniques and Zen philosophy to convey her delicate and passionate emotions. Her one-stroke technique, which stems from Chinese Zen and Taoist philosophy and was influenced by her mentor Lui Shou-Kwan, integrates Western and Chinese art while striving to preserve the es- sence of traditional Chinese art. This can be seen in her Untitled 1 and Untitled 2. Chou extensively experimented with various Western creative techniques and materials, as well as ink painting tech- niques such as "splash ink," expertly blending aspects of Western and Chinese art, all while paying homage to traditional Chinese art.
Kan Tai-Keung (b. 1942, Panyu, Guangzhou, China) is a renowned Hong Kong artist who is known for his innovative and experimental approach to traditional Chinese ink painting and calligraphy. Kan's work is characterised by a unique blend of traditional Chinese ink painting techniques and Western modernist influences, such as Abstract Expressionism and Minimalism. His paintings often feature bold, expressive brushstrokes and a sense of movement and energy, which reflect his interest in capturing the essence of the natural world. Notably, his works, such as Valley, Fall and Pine, and The Dance in Ink No. 17, are a perfect testament to his creative interest.
Wucius Wong. One of the most significant painters in Hong Kong's New Ink movement, Wucius Wong (b. 1936, Dongguan, China) studied Chinese painting under the tutelage of Lui Shou-Kwan and later trained professionally in the West. Given his background in design and literature, he is able to skilfully combine Chinese and Western cultural elements to create his own distinctive urban landscape. This allows him to express the majestic momentum of interlacing mountains, swirling clouds, and inter-spersed water from a unique perspective, which can be seen in his Geng Zi Landscape #9 and Xin Chou Landscape #1.
Hon Chi-Fun (1922-2019, b. in Hong Kong) is regarded as one of Hong Kong's most iconic painters. Although he is most known for his series of circles, he also paints incredibly realistic land- scapes that capture the natural beauty of Hong Kong and the surrounding areas with vivid colours and strong brushstrokes. His paintings of Sha Tin, Ting Kau, and Macau were influenced by both Western and Chinese painting styles, and they captured the essence of the settings by being painted en plein air, or outside, with realistic and expressive details. In 2013, the University Museum and Art Gallery of the University of Hong Kong held a solo exhibition focusing on Hon’s early land- scapes on board, as seen in this exhibition.
Li Wei-Han Rosanna (b. in Hong Kong) is a Hong Kong ceramicist and design educator, well known for her "signature ceramic fat ladies" sculptures having a certain rustic charm, displayed in her Me Time 1 and 2. Depicting the sense of contentment and vitality of simple folk, her works are often filled with wit and humour, reflecting her keen observation and sensitivity to people and events in the commu- nity.
