22 Jul Crisscrossing Through Time and Space – Contemporary Hong Kong Ink Art
Spiritual time-travel drama by female neo-ink painters from Hong Kong
by Li Su-Chen, Associate Professor in Tunghai University, Department of Fine Arts
Mastering traditional elements
Ink painting is one of the media that is unique to traditional Chinese art. The various visual representations and wide range of subjects that cover fingers, flower and bird, animals and spectacular landscapes in ink painting have become a cultural symbol though thousands of years’ development. The paintings are formed from composition and medium, and they are the key elements to the foundation of meticulous figure, flower and bird, and landscape paintings. These genres of paintings have become distinctively Chinese, and though the use of this cultural symbol, contemporary ink artists are provided with the most efficient materials. One may inspect contemporary ink works from Taiwan, China and Hong Kong with this concept in mind.
In the past fifty years, Taiwanese ink paintings primarily emphasized on the use of pen and ink; that is to say, the visual development in Taiwanese ink painting was largely based the representation of the local culture whilst keeping the traditional medium and techniques, hence the works may seem controversial visually. The development of ink painting in Hong Kong is a completely different story. The misplacement of time and space and the merging of classical elements with new ideas led to the unique style of contemporary ink art in Hong Kong. The artists from both regions aim to “grasp the traditional elements” whilst developing new representations. Taiwan and Hong Kong: one focuses on medium and techniques, whilst the other reassembles form and symbols. While developing art independently, Taiwanese artists are highly skilled in creating playful works with ink and a medium, whilst artists in Hong Kong have worked with the cultural symbols visually. The new exhibition “Crisscrossing through time and space” in Daguan Gallery provides a wonderful opportunity for the audience to compare and contrast.
Crisscrossing though history
After the “Contemporary Neoclassic – Hong Kong Ink Art” in 2017, Daguan Gallery has yet again invited contemporary ink artists from Hong Kong to exhibit in Taiwan. This time the gallery presents the works from three young female artists – Chan Sui-Ying, Wong Yee-Ki and Cheng Tan-Shan. The three artists provide fresh ideas and humourous works that are applied with traditional ink and colour techniques and whimsical and mythical representations of daily lives. Mounted on screens, scrolls or frames, the works are presented in various forms, yet the freshness of the composition and subjects are equally fine. It is not difficult to see the shared characteristics among the three artists’ works, for they are all applied with meticulous lines and colours, which display their delicacy. Additionally, the use of classical elements and symbols are clearly visible in the three artists’ works. The mysterious representation of classical elements within contemporary setting and cultural symbols can be seen as a misplacing of time and space, leading the audience though different worlds.
Among the three artists, Chan Sui-Ying’s works are brilliant and varied, full of nostalgic elements. The various framing techniques Chan applied include two and three dimensional methods, which provide different narratives. Entangled between classical and contemporary factors, her works are of unique scenes. Wong Yee-Ki is a master painter of flowers and figures, the classical use of peony is joined by figures of infants, shadow play and puppets, creating an imaginary world of the new generation of young people. Despite the constant presence of miniature astronaut, lollipops, feathers and horses, there is a sense of sorrow hidden behind the surface of vivid colours.
Cheng Tan-Shan is the only artist whose works are applied with only the meticulous painting technique. Her lines are sleek and compositions graceful. The rocks and trees that are often seen in traditional landscape paintings are set within the real world Cheng has created. All the objects are crowded into the centre of the work, in the manner of miniature housing in Hong Kong. According to Cheng herself, the paintings can be seen as “a documentation of lives in Hong Kong. With the presence of nature within one’s heart, the mountains and rivers are to flow endlessly according to one’s mind.” Despite the tender age of these three artists, their works depict the unique history, living conditions, geography and culture status of Hong Kong.
Dependency on the mother culture
With the term “time-travel” as the subhead to this article, we may discuss why one travels though time. The misplacing of traditional landscape and flower and bird symbols and the modern environment the artists live in create the illusion of dislocation. Such representations are reflective of the political background of Hong Kong, the British influence and native culture are intertwined to create a one-of-a-kind cultural phenomenon that is exclusively seen in Hong Kong.
Doe to the fact that Hong Kong was free from the governing of China for over a hundred years, artists from Hong Kong would not easily separate themselves from their native culture, hence many cultural symbols have been kept as valuable cultural assets which works as a connection between the contemporary artists and their roots. As if being summoned by the motherland, early Taiwanese ink paintings were determined hold on to the traditional pen and ink techniques. The psychological factors of clinging to one’s native culture is visible in the works of the new generation of ink artists, which an interesting yet serious subject matter. As a cultural phenomenon, there are numerous opportunities for compare and contrast between works in ink from Taiwan and Hong Kong. The debate is not just for art itself, but also a method to trace back to one’s ancestry, to find the balance between native and contemporary cultures. The inheritance of the tradition and the establishment of new studies are subjects worthy of one’s contemplation.
————————————
We would like to thank Professor Li Su-Chen from Tunghai University, Department of Fine Arts, for composing the article, as well as <Daguan Monthly> and <Artco> for publishing it. Professor Li talks about the exhibition and the development of ink painting in Taiwan and Hong Kong from an academic point of view, pointing out the uniqueness of the participating artists’ works and how they may be reflective of the distinctive history and social background of Hong Kong.
Li Su-Chen, “Crisscrossing through time and space – Spiritual time-travel drama by female neo-ink painters from Hong Kong”, Daguan Monthly, Issue 106 (July 2018), pp. 110-111
Li Su-Chen, “Crisscrossing through time and space – Spiritual time-travel drama by female neo-ink painters from Hong Kong”, Artco, Issue 210 (July 2018), pp. 184-185
———————-
Crisscrossing Through Time and Space – Contemporary Hong Kong Ink Art
Exhibition Duration | 2018.07.21 – 08.19
VIP Preview | 7.20
Opening Reception and Talk | 2018.07.21 15.00-16.00
Talk to be led by Professor Li Su-Chen and Pan Fan, Director of Tainan Art Museum
Participating Artists | Chan Sui-Ying, Cheng Tan-Shan, Wong Yee-Ki
DaGuan Gallery
Opening Hours | 10:30-18:30 Tue.–Sun. (Closed on Mon.)
Address | No. 16, Lane 69, JingYeh 2nd Rd., Taipei Taiwan
Telephone | 02 8501 5677
MRT | Jiannan Road Station exit 2 (Ming Shui Road), go straight on JingYeh 2nd Road then turn right at Lane 69