CURATOR’S MESSAGES
A New Era of Ink Painting in Hong Kong
Has ink painting in Hong Kong entered into a new era?
Since 1842, Hong Kong had become a colony under the governance of the British. Hong Kong has since been under the influence of the western culture and therefore making it a very unique city with its own peculiar culture. Ink painting roots from a long history and is one of the many forms of arts that has passed along from the ancient Chinese civilisation since thousands years ago. It is a distinctive form of visual art expression. Ink painting continues to grow, shine and exude youthful vitality. Due to historical background and geographical influence, ink painting in Hong Kong has been heavily impacted upon by western culture and arts. As such, ink painting’s development in Hong Kong has always been splendidly vibrant. She embraces the tradition and learns from the west. This enables her to freely explore from multiple dimensions and develop in diversifications. She continues to dominate and command a leading position, in particular in the area of aesthetics. Ink painting in Hong Kong attracts grave attention from the art world and the academics, and therefore shoulders the responsibility of a cultural mission of pursuing continual development of the art and cultures of both China and Hong Kong.
The purpose of introducing the exhibition of “A New Era of Ink Painting in Hong Kong” at the inaugural Chinese Culture Festival this year is to deepen the learning of and enable the implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s cultural thoughts and beliefs, and to the National 14th Five- Year Plan of developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. Besides, the festival provides a privileged platform and foundation of developing ink painting as a representative art in Hong Kong. The exhibition also aims at promoting China’s cultural soft power and the appeal of Chinese culture by telling the good stories of China and Hong Kong. Xi has also called for more efforts to consolidate the nation’s cultural confidence so as to stand firm and go far. The new era represents the nation’s modernisation and showcases its cultural confidence.
The extant success of ink painting in Hong Kong was attributed to the hard work and efforts of the older generations. A century ago, artists in Hong Kong have established many associations for sharing, demonstrations, teaching students and organising exhibitions. A few arts schools were even inaugurated. This has gradually nurtured a lot of artists and built a group of audience therefore setting for a solid foundation in the subsequent development of ink painting in Hong Kong. Amongst the more acclaimed ink painters with their own signatures are Deng Erya, Huang Bore, Deng Fen, Luo Shuzhong, Luis Chan, Ting Yen-yung, Lui Shou-Kwan, Zhao Shao’ang, Yang Shanshen, Irene Chou, Lydia Fong, Liu Kuo Sung, Wucius Wong and Koo Mei. They have all along given conscientious efforts in coaching the next generations leading to phenomenal contributions to innovative and diversified ink painting art developments in Hong Kong. They have opened up numerous possibilities in this area which have far reaching impact. This year is the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to the Motherland and we are advancing from stability to prosperity. Hong Kong has the distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the Motherland whilst being closely connected to the world. As such, promoting worldwide Hong Kong ink painting is our responsibility and mission.
Ink painting in Hong Kong is versatile and has a deep seated history whereby it showcases different cultural characteristics. That said, we must not be bounded by entrenched resistance to change. Instead, we have gotten to be creative in exploring new themes, subjects, forms and techniques whilst positively and vigorously embracing the tradition; presenting arts in a brand new format and elevating artistic images of ink paintings through the adoption of new technologies and medias; integrating the tradition with contemporary spirit and advocating the Chinese aesthetics through creating ink painting specialties and motivating modern arts creations. The pursuit of all the above will lead to new atmosphere, new perspectives and new realm.
Without any doubt, ink painting in Hong Kong has gone into a new era and set its foot onto a new journey. This new journey is full of dreams and is a glorious long march that will eventually reach its pinnacle. Ink painting will certainly help promote Hong Kong to become an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.
Lam Tian-xing
Chief Curator
Executive Vice Chairman, CFLAC Hong Kong Member Association
Chairman, China Artists Association Hong Kong Chapter
CURATOR’S MESSAGES
Appreciating The New Era of Ink Art in Hong Kong
In the face of globalisation of culture and multi-dimensional art creations, in addition to the blending of contemporary arts and Chinese traditions, I opined this paves the way for further deepening of interfaces and creations of arts. The presence of both types of arts are not mutually exclusive and instead, they are intertwined leading to increasing inspirations and dynamic growth. The development of contemporary arts has provided a good platform for the advancement and demonstration of Chinese traditions. Equally, the profound Chinese traditions and culture have also supplemented contemporary arts with rich resources and synergy, and which have inaugurated a new era of ink art in Hong Kong.
From the perspectives of artists in Hong Kong, contemporary art is a challenge to the conventional form of Chinese culture and art expression. Contemporary art is thought provoking and has moved arts beyond boundary. Against this background, the integration of Chinese traditional cultures and the elements of contemporary arts has not only revitalised the former but also enriched the latter. In the process of my art creations, I kept exploring the possibilities of mixing the conventional ink art with contemporary elements so as to strengthen and embellish my artworks whilst showcasing the tradition.
Our nation’s cultural confidence roots from the Chinese cultural heritage. Globalisation of culture further advocates the need of protecting and developing the nation’s traditions and cultures. Its continual development and growth represents the respect of our own culture and contributes to the ever diversification of world culture. The interface of contemporary arts and traditional culture and arts not only offers an aesthetic platform in understanding the captivating Chinese culture, it also helps promote exchange of cultural views and reinforces learning.
During actual implementation, the mixture of Chinese traditions and cultures with contemporary art demands not only artists’ understanding of the essences of traditional culture, but also their sensitivities in grasping the pulse of times, the contemporary art languages and techniques. This blending motivates individual portraits of indigenous styles and encourages creative development in the realms of art.
In my view, contemporary ink art and traditional culture complements with each other and boosts their growth. In the exhibition of “A New Era of Ink Art in Hong Kong”, the sixty prominent ink art painters have demonstrated styles and forms in their own ways. Artists are inheritors of traditions and cultures. Alongside, they are also pioneers of contemporary arts through persistent experiments and practices. They are the executors in this crossover era and will endeavour to contribute to the new era of contemporary ink art in Hong Kong.
Zhao Zhijun
Deputy Curator
Council Member and Chairman of Visual Arts Group of Hong Kong Arts Development Council
Executive Vice Chairman, The Hong Kong Artists Association
