June 14, 2012

A follow up on yesterday’s post: the exhibition was moved to the Purple Zone of Academic I. The set up is the same but it feels different now that it is inside. Away from the wind and the rain.

You can visit the exhibition at CityU daily until 22 June between 10am and 6pm while the opening hours of the Hong Kong Arts Centre are 10am to 8pm daily, except for 2 July 2012 when it closes early at 5pm.

Written by: Audrey

June 13, 2012

Last night I watched ‘The Works’ on TVB Pearl which introduced the exhibition of photographs by Liu Xia. Liu, a photographer, artist and poet, is the wife of jailed Chinese rights activist Liu Xiaobo. To my surprise they said that the exhibition was held at CityU. But when I checked the university website I could not find any information about it.

From the images on television, it looked like the photos were on display in the area called ‘Covered Terrace’. So that is where I headed for this morning and where I took some pictures for Pulse. It is a very small exhibition space with the photos placed on the floor instead of up on a wall. The cramped space makes it difficult to get a clear view of the photos but it does enhance the feeling of discomfort that the haunting images of the ugly babies exude.

For those interested in Liu Xia’s photography, please read the essay ‘Freedom Reflex: The Photographs of Liu Xia’ by A. D. Coleman, written for the catalogue of the 2012 Hong Kong showing of this exhibition, available here. Another article is on the display of Liu Xia’s photos in New York earlier this year, see ‘Underground Chinese Artist Liu Xia on Exhibit at the Italian Academcy’ by Laura Itzkowitz here.

The exhibition at CityU runs till 23 June and will then move to the Hong Kong Arts Centre where the photos will be displayed from 25 June till 2 July 2012.

Written by: Audrey

May 18, 2012

Next month a collection of Jingdezhen ceramics will be on display at the CityU Gallery. This time the exhibits are new and with contemporary designs painted by modern artists. The five artists whose works will be displayed are Zhu Zhengmao, Gao Weiqing, Long Deming, Zou Le and Wan Qing, all from Jiangxi.

The two samples shown here are a vase decorated by Zhu Zhengmao and a plate painted by Zou Le, the only female artist among the five. Both graduated from the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute where Zou Le is teaching while Zhu is Associate Professor at the Jiangxi Ceramic & Art Institute.

On the slim, tall vase are orange-brownish reeds that bend in the wind and white birds with black tipped wings, probably egrets, flying in the sky against the wind. Near the rim are some characters written which are difficult to read.

Colour-wise, the plate could have been a traditional blue and white; yet the design has something modern to it with a sprinkle of golden flakes. The large blue scabiosa-like flowers are a marked contrast with the string of small white forget-me-nots in the background.

Since art is difficult to describe (I doubt that my description is of any help), I highly recommend that you come and admire the real objects. The exhibition is open daily from 10 am- 7pm, from the opening ceremony on 13 June until 22 July 2012.

Written by: Audrey

March 26, 2012

The new exhibition ‘The Vigour of Life: Figure Paintings by Wang Hongxi and Pan Baozhu’ will start on 30 March 2012. Ms Chik Kwok-wah, renowned calligrapher and Director of the China Calligraphy Association, Professor Cheng Pei-kai, Director of the Chinese Civilisation Centre, City University of Hong Kong and the two artists Mr Wang Hongxi and Ms Pan Baozhu will officiate at the opening that day.

Wang Hongxi (1937-) is a member of the Chinese Artist Association, and Shanghai Arts Association, and visiting professor at the Shanghai University of Engineering Science. Besides figures, Wang paints landscapes and he is a calligrapher and poet. He pays special attention to traditional cultural contents, but also incorporates aspects of Western art in his work. Many of his paintings convey the magnificent vastness of the ocean which is a reflection of his childhood living on the coast. His works have been on display at many exhibitions in China and abroad, and are collected in art galleries and museums.

Pan Baozhu was born into a scholarly family in 1943, and she has been painting from a young age. She is consultant at Juntao Art Institute, member of the Art Association of Houston and visiting professor at the Shanghai University of Engineering Science. In recent years she has been painting figures and flora, focusing on the expression and bearing of human beings. She paints religious figures such as Buddha and Guanyin, and Chinese historical women including Li Qingzhao and characters from the Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber. Her works have been on display at local and overseas exhibitions and published in catalogues.

The exhibition runs from 31 March until 13 May 2012 at the CityU Gallery, 6/F, Amenities Building, City University of Hong Kong. For enquiries, please call 3442 2477.

Written by: Audrey

January 20, 2012

Landscape paintings by artist Peng Ximing (1908-2002) will be on display at the exhibition ‘Inspired by Antiquity: In the Style of the Song and Yuan Masters’ next month. Mr Chan Hou Seng, Director of the Macao Museum of Art, Professor Roderick S. W. Wong, Vice President of Development and External Relations (CityU) and Professor Cheng Pei-kai, Director of the Chinese Civilisation Centre (CityU) will officiate at the opening ceremony to be held on Friday 10 February 2012 at 5:30pm.

For biographical information on Peng Ximing, I found an entry in Modern Chinese artists: a biographical dictionary (2006) by Michael Sullivan which reads: ‘Peng Ximing (彭襲明) (Pang Chap-ming, b. 1908, native of Xunyang, Jiangsu province). Guohua painter. Graduated from Shanghai Meizhuan. During WWII in Sichuan, where he knew Zhang Daqian. 1950 moved to Hong Kong, where he taught in Dept. of Fine Art, Chinese College, and Dept. of Fine Art, New Asia College. Eccentric landscapist inspired by Qing dynasty masters Shitao and Shiqi.’

And according to Transcendental Vision: Paintings by Peng Ximing, Peng was a ‘hermit-literati artist’, whose major artistic goal was ‘expressing the inherent resonance in landscapes.’ Reflected in his paintings are the landscapes of China which he roamed about in his youth, and the scenic sights of the New Territories and outlying islands, after he settled in Hong Kong.

The paintings have a very traditional Chinese depiction of nature, beautiful mountains in clouds and trees in mist which—if you stand too close to the canvas—may look like a random mix of dots and lines but is actually an ingenious composition. Experience the paintings in person and visit the CityU Gallery at the 6th floor of the Amenities Building, City University of Hong Kong. The exhibition runs from 11 February till 18 March 2012, open daily from 10 am to 7 pm.

Written by: Audrey

January 13, 2012

Volume 2, no. 1, of Chinese Literature Today (CLT) has come out. CLT, which is published at the University of Oklahoma, features both original literary works and scholarly essays, poetry, short stories, novel excerpts, book reviews (of titles in English and Chinese), interviews, and visual arts. To promote the journal, the Deputy Editor in Chief, Professor Jonathan Stalling posted an announcement on the MCLC list to invite all to sign up for a free issue. All you have to do is visit the CLT website  and fill out the form. When I received my digital copy (free print copies are only for US citizens) I had to register with Zinio to get access to the magazine.

Listed in the table of contents are: Li Ang’s short story ‘Beef Noodles’ and a conversation between ‘Bright’ and ‘Dark’ Li Ang, an excerpt from Sandalwood Death—Mo Yan’s new novel, featured scholar and translator Howard Goldblatt: an overview of his career and a self-interview, the shifting landscapes of contemporary Chinese photography, Luo Qing and Che Qianzi: the rebirth of China’s painter-poets, travelling poetry and the presence of soul: new poems and an interview with Wang Jiaxin. On the cover of the issue is the work ‘Moon 2’ by Chinese artist Chen Nong, depicting an astronaut on the moon amidst the terracotta warriors.

Access via Zinio makes it easy to read whenever convenient; texts and illustrations are clear and in full colour. The issue is quite substantial and I have not yet read all, but I would highly recommend it to all (Chinese) art and literature aficionados.

Written by: Audrey

December 8, 2011

In the new edition of Artmap there is an announcement of ‘Beauty & Entirety: Ceramics of the Song Dynasty from the Palace Museum’ with an image of a lovely bluish purple ceramic plate. This special exhibition is held at the Macao Museum of Art, or MAM. On the MAM website, there is more information about this collection. The introduction starts with ‘The Song Dynasty (960 – 1279) marks the most prosperous period of the Chinese culture, arts and technology, and thus sees the heyday of the Chinese ceramic industry and ceramic art.’

This goes on with specific details and characteristics of the collection, and there are also images of ceramic wares which you can click on for an enlarged version and a brief description. One of the most beautiful among the items is a white glazed bowl with Chinese characters. It says that ‘this bowl has a flared mouth, reduced in size from the mouth to the base. The bowl is supported by a ring foot and has been repeatedly fired. The mouth and foot are surrounded by gold-gilt banding. The exterior of the bowl is inscribed with a poem by Emperor Qianlong, from right to left.’

Assuming that this bowl is also Song porcelain, Qianlong must have added his poem centuries later, for he reigned from 1735 till 1796. Anyhow, the combination ‘Qianlong and poetry’ reminds me of old travel writing by the Dutch sinologist Henri Borel who visited the Summer Palace in the autumn of 1909. In his description of the ox of bronze, he writes: ‘Then I saw at the back an inscription in delicate Chinese characters, Imperial stanzas by the inspired Artist-Emperor Qianlong. And once more I thought how great an artist was Qianlong. With a god-like gesture he bestowed supreme art on splendid Peking. Reverentially I read the stanzas.’ It just says all.

Written by: Audrey

November 24, 2011

Next week on Wednesday 30 November 2011 the opening ceremony of the new exhibition ‘Dancing in Water: Jane Liu’s Imagery in Art’ will be held. Officiating at the ceremony which starts at 5.30 pm are Professor Mayching Kao, Dr Ng Chi-wa and Professor Cheng Pei Kai.

The artist Jane Liu was born in Macao and graduated from the Arts Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Thereafter Liu did postgraduate studies at the St Martin’s School of Art in London and at the University of Illinois. Back in Hong Kong, Liu taught at the Polytechnic University and was curator and supervisor at the Hong Kong Visual Art Center. She founded the Art Horizon Printmaking Workshop in 2000.

Her works have been on display at exhibitions in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Europe and the US and can also be found in the collections of museums, art institutes and universities as well as in the possession of private collectors.

The current exhibition displays art from Liu’s Dancing in Water Series which she has worked on in recent years. The depiction of jellyfish in the water reflects Liu’s fascination with the creature whose movements she says resemble those of a ballet dancer.

The exhibition runs from 30 December 11 till 15 January 2012 at the CityU Gallery, open daily from 10 am till 7 pm. For more information check out the CCIV website or call 3442-2477.

Written by: Audrey

September 21, 2011

Next week the Centre will launch a new exhibition ‘The Spirit of Flowers—Chinese Paintings of Shen Mo and Shum Hon Shui’. The opening ceremony will be held on Wednesday 28 September 2011 at which Mr Shen Mo, Mr Shum Hon Shui, Dr Sze Chi Ching, Dr Sun Li Chuan and Professor Cheng Pei-kai will officiate.

The painters Shen Mo and Shum Hon Shui are both from Fujian. Though they share the same surname  沈 in Chinese, Shen in Hanyu Pinyin and Shum in Cantonese spelling, I was told that they are not related.

Mr. Shen Mo is currently a lecturer in Chinese painting at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong and Visiting Professor at the Huaqiao University. His work has been on display at several national exhibitions in China and can also be found in private collections local and abroad.

Mr. Shum Hon Shui came to Hong Kong in 1961, the year he graduated from the Fine Arts Department of the Fujian Normal University. Currently he is on the Board of the Calligraphy and Painting Study Association of Hong Kong Fukienese and Lecturer at the Quanzhou Art Institute. Mr Shum’s paintings have been displayed at local exhibitions and abroad and appeared in many publications. His works are in the collections of many museums as well as those of art aficionadoes.

Top right is a painting of flowers by Shen Mo and bottom left you can see birds painted by Shum Ho Shui. Although the title suggests that the paintings are in the spirit of flowers, there are also many other themes. You can see the art works at the CityU Gallery, 6/F, Amenities Building, City University of Hong Kong, in the period from 29 September until 6 November 2011, open daily from 10 am to 7 pm.

Written by: Audrey

May 31, 2011

The conference on Chinese ceramics over the weekend was a great success. Some excellent presentations were given on topics ranging from the finds of shipwrecks and the naval routes of the European traders, to the dating of the export porcelain and reports on the excavations of regional sites.

The invited speakers speaking either in English or Putonghua were especially grateful for the simultaneous interpretation which colleagues from the Department of Chinese, Translation and Linguistics, the City University of Hong Kong, provided. This was crucial to make communication and exchange between Chinese and foreign scholars possible.

Translation and interpretation is very important in this field because Chinese scholars mainly publish in Chinese on the study of porcelain from the production and export angle, while the articles by Western scholars focus on the distribution and consumption side. Often either side has no access to articles because they do not know the language.

With translators and interpreters at hand it is possible to combine all efforts so as to gain a much broader overview of the process of Chinese ceramics, from the kilns in China to the dinner tables in Europe.

Written by: Audrey

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