WHAT WE KNOW

Qiu Shihua (b.1940) completed his training in oil painting at Xian Academy of Fine Arts in 1962. Although he worked in the stylistic tenets of Socialist Realism at that time, his works in subsequent years have embraced the careful balance between absence and presence, in line with his Taoist beliefs. His paintings always require prolonged gazing to reveal to the careful observer the delicately-executed landscape shrouded in layers of pale paint.

Qiu Anxiong (b.1972) is one of China’s most prominent young contemporary artists; he completed a 5-year stint at University Kassel’s College of Art in Germany after graduating from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. Qiu’s works are known for their profound and bleak contemplation of the relationship between man and nature, and criticism of mass urbanisation and environmental degradation.

Wang Chuan (b. 1953) graduated from the Sichuan Fine Art Institute with a degree in Chinese painting, achieving national recognition with his melancholic oil paintings in the Wounded Art Movement of the early 1980s. Since then, he has not stopped experimenting with non-representational art. Diagnosed with cancer in the late 1990’s after moving to the United States, his subsequent works reflect his rehabilitated body and state of mind.

Yan Shanchun (b.1957) was one of the first to graduate in China after the academies had reopened following the Cultural Revolution. A native of Hangzhou, his works are predominantly inspired by the beauty and rich cultural history of the West Lake. Choosing to work in the style of the literati through meditative techniques, his works are characterised by layer upon layer of pigment combined with traces of colour and spatial tension.

WHY WE LOVE IT

Since Hanart TZ Gallery moved out of its Pedder Building space a couple of years ago, their new Kwai Chung location has made it a bit more difficult for art-lovers to just drop by their gallery. The current show is a well-curated group exhibition showcasing the works of Qiu Shihua, Qiu Anxiong, Wang Chuan, and Yan Shanchun, four contemporary artists born in different eras working in different yet complementary practices. Together, their works create a dialogue that spark meaningful conversations.