Eternity in Transience

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery is delighted to present Eternity in Transience, a group exhibition focusing on floral still-life paintings, as part of the associated projects of the French May Arts Festival.

Centered around a 1930s masterpiece by Sanyu, the exhibition bridges historical and contemporary interpretations of the genre by connecting to 17th-century Flemish painter Wouter Mertens and juxtaposing with over ten works by modernists Bernard Cathelin, Pierre Boncompain, and Michel Henry, along with contemporary artists Ziad Dalloul, Denis Laget, Atsushi Suwa, TakanobuKobayashi, Sky Glabush and Choi Soo Jung.

Eternity in Transience explores the timeless legacy of still life paintings to capture the essence of different eras and the evolution of artistic thought. What began as a straightforward depiction of the physical world now encapsulates the intangible—capturing emotional depths, cultural dialogues, and infinite creative possibilities.

In the 17th century, still life paintings flourished in the Dutch and Flemish regions. This exhibition revisits the origins of still life painting with Wouter Mertens, his vividly realistic depiction of fruits in Floral Triumph with Putto and Nymph Heads created in 1661 exemplifies the era’s demand for exquisite artistry.

The development of modern art led artists to employ this subject to demonstrate new techniques and explore novel ideas. A highlight of the exhibition is Sanyu’s precious early work from the 1930s, Compote of Fruits, Basket of Flowers, Cup and Saucer, showcasing the innovative evolution of this genre in the 20th century.

Cézanne’s innovative exploration of painting’s structure, along with the Fauvist use of bold colours and sensual expression, advanced still life into a more subjective and abstract realm. Modernist masters Bernard Cathelin and Pierre Boncompain, from the School of Paris, followed this trajectory.

Contemporary artists use still life to encapsulate emotions and ideas, breaking cultural and conceptual boundaries through various artistic experiments. In French-Syrian artist Ziad Daloul’s works, everyday objects like beds, tables, and curtains transcend their functionality to symbolize life and death, knowledge, communion, and mystery. Delving into the vanitas tradition, French contemporary artist Denis Laget’s depictions of decaying bouquets emphasize sensuality and remind viewers of the transience of material things.