Likeness of Souls

EVENT DESCRIPTION

In the early 1980s, Chinese artists started in-depth study on the European portrait paintings. They learned and benefited from the purest and the essence of the masterpieces. They got away from the tedious imitation and reproduction of reality by adopting different experiments and practices to reflect their inner realm and new artistic expression in the contemporary background. Art of Nature proudly presents the “Likeness of Souls” Portrait Exhibition, which combines Picasso’s portrait prints and contemporary portraits works from Chinese artists. In accordance with the rapid surge of the pandemic, this exhibition will only provide online viewing until further notice.

Despite a half-century interval between the modernist pioneer Pablo Picasso and us, his influence on contemporary art world is endlessly enduring. His subversive imagination and creativity remained as the ultimate artistic and aesthetic inspiration. No matter how Picasso’s artistic practice changed and innovated, or even become another “classical” in the contemporary art world. His concern for human beings and exploration, furnish his portraits delicate, multi-faceted, and immortal souls. This time, 20 Picasso prints will be displayed, covering his creations in various periods, including multiple representative works of the Blue Period, the African Period, Cubism, and Surrealism, in order to trace his roots and stylistic evolution of each phases.

Throughout the development of contemporary art in China, Chinese artists are never tired of inheriting the traditional cultures. They integrate Western theoretical forms and seek to push the boundary of artistic personalities and forms with distinct experiments and approaches. With the deepening consciousness of artistic expression, the artists contemplated the new values, visions and possible forms of art. Some of them reflect the existing Chinese society experience with western modernist form. Using oil painting techniques as in conjuring the souls of characters with symbolic meanings.

The co-presentation of the works of 20th century Western art master and the Chinese portrait art that bears multiple values and spirit calls for the spiritual appeal from different eras. What “portrait” means to this exhibition is no longer about exploration of the figure or demeanor, but of the boundless humanity and art.

Participating Artists:
Pablo Ruiz Picasso, Lam Man Kong, Wong Sau Ching, Xu Chenyang, Tong Yanrunan, Lin Mingchen, Wu Yuehua

Special Notice:
In accordance with the rapid surge of pandemic, the exhibition will only provide online viewing until further notice.