Rona Hu: Ray of Light

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The tumultuous year of 2022 with a pandemic, lockdowns, inflation, economic downturn, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and more headwinds have left us trapped in a dark and dismal void. We cannot help but wonder how much longer to wait before we catch a ray of hope?

The Rotunda of the Exchange Square in Central will soon be transformed into a time tunnel that resembles a kaleidoscope. Mesmerising passers-by with its reflection and refraction of light and optical illusions, it guides visitors into the inner world of contemporary artist Rona Hu during her creative retreat under the pandemic. The Ray of Light exhibition is an extension of Kaleidoscope, Rona’s solo exhibition held at the Hong Kong Arts Centre in 2017. The Kaleidoscope series opened a new chapter in her artistic creation, reflecting a multitude of perspectives through the kaleidoscope effect, and revealing the diversity and infinite changes of the world. The abundance of beauty in her works has remained a constant, unleashing a trove of emotive possibilities and interpretations.

This solo exhibition will be held in the Rotunda, Exchange Square, Central from 20th December. Featuring 28 prominent works by Rona Hu, including 19 oil paintings and 9 sculptures, showcasing her recent artistic journey. Titled Ray of Light, Rona aspires to bring a long-lost positive energy to the audience. From the chapters named ‘The World’, ‘The Plight’, ‘Love’, and ‘Light’, she shares how she views challenges throughout life as opportunities for self-growth and draws strength from love to overcome all adversities. Using an apple as a motif throughout the series, she inspires us to find delight in simple things, wherein compared to René Magritte’s mysterious green apple, Rona’s is more relevant to the current social climate.

Rona Hu is a contemporary artist with a distinctive character. Having worked, studied, and lived in multiple countries, her unique East-meets-West vision is ingrained deeply in her series of works. With delicate observations of the pulse of the times, she expresses the simple beauty of life. Through the flamboyant colours, smooth contour, and wholehearted emotions in Rona’s diaristic art – we are reminded to appreciate the loveliness in life. When appreciating the ordinary moments in daily life portrayed by Rona’s paintings and sculptures, one can feel her sincere enthusiasm for life itself cast off the canvases in warm rays of sunlight.

When Rona met with curator William Fong at the beginning of the year, she articulated that, ‘This is an extension of my Kaleidoscope series, in hopes of documenting my strong conviction for the future. Although we cannot change the landscape ahead, we can adjust our state of mind. Even if we may not see the brilliance of colours now, as long as we keep moving forward, there will be light ahead.’

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Rona Hu started her pursuit in painting at the age of eight, studying under professional artists. Her multi-award-winning paintings have lent her the opportunity to exhibit her artwork at the National Art Museum of China. After completing her master’s degree in the US, she turned to pursue her aspirations in painting at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. In the 1990s, Rona moved to Hong Kong and embarked on a professional painting career.

Having spent her life roaming between the East and West, Rona enjoys a unique perspective of both cultures. Her distinctive and beautifully orchestrated style is particularly reflected in her versatile use of colours, acute spatial expression, and precise characterisation in her oil paintings and sculptures. Beyond profound oil painting skills, she is also adept at drawing inspiration from contemporary society and daily life. Through her remarkable artistic language, she employs narrative composition and diverse visual expressions to explore ideological perceptions with the audience.

In recent years, Rona has held exhibitions across Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, the US, and Europe, garnering much media attention. In 2009, she hosted China Melody, a solo oil painting exhibition in Hong Kong, along with a book premiere, drawing so many art lovers that it created a huge media sensation. In 2010, she held Spliced, a solo exhibition at the Times Art Museum in Beijing. Again, it was so well received that the exhibition was described as ‘not only a story of imagination, but also offers a kind of visual clue to construct a personalised understanding of historical cognition’. In 2014, she held Migrant Workers, a solo exhibition at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, which attempted to explore the growing conflict between the elite and the grassroots.

Li Song, a renowned art critic and professor in the Department of Art at Peking University, described Rona’s works as ‘standing at the intersection for an ultra-wide perspective, attempting to connect a multitude of orientations’. Dr Luo Li of the Chinese Fine Arts Research Institute once remarked Rona as ‘among the recent crop of female artists who have gained both prominence and significant promise in the artistic world’ and opined that her works ‘demonstrates her vigorous and exuberant creativity’.