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The Glass Bead Game

21 April 2023 - 19 May 2023

Free

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Art of Nature International is proud to announce the The Glass Bead Game will be held at the Art of Nature Contemporary Gallery. The name “Glass Bead Game” originates from the 1946 Nobel Prize in Literature-winning novel “The Glass Bead Game” by Hermann Hesse. Hesse devoted his life to exploring the life experiences and choices of artist community. In this work, he expresses his grand vision of integrating Chinese ancient philosophical thoughts and Western culture, weaving a philosophical utopia with a series of symbols and metaphors, symbolizing the protagonist Joseph Knecht’s reversal of tragic fate as part of the artist community. Artists in Hong Kong seek their own definition in the confluence of Chinese classics and Western art history, traditional and contemporary. The differences and conflicts between the two cultures lead them to constantly integrate and engage in dialogue. This exhibition features four Hong Kong artists, Clement Chan, Wong Ying Sheung, Ip Pui Ling, and Kaya Cheung, who use their own knowledge and experiences from the past and present to deconstruct, respond, and engage in dialogue with the contemporary world, initiating a “Glass Bead Game” that reflects on the utopian idea of Eastern and Western art. The combination of Western abstract oil painting with the ethereal and poetic essence of Chinese landscape painting becomes a refined summary in Chan’s exploration and practice of Eastern and Western art. His experience studying in the United States allow Chan to master the techniques and essence of Cubism, American Abstract Expressionism, and Neo-Expressionism, while also combining them with his deep appreciation for Chinese aesthetic thought. This results in works characterized by calligraphic brushstrokes, musical rhythms, and a unique beauty of sensuous abstraction. Born into the Lingnan School of painting, Wong perfectly inherits the classical spirit of his predecessors, creating works rooted in tradition and evoking a sense of nostalgia. His calligraphy ranges from Han to Wei script, forming a unique style; his traditional Chinese paintings are skillful and versatile, and the combination of painting and calligraphy creates a harmonious effect. Ip’s creations are characterized by a combination of Cubism and Pop Surrealism. Interwoven throughout her paintings, the pop surreal elements, along with strong, distorted brushstrokes, rich layers of color, and varied lines and shapes, create a scene filled with illusions and reality. She expresses the bitterness and strangeness of life, questions about personal identity, and expresses strong personal emotions. Cheung explores ink art by utilizing materials such as glass, crystal, jade, mineral pigments, water, ink, and paper to create black and white spaces with artistic imagination. Traditional images like jade, blessings, religion, and meditation are combined into the installation work. Paintings with images that define the distinct features of the era, such as viruses, isolation, and masks. Such contrast creates an interesting experience and breathes new life into the classic black and white ink art. Through the different dialogues and responses of the four artists, the audience will experience a visual interaction that generates a dynamic tension between past and present, East and West, ultimately finding their own answers. This exhibition will also include two art talks on April 22nd. The four artists will be divided into two groups: Clement Chan, with his abstract landscapes, and Ip Pui Ling, who combines Cubism and Pop Surrealism; calligrapher and painter Wong Ying Sheung and contemporary ink artist Kaya Cheung will engage in dialogue. Stay tuned. Art Talks:(1) Wong Ying Sheung x Kaya CheungDate & Time: April 22nd (Saturday), 1:30-2:30 PMTopic: 2D /3D, brush and ink / image, traditional calligraphy and painting / contemporary installation (2) Clement Chan x Ip Pui LingDate & Time: April 22nd (Saturday), 2:30-3:30 PMTopic: Color, Western painting system, space division, brushstrokes, shifting, rhythm

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