Author: Christine Chan Chiu

Maggi Hambling 瑪吉·漢布林

Published by Christine Chan Chiu

The Night / Pearl Lam Galleries / Hong Kong / Mar 26 – May 20, 2024 / Maggi Hambling is an expert at painting the night sky. After all, she has been portraying its many faces since she was a 14-year-old art student. The Night is her first solo presentation in Asia since 2019, and highlights new series of paintings that focus on the night sky and water, showcasing a unique confluence of western and eastern influences that draw inspiration from Chinese ink. In addition, the exhibition features another provocative new series, Sexy, an exploration of the female orgasm. Bold and unapologetic, the presentation, in true Hambling style, is an affirmation of the way art is supposed to break barriers.  For many years, the artist has started off her day drawing in ink, a practice that has become second nature to her. But Hambling has come a long way since her student days, when she would study ink drawings at the British Museum. Her Night Clouds (2021) series of paintings is testament not only to …

Lin Guocheng 林國成

Published by Christine Chan Chiu

A Dance of Landscapes and Civilisation / Alisan Fine Arts (Central) / Hong Kong / Sep 19 – Dec 9, 2023 / The first solo presentation of Lin Guocheng’s work at Alisan Fine Arts showcased two series by the Hong Kong-based, mainland Chinese artist. Having studied at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, the artist merges a foundation in Chinese art with his knowledge of Renaissance art and modern technology, playing with perspectives, proportions and compositional elements. Examining the relationship between nature, humans and the evolving world, the resulting presentation celebrates a shared history and pays homage to cultural heritage. Lin’s first monochromatic Landscape series echoes the spirit of Renaissance etchings and drawings, with volume and depth masterfully captured by his clever application and manipulation of lines. The influences of masters such as Albrecht Dürer and Michelangelo can be seen in the rendering of movement and fluidity, except that Lin’s subject matter of landscapes could not be more different. His portrayals of Chinese shanshui appear to take on lives of their own, flourishing organically and rhizomatically …

Postmodern Tales

Published by Christine Chan Chiu

HART / Hong Kong / Mar 20 – Apr 29, 2023 / Showcasing the latest works from HART’s artists-in-residence, Postmodern Tales was a multimedia group show featuring eight different artists whose practices are as thought-provoking as they are diverse. From various cultural backgrounds, they are connected via their unique contemporary sensibilities, as well as their willingness to approach art using novel ideas – or to present novel ideas using art. As HART’s second off-site exhibition, curated by HART director Vera Lam, the presentation not only captured what it means to be postmodern, but also served to cement the non-profit organisation’s commitment to nurturing Hong Kong talent.  Visitors were greeted with Body as Lifeguard Tower I (2022), a hanging, life-sized cyanotype fabric work by Michele Chu. Imprinted with silhouettes of her own body, the work is a metaphor for emotional barriers, and aims to break down invisible walls by acknowledging their existence. In Replica of Ruins: Anonymous Road (2023), Natalie Chu Lok Ting invites visitors to step back in time. Her recreation of a pathway in …

Chu Chu 儲楚

Published by Christine Chan Chiu

Awakening / Alisan Fine Arts, Central / Hong Kong /Feb 1 – Mar 16, 2023 / Chu Chu’s second solo exhibition at Alisan Fine Arts in Hong Kong was an overview of the emerging artist’s works from 2007 to the present. It was curated mainly to provide viewers with background knowledge of her practice, featuring some of her best-known earlier works, as well as showcasing her latest multimedia experiments. Highlighting her roots in photography and Chinese calligraphy, Awakening not only traces Chu’s development over the past decade and a half, but also serves as an affirmation of her talent at reinterpreting and reconciling vastly different genres. The presentation started with her iconic Material Immaterial series from over a decade ago, featuring five monochromatic works depicting dried fruits, gardenias and twigs. You could easily be forgiven for dismissing the photographic renderings of such objects as banal or commonplace. However, understatement is the key here. Embedded in the photographs among the nuanced shadows are calligraphic scrolls so subtle and delicate that they could easily be mistaken for …

Various artists 群展

Published by Christine Chan Chiu

Up Close – Hollywood Road II / Oct 11 – Nov 14, 2021 / The second road in Hong Kong to be built under colonial rule, Hollywood Road earned its reputation as an antiques market after merchants and sailors travelling from China back to Europe would put their wares up for sale here. In Up Close – Hollywood Road II, works from six contemporary artists and artist groups were shown alongside rare objects across five different Hollywood Road locations, sparking a conversation between the traditional and the modern. Curated by Hilda Chan and Iven Cheung, the artists worked with the respective galleries to develop pieces that not only complemented but also respected the antique collections. The presentation also encouraged new ways of looking at antiques, generating a novel appreciation for these objects within a contemporary context. At Nan Fung Place, Lau Hok Shing’s installation gave audiences a glimpse into the history and development of the Hollywood Road neighbourhood. Abnormal Institute of History and Culture of Hollywood Road (2021) was made using documents, books and various …