strokes of genius
The goal of ink wash painting – that most emblematic of Chinese art styles – is not to reproduce, but to capture spirit. To paint a tiger, for example, the aim is not to replicate its muscles or stripes exactly, but to depict its regal countenance or its latent ferocity. Dating back to the fifth century AD, circa the Liu Song Dynasty, the style has evolved considerably over its long history, influencing art in other parts of East Asia – from Korea to Vietnam. Its expression may have changed over the centuries, but the intent is still the same.
Focusing on the 19th and 20th century, the M K Lau Collection is one of Asia’s finest private collections of Chinese ink and brush paintings. Its upcoming exhibition, titled ‘Intimate Encounters’, in Hong Kong zooms in for an intimate look on a very specific genre of the style, that of handscrolls and albums. Meant as an interactive experience, such works make full use of the medium – revealing themselves gradually as a handscroll is unrolled, or the leaves of an album are turned.
“The focus of this exhibition has been on the 20th century,” says Catherine Maudsley, Curator and Senior Advisor of the M K Lau Collection. “A few examples are from the 19th century, but the majority is 20th century. Our collection has a wealth of materials that allow a variety of curatorial approaches, and for this, we have organised the paintings based on subject matter – from flower-and-bird (hua niao), human figures and animals (ren wu) and landscapes (shan shui). There is also a generally geographic approach; the great masters Zhang Daqian and Pu Ru were known by the phrase ‘Nan Zhang Bei Pu’ – Zhang in the south, Pu in the north.”
The pre-eminent masters of the era are all represented, including Zhang Daqian, Ding Yanyong, Ju Lian, Lu Yanshao, Wu Hu Fan, Wu Changshuo and Yu Fei’an. Some lesser known artists are also showcased among the collection of 50 pieces to spotlight specific artistic merit. Liu Danzhai’s Water Festival handscroll, for example, is a peerless narrative of the Dai tribe’s little known Water Festival from the Xishuangbanna region. Pu Ru’s long handscroll of pine trees is one of Maudsley’s favourites – a wonderful study of the five famous pine trees of the Jietai Temple in Beijing. The collection starts with the Hong Kong and Lingnan region – Ju Lian’s 12-leaf album Flowers is considered a masterwork – then moves up north to Shanghai and finally to Beijing.
Originally showcased in Beijing late last year, Intimate Encounters coincides with Art Basel Hong Kong, bringing an international eye to the collection. The exhibition will be held at Qube in PMQ, 35 Aberdeen Street, Central, from March 24 to April 5, 2018. A dedicated Children’s Activity Zone has also been set up in room S214, exposing the works of the masters to a younger audience.
