CHINESE GLASS SCULPTURES AND TUNG LO PAINTINGS Lightness of Being
1 December - 24 December
Lightness of Being Exhibition
An Exhibition Invoking the Essence of Existence
By Vanessa Lee Taub
CONTEMPORARY CHINESE GLASS SCULPTURE
Since the dawning of the Studio Glass Movement inChina, initiated by ZHUANG Xiaowei in the 1990s, the scene inChinahas undergone a major evolution. This artistic evolution and emergence is rooted firmly in academic training and education and proudly embraces Chinese culture and history, whilst being expressed in a strikingly contemporary approach.
With many of the early artworks having been shown in academic exhibitions inShanghai, the sculptors have emerged to the wider community since 2006 with China Rises series of exhibitions by Galerie Vee in Hong Kong and theUnited States.
Chinese contemporary glass artists firmly place themselves in the international arts arena both in terms of sculpture in glass as well as within the greater contemporary Chinese arts scene.
True to contemporaryChina, where change occurs at a staggering pace unsen elsewhere in the world, where advancement is heralded as the new (and only) way and a sense of urgency to catch up is prevalent, the glass sculptor scene is being spurred on at this dramatic pace. This fast-paced equalizing has indeed become the standard inChinas development.
There are fine art debates about the nature of glass as art. In the work of the Chinese artists, glass in confidently shown as a medium for sculpture. Placed in relation to the American Studio Glass Movement, (started in the late 1960s), glass as a medium for sculpture is ready for wider fine art recognition as such. This relatively new, yet enticingly sensual medium of glass, is ready to be welcomes by visionaries to the world of fine art sculpture.
HISTORICALLY
Historically, glass did not seem to acquire the same level of appreciation as ceramics inChina. There are numerous practical reasons for this. For example, firstly, glass was not needed architecturally as the windows were small and materials such as paper were used to cover windows. Secondly in a tea drinking nation, drinking glasses such as goblets were not needed as they were in theRoman Empire. Culturally glass was not needed in daily life, except of course in the Imperial court of the Qing Dynasty where special craftsmen were employed to create fine decorative and functional objects in glass. Mr. Andrew K.F. Lees collection is one of the most important international collections of rare antique Qing glass.
LIGHTNESS OF BEING An Exhibition Invoking the Essence of Existence Commentary by Vanessa Lee Taub
This exhibition reflects on ESSENCE. Purity.
In these works the artists distil the vision of life through their raison detre - their work. A simplification and purification of the essence of their work reflects the essence of life for them. The works exude an ethereal realization of life through the artists eyes.
For ZHUANG Xiaowei, this is the crystallized poetry of deep rooted Chinese culture in the melodies of his Grey Flutes
For WANG Qin, the Zen-like colors and forms of his calligraphy simply recreates his vision of the personal growth process
WU Ouhong finds simplicity in light through a series of complex architectural structures and anglesa journey through life
In LUO Xiaoshus work, his vision of the human sculptural form simply exudes sensuality and the common experience and essence of life in his eyes..
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