Red Gate Gallery
is pleased to announce
THROBBING : LIU QINGHE
Exhibition of New
Paintings
Vernissage:: 4 September 2010, 3 - 5
pm
Exhibition dates:: 4 September - 22 September
Red Gate Gallery is pleased to present a new series of paintings and
sculptural works by acclaimed artist Liu Qinghe. Trained as a classical ink wash
painter, Liu Qinghe expresses his contemporary vision through the traditional
medium and bridges the cultural gap between opposing artistic traditions. Liu
Qinghe's latest series of female portraits seeks to revisit and redefine the
canons of beauty. He concocts his sensual oriental nudes in washes of multiple
tones of grey with a subtle pearly palette. The philosophy of the traditional
ink wash seeks not to reproduce the subject matter through realism but instead
to capture its essence and its soul. Liu Qinghe attempts to paint his subjects'
temperament and inner world through seemingly relaxed and expressionistic brush
strokes. Liu Qinghe will also be showing his figurative sculptures for the first
time in Beijing - sensual busts with painted bodies that evoke a meditative mood
as they dialogue with the paintings. The result is an intimate Yin
universe that celebrates the female form and psyche in modern times.
In
a plethora of poses and attitudes, the seductive and restless protagonists
appear suspended in space and take centre stage. The viewer is invited to
complete the painting with their imagination. The void can be seen as an
oversized bed, an empty studio or an abstract outdoor
s
cene where the models are at ease with their bodies and confident of their
sexuality. Liu Qinghes nudes seem to draw references from art history.
The curvaceous silhouettes with their big hips, close-ups of round faces and
double chins appear to be the contemporary cousins of the Tang dynasty buxom
court ladies. As seen in 8th century tomb murals and funerary figures, the Tang
women used to be clad in see-through shawls and sexy low-cut blouses. This is a
testament to the unprecedented social freedom and political power enjoyed by
women from the 7th till 10th century. Images of sinewy and svelte characters
recall the erotic paintings from the Qing dynasty where pensive ladies lie in
luxurious interiors decorated with objects infused with symbols of fertility. As
opposed to the baroque environment in those paintings, Liu Qinghes women
lie against a minimalist backdrop. The lifting of all embellishments seems to
reflect the unlocking of the social shackles. The personages no longer have
bound feet in the form of a lotus petal nor accompanied by a servant maid or
flanked by a lover. The "three-inch golden lotuses" are replaced with
platform sandals, high cut boots or simply just bare feet. There is a new found
confidence and independence that mirrors the status of the Chinese woman today.
Their gazes and gestures unveil the psychology of the new Chinese woman: one
that is not afraid to confront the vicissitudes of life on their own terms and
even if women are alone, they are not necessarily lonely.
The vernissage is
on 4 September and the exhibition will run till 22 September in the
Watchtower.
CLICK HERE FOR
CHIN
ESE
