An event entitled “The Innovation of Ink: Transformation and Reinvention of Oriental Aesthetics – Featured Exhibition of Wang Dongling & Xu Lei (惟墨維新 新東方審美的重塑 - 王冬齡&徐累藝術展) aims to promote Chinese culture and support the development of art as well as to bring a greater diversity of experiences to Macau, according to a recent statement by Sands China.
The exhibition runs until March 20 at Sands Gallery (金沙藝廊) which is located on the 6th floor at The Grand Suites of the Four Seasons Hotel (澳門四季名薈6樓) in Cotai.
The exhibition’s art styles, created by the two mainland Chinese artists Wang and Xu, are examples of East meets West, the statement points out. There are more than 30 exhibits on display featuring art mediums such as ink and painting.
According to Sand’s website, Wang Dongling, born in 1945 in Jiangsu province, now lives and works in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. His works have been widely collected by many institutes around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the British Museum in London, Palace Museum in Beijing, National Art Museum of China in Beijing, Zhejiang Art Museum in Hangzhou, Yale University Art Gallery, Harvard University, and University of California, Berkeley.
Xu Lei, born in 1963 in Nantong city of Jiangsu province, graduated from the department of fine arts in Nanjing University of the Arts in 1984, majoring in traditional Chinese painting. Xu works as a postgraduate tutor in the School of Literary and Artistic Creation of the China National Academy of Arts. In 2008, he was invited to design the wine label of the year for the world’s renowned top vineyards which is one of the top five chateaux in France – Chateau Mouton Rothschild, according to the website.
According to the statement, the exhibition is curated by Julia F. Andrews, a professor at Ohio State University, mainly with a focus on Chinese modern art. The statement quotes Andrews as saying that the exhibition’s theme is portrayed by two aspects: ‘Ink’ emphasises the importance of Chinese ink painting and ‘Innovation’ implies that Chinese calligraphy is being transformed from its traditional roots into a modern art form.
The statement quotes Andrews as saying that Wang’s work is “wild” and “kinetic” in which he has developed his own style, adding that his work entitled “Entangled Calligraphy” describes “a cursive script that is not only quickly brushed, but densely layered”.
For Xu’s work, the statement quotes Andrews as saying that it is “precise and still”, adding that Xu created surrealistic spaces and “juxtaposes” traditional Chinese motifs with unexpected elements.
Wang, Xu and Andrews have collaborated with art institutions in the world such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (colloquially called “the Met”), the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the National Art Museum of China in Beijing, and the British Museum in London, the statement notes.
The Sands Gallery is open daily between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Admission is free.
As part of the government’s COVID-19 prevention measures, visitors to the gallery must wear a facemask, have their temperature checked and present a digital health code.
Photos: Ula Cheang and Camy Tam
