Wu Guanzhong (1919 – 2010) once said that he had been painting Jiangnan on and off throughout his life. However, he always drew inspiration from his surroundings in everyday life and did not limit himself to Jiangnan. For him, Jiangnan was both the starting point and the spiritual homeland of his art, while the world represented a much broader horizon in his artistic career. The exhibition focuses on Wu Guanzhong’s rigorous journey of sketching, 30 years after he returned to China following his studies in France. He once again stepped beyond the borders of his homeland, leaving footprints in over 20 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and America. The exhibition features sketches, ink and oil paintings by Wu Guanzhong. This selection includes several precious works being shown for the first time after donation, highlighting the beauty of the world beyond his hometown of Jiangnan and illustrating his artistic journey from figurative to abstract art.
Wu (1919-2010) was a master of the Chinese and international art scene, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century art. He travelled around the world for sketching, leaving his footprints in over 20 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and America. The exhibition features precious sketches, ink and oil paintings by Wu, including "City Night" and "The Night of Oslo", which illustrate the dazzling nightscapes of metropolises, with almost half of the artworks being exhibited at the HKMoA for the first time after their donation to the museum, such as "A Foreign Landscape (II)". Wu was particularly fond of Hong Kong, believing that the city's fusion of East and West resonates deeply with his artistic pursuits. The exhibition also showcases "Victoria Harbour", a unique piece Wu created in the rain at the HKMoA in 2002, the only sketch he ever publicly painted, as well as "Bird Street", which he created in 1990, depicting the beauty of old streets in Hong Kong.
Inspired by Wu's ink painting "The Window's Eye", Hong Kong artist Flyingpig (Wong Wing-shan) created an immersive installation called "Light Entry". The work combines moving images with paintings to capture thousands of windows across public estates lighting up one by one at night, illustrating the humanistic sentiment behind the urban landscape.
To allow the public to appreciate the works of this art master, the HKMoA also launches the "Wu Guanzhong Art Sponsorship Education Series: Art Journey with Wu Guanzhong: Mobile Museum" educational art bus, which aims to visit over 140 local primary and secondary schools, as well as stations in transportation hubs, cultural venues and recreational spaces in various districts in the coming two years, promoting Wu's artistic vision and aesthetic principles through multimedia installations and interactive games.
For more information please head to the HKMoA website.
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