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Lot Essay
In 2004 Liu Wei created an album of paintings named Flowers specifically for the exhibition in Switzerland, including Flowers (Lot 519), as well as several other artworks displayed in "Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York in last December.
Liu Wei hand-picked the paper from the legendary Rong Bao Zhai Studio, and unfold it in the form of album display, redefining the traditional culture through imitation and innovation. Through bold synthesizing of pencil, pen, ball pen, brush, acrylic and water color, bespeaking his comprehension of the contemporary definition. Liu Wei integrates into the background landscape the classic and symbolic elements from his previous works, such as human figures, flowers, carrots and written characters, before he manages to flatten the illusionistic three-dimensional space. As for the color, the predominantly black and white palette not only echoes the tradition, but also throws his characteristic pink into high relief. Concerned with the viewer's reading experience, Liu Wei has peppered the impressionistic layout of the backdrop with detailed depiction that reveals exquisite brushstrokes, enhancing the playfulness of the album.
Liu Wei said: "I like paper because of its indelible affiliation with eastern sensibility, hence my fascination with paper." Nevertheless, Liu Wei by no means bounds himself up to the regimented representation of the album. Instead, he incorporates the narrative form of the hand scroll, extending the content within a single page. The viewer therefore can freely disrupt the continuity of the narrative while not jeopardizing the integrity of the painting itself.
Liu Wei hand-picked the paper from the legendary Rong Bao Zhai Studio, and unfold it in the form of album display, redefining the traditional culture through imitation and innovation. Through bold synthesizing of pencil, pen, ball pen, brush, acrylic and water color, bespeaking his comprehension of the contemporary definition. Liu Wei integrates into the background landscape the classic and symbolic elements from his previous works, such as human figures, flowers, carrots and written characters, before he manages to flatten the illusionistic three-dimensional space. As for the color, the predominantly black and white palette not only echoes the tradition, but also throws his characteristic pink into high relief. Concerned with the viewer's reading experience, Liu Wei has peppered the impressionistic layout of the backdrop with detailed depiction that reveals exquisite brushstrokes, enhancing the playfulness of the album.
Liu Wei said: "I like paper because of its indelible affiliation with eastern sensibility, hence my fascination with paper." Nevertheless, Liu Wei by no means bounds himself up to the regimented representation of the album. Instead, he incorporates the narrative form of the hand scroll, extending the content within a single page. The viewer therefore can freely disrupt the continuity of the narrative while not jeopardizing the integrity of the painting itself.