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Celestial Chaos 2016-8
Details
TAI XIANGZHOU (B. 1968)
Celestial Chaos 2016-8
Scroll, mounted and framed
Ink on silk
45 x 195 cm. (17 ¾ x 76 ¾ in.)
Executed in 2016
With an air of mystery and expansiveness, Tai Xiangzhou’s paintings evidently demonstrate his interest in astronomy. His engagement with landscape painting and determination to reinvigorate the genre reflect a visual and philosophical exploration of traditional Chinese cultural belief and its representation system. Tai studied the relationship between astronomical phenomenon and Chinese landscape painting in his doctoral research, arguing that the genre would not exist without the ancient practice of astronomical observation. He claims that we shall “reconsider the impact of today’s scientific knowledge on art itself and reconstruct a worldview with concerns in the fundamental existential questions.” In the Celestial Chaos series, one can easily associate Tai’s compositions with images of the Big Bang, or the origin of the universe. His grotesque rock formations flowing in mid-air, their movement unpredictable with subtle tracks and orbits surrounding them. Tai’s compositions give viewers an illusion that his subject matters are constantly moving with various degrees of energy within the boundless cosmos. As a seasoned veteran in the conservation and restoration of classical Chinese paintings, Tai Xiangzhou is celebrated for his scrupulous explorations of the materiality of ink and paper in his artistic practice. Inspired by his experience with and research on the history of materials, he recreates ancient ink from the Qianlong period and Cheng Xin Tang paper from Southern Tang. The meticulousness and vibrancy with which Tai renders his subjects – hyper-realistic scholar’s rocks, lofty mountains and fantastical landscapes – reconfigure the age-old themes into modern spectacles of transcendental beauty.
Celestial Chaos 2016-8
Scroll, mounted and framed
Ink on silk
45 x 195 cm. (17 ¾ x 76 ¾ in.)
Executed in 2016
With an air of mystery and expansiveness, Tai Xiangzhou’s paintings evidently demonstrate his interest in astronomy. His engagement with landscape painting and determination to reinvigorate the genre reflect a visual and philosophical exploration of traditional Chinese cultural belief and its representation system. Tai studied the relationship between astronomical phenomenon and Chinese landscape painting in his doctoral research, arguing that the genre would not exist without the ancient practice of astronomical observation. He claims that we shall “reconsider the impact of today’s scientific knowledge on art itself and reconstruct a worldview with concerns in the fundamental existential questions.” In the Celestial Chaos series, one can easily associate Tai’s compositions with images of the Big Bang, or the origin of the universe. His grotesque rock formations flowing in mid-air, their movement unpredictable with subtle tracks and orbits surrounding them. Tai’s compositions give viewers an illusion that his subject matters are constantly moving with various degrees of energy within the boundless cosmos. As a seasoned veteran in the conservation and restoration of classical Chinese paintings, Tai Xiangzhou is celebrated for his scrupulous explorations of the materiality of ink and paper in his artistic practice. Inspired by his experience with and research on the history of materials, he recreates ancient ink from the Qianlong period and Cheng Xin Tang paper from Southern Tang. The meticulousness and vibrancy with which Tai renders his subjects – hyper-realistic scholar’s rocks, lofty mountains and fantastical landscapes – reconfigure the age-old themes into modern spectacles of transcendental beauty.
Brought to you by
Ben Kong