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拍品专文
Painted in 1994, Memories of Sichuan is an outstanding work from Wu Guangzhong’s late oeuvre. As recorded in the artist’s catalogue raisonné, Wu only created four oil paintings of Sichuan during the 1990s, with Memories of Sichuan being the earliest among them. In the same year, the artist wrote an article recounting the transformation of his oil painting style, stating that earthly temptations and concerns had faded from his inner world as he regained the innocence of his youth (Wu Guanzhong, quoted in No Easy Path: The Autobiography of Wu Guanzhong, Changsha, 2015, p.272). As early as in 1974, Wu started conceptualizing this work through sketches, but it was not until 1994 that he began painting it. It marks both the artist’s attempt to recreate his sketches in oil and his revisit to the mountain fortresses and pavilions in the riverside towns of Sichuan, casting a nostalgic gaze at his vibrant youth. Wu once said, 'Time has passed and life is going fast, leaving memories of my youth in Sichuan' (quoted in Wu Guangzhong Paintings—A Selection of 128 Fine Works, Singapore, 1996, p.46).
By the time Memories of Sichuan was painted, Wu had not set foot in Sichuan for almost a decade. This work encapsulates the artist’s affection for Sichuan: the densely packed houses arranged in an orderly manner, the steps ascending from the riverbank, the white walls and black tiles, the mountains in the distance, and the traces of human presence, all coming together to evoke a magical scene. The viewers feel as if they are standing on the river, their gazes extending beyond the canvas, following Wu on his revisit to his innermost memories of Sichuan. Upon closer look at the composition, although the relatively heavy medium of oil paint is used, Wu’s brushstrokes are light and agile, combining delicate washes with vigorous brushwork, embodying an aesthetic effect that is reminiscent of calligraphy. The artist employs a varied approach where his use of light and dark brushstrokes lends a figurative texture to the abstract composition. Dots of colours are scattered across the painting, adding brighter touches to the predominantly black, white and grey palette. They resemble clothes fluttering in the wind, spontaneously scattered flowers, or passerbys moving across the scene. The spirit of everyday life emerges on the canvas, rippling with a sense of warmth, resounding with the artist’s yearning for Sichuan.
Throughout his life, Wu travelled extensively for plein air painting, yet he had a special fondness for Sichuan. It was not only where the artist lived for five years during his youth, but also a place that he frequently visited together with like-minded friends and mentors. It was also where he met his wife and lifelong companion. As Wu recounted, 'I recall the people, places, and scenery of Sichuan like a second hometown. I also travelled across the province on many occasions to paint from real life, and every time I was filled with tender affection and transported back in time' (Wu Guanzhong, quoted in Reflections Beyond Painting, Beijing, 2005, p.90). While the saying goes that Liu Shan, the last emperor of the state of Shu Han, was 'too happy to miss Shu' while away, Wu cherished Sichuan as a pure land in his heart after he had crossed many rivers in life.
By the time Memories of Sichuan was painted, Wu had not set foot in Sichuan for almost a decade. This work encapsulates the artist’s affection for Sichuan: the densely packed houses arranged in an orderly manner, the steps ascending from the riverbank, the white walls and black tiles, the mountains in the distance, and the traces of human presence, all coming together to evoke a magical scene. The viewers feel as if they are standing on the river, their gazes extending beyond the canvas, following Wu on his revisit to his innermost memories of Sichuan. Upon closer look at the composition, although the relatively heavy medium of oil paint is used, Wu’s brushstrokes are light and agile, combining delicate washes with vigorous brushwork, embodying an aesthetic effect that is reminiscent of calligraphy. The artist employs a varied approach where his use of light and dark brushstrokes lends a figurative texture to the abstract composition. Dots of colours are scattered across the painting, adding brighter touches to the predominantly black, white and grey palette. They resemble clothes fluttering in the wind, spontaneously scattered flowers, or passerbys moving across the scene. The spirit of everyday life emerges on the canvas, rippling with a sense of warmth, resounding with the artist’s yearning for Sichuan.
Throughout his life, Wu travelled extensively for plein air painting, yet he had a special fondness for Sichuan. It was not only where the artist lived for five years during his youth, but also a place that he frequently visited together with like-minded friends and mentors. It was also where he met his wife and lifelong companion. As Wu recounted, 'I recall the people, places, and scenery of Sichuan like a second hometown. I also travelled across the province on many occasions to paint from real life, and every time I was filled with tender affection and transported back in time' (Wu Guanzhong, quoted in Reflections Beyond Painting, Beijing, 2005, p.90). While the saying goes that Liu Shan, the last emperor of the state of Shu Han, was 'too happy to miss Shu' while away, Wu cherished Sichuan as a pure land in his heart after he had crossed many rivers in life.