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"Impressions" HU Jiebin|LIU Yang Lacquer Art Dual Solo Exhibition Hong Kong《留痕》胡傑彬 | 劉楊 漆藝雙個展 香港 7 — 29.9.2024




 

Curated and presented by

The Gallery by SOIL

"Impressions"


This dual exhibition “Impression” presents the in-depth understanding and contemplation of two contemporary lacquer artists on this ancient medium. Lacquer art, as a traditional Chinese craft, exudes a rich historical aura and has developed profound interactions with life, living, and the natural environment over the course of time, leaving behind unique traces.


These artists are captivated by the mysterious allure of lacquer art, focused on exploring its inherent philosophical and religious qualities. They strive to transcend the limitations of historical imagery and concentrate on the essential characteristics of the lacquer material itself. In their creative process, they capture the traces carved by time and nature on the lacquer, associating it with the medium's layered and nuanced textures, weaving them into their works as if experiencing a sacred return.


These unique imprints shaped by the forces of nature have ignited the artists' philosophical reflections. They further explore the boundaries of minimalism, aiming to highlight the distinctive and remarkable qualities of lacquer through a pared-down visual language, creating a "finite symbol."


The entire exhibition may evoke a sense of subtle obscurity, but it also conveys the artists' unique insights into the relationship between reality and the future. This open-ended mode of expression requires each viewer to comprehend and appreciate the deeper meanings within. The artists hope to reflect their distinctive perspectives on life and existence through these works. This exhibition presents the contemporary lacquer artists' unique understanding and creative exploration of this traditional medium, inspiring contemplation on profound issues of life, nature, and time.


《留痕》


這次《留痕》展覽呈現了兩位當代漆藝家對這一古老媒介的深入理解與思考。漆藝作為一種傳統的中國工藝,散發著濃鬱的歷史氣韻,在漫長的時光中也與生命、生活、自然環境發生了深刻的互動,留下了獨特的痕跡。


這些藝術家被漆藝的神秘魅力所吸引,專注於探索它本身的哲學與宗教屬性。他們試圖拋開歷史圖像的限制,專注於大漆材質本身的特質。在創作中,他們捕捉到了漆材被時間和自然雕刻的痕跡,聯想到了其豐富的質感層次,於是將之融入到作品之中,彷彿在經歷一種神聖的歸返。


這種自然力量塑造的獨特痕跡,激發了藝術家內心的哲學思考。他們進一步探索了極簡主義的邊界,試圖透過簡約的視覺語言,突出漆獨特而奧妙的特質。


整個展覽或許給人一種略顯晦澀的感受,但同時也訴說著藝術家對現實與未來之間關係的獨特洞見。這種開放性的表達方式,需要每個觀者自己去領會和感悟其中的深層意義。藝術家希望透過這些作品,留下自己對生命和存在的獨特見解。展覽呈現了當代漆藝家對這一傳統媒介的獨特理解與創意探索,引發了人們對生命、自然、時間等深層議題的思考。



 


HU Jiebin


HU Jiebin was born in Quanzhou in 1988 and graduated from the renowned Fuzhou Arts and Crafts School in China. He is a member of the China Artists Association and a member of the Youth Art Committee of the Fujian Artists Association. HU Jiebin is a highly active artist in China's lacquer art scene. Since 2006, he has participated in over 50 exhibitions. He boldly innovates and breaks free from traditional constraints, exploring the boundaries of conventional art while seeking to create his own contemporary aesthetics.  HU is filled with an irrepressible curiosity about art, and his creations are both marginal and avant-garde, continuously exploring the abstract language of lacquer.


Through blending diverse materials with lacquer, HU produces captivating spatial-temporal visual effects - rich, thick and mottled, with interweaving of reality and illusion. His expressive, dynamic lines convey a remarkable sensibility, revealing his exploration and deepening of visual art. This challenging, vigorous spirit emanates an innate life force.


HU Jiebin's works are highly regarded in the Chinese art world. Important institutions that collect his works include the Xiamen Art Museum, the China Literature and Art Foundation, the Fujian Art Museum, and the Shanghai North Bund World Reception Hall. He has also published an article in the Chinese publication "Art News" titled "Reflections on the Material Language Experiments in Contemporary Lacquer Painting."


胡傑彬


胡傑彬1988年出生於泉州,畢業於中國著名的福州工藝美術學校,他是中國美術家協會會員,也是福建省美術家協會-青年藝委會委員。在中國內地漆壇上非常活躍,自2006年參展超過50場。他勇於創新、突破桎梏,遊離於傳統藝術的邊界,而又不斷尋求創造屬於自己的當代美學。他對藝術充滿著不可遏制的好奇心,其創作既有邊際性、又是前衛的,不斷地探索大漆的抽象語言。


他以多種材質和大漆混合,產生出一種時空的視覺效果,豐富、厚重、斑駁,虛實交織,使畫面極富表現力的線條。其氣勢表現出一種特殊奇妙的感覺,流露出對視覺藝術的表現和深化,傳遞出一種自身由內而外的力量。這種具有挑戰的激情,包含著他對生命的一種活力。


胡傑彬的作品在中國藝術圈甚受重視,收藏其作品的重要機構包括廈門市美術館、中國文學藝術基金會、福建省美術館、上海北外灘世界會客廳。他也曾在中國的《美術報》發表文章題為關於《當代漆畫材料語言實驗的思考》。


Artist Statement


When creating new works, I sometimes seek ways to eliminate doubts about myself. In these series, I explored minimalist language, trying to find "limited symbols." I referenced Duchamp's "reducing, reducing, and reducing again" methodology, abandoning the history or images in history. I've tried to minimize the social attributes of the work, focusing instead on the philosophical and religious qualities of the lacquer material itself, highlighting its unique luster and texture.


The exhibition is titled “Impressions“ as we understand through imagery, evoke two distinct feelings: the marks left by objects interacting, like scratches or fingerprints, and the imprint left on the soul through prolonged reflection. We often try to record and analyze these traces through reason, but they can also become a constraint. Traces represent fleeting moments, yet they hover on the edge of constant reconstruction. Each reconstruction is a new process, transforming the original trace and giving it new life. Freedom, perhaps, lies within these continuous processes of reconstruction.


In this way, the works may express implications and insights between the present and future. This open-ended expression may give a sense of speechlessness or wanting to speak but not being able to, requiring each viewer's understanding.


Many years ago, I felt that art needs to have a fundamental logic, which is to explore and develop one's own creative methods through practice. Later, I discovered a material - tile ash - that is uniquely suited for lacquer. This material has strong adsorption capabilities and can be stably combined with lacquer to achieve a matte visual effect on the surface of the work. In future exhibitions, I hope to utilize this material so that viewers can not only appreciate the works, but also leave with a unique visual impression and symbolic memory.


藝術家自述


在創作新作品時,我有時會尋找方式來消除對自我的疑慮。在這次展覽的作品中,我探索了極簡主義的語言邊界,試圖找到「有限的象徵」。我借鑒了杜象的「減少,減少,再減少」的原則,拋棄了圖像的歷史或歷史中的圖像。我盡可能地減弱了作品的社會屬性,而是專注於大漆材料本身的哲學屬性和宗教屬性,突出材料本身獨特的神采與質感。


展覽名為「留痕」,從畫面理解它,有兩種不同的感受。一是透過物與物之間的相互接觸所留下的痕跡;二是長期的製作與思考,在內心留下的印記。我們時常會透過理性來記錄痕跡,亦或是分析痕跡。它代表著存在的瞬間,但又在重構的邊緣徘徊,每一次重構都是一個新的工序,它將原本的痕跡改造,賦予它新的生命。而自由,或許就隱藏在這些不斷重構的工序之中。


多年來,我一直覺得藝術創作需要建立在一個基礎性的邏輯之上,那就是在實踐中不斷探索和發展屬於自己的創作手法。後來我發現了一種特殊的材質—瓦灰,它具有很強的吸附性和與大漆調合後的穩定性,可以達到作品表面啞光的視覺效果。


在未來的展覽中,我希望運用這種材質,讓觀眾在欣賞作品的同時,也能留下獨特的視覺記憶和符號性印象。透過反覆的塗抹、雕刻和渲染工藝,我的作品最終呈現出一種冷峻、素淡卻又內蘊張力的視覺效果。這種視覺語言不僅源自於對材料物性的把握,也體現了我對於超越物質、觸及精神層面的創作追求。我希望觀眾在欣賞作品時,能夠感受到這種內在的意義張力和精神體驗。



 



LIU Yang


Born in China in 1988, LIU Yang graduated from Nanjing University of the Arts, specialising in lacquer art. LIU won her first national award in 2013 at the Biennial China lacquer painting exhibition in Xiamen. Since then she has been active in various competitions, exhibitions and auctions in both China and Japan. Important institutions that collect her works include the Xiamen Art Museum, the Fujian Art Museum.


LIU's pursuit of lacquer art from paintings to three dimensional design demonstrates her well-versed skills in different aspects of the discipline. She contributed papers to academic journals on subjects relating to innovation and reinventing materials of contemporary lacquer art. In 2017, her piece from the “Spinning” series was shortlisted for the reputable Ishikawa International Urushi Exhibition in Japan.  She received a full scholarship for her Master's degree study in China and in 2019 she took part in the Talent Cultivation Programme sponsored by the National Arts Foundation to advance her further development in lacquer art in Japan. She is currently based in Fuzhou teaching in the College of Fine Art at Fujian Normal University.  


劉楊


劉楊1988年在中國出生,於南京藝術學院修讀漆藝。她在2013年獲得中國廈門漆畫雙年展的優秀作品獎,其後更活躍於在中國和日本舉行相關的比賽、展覽及拍賣會。其作品被廈門市美術館、福建省美術館收藏。


劉楊的作品從漆畫到立體設計都見優秀,顯示出她漆藝的功力,與此同時,她不斷研修有關現代漆藝的發展及革新方向,並多次發表學術文章。2017年,她的《旋轉》系列作品入圍日本著名的石川國際漆展。 她獲得全額獎學金攻讀碩士課程,並在2019年受國家藝術基金的贊助,參與漆畫藝術海外研修人才培育計劃到日本進修,以推動她在日本研習漆藝得到進一步發展。現於福州任教於福建師範大學美術學院。


Artist Statement


I have always been fascinated by ancient stone sculptures, as they possess a timeless quality that I hope to capture in my own work.  Through my visits to stone cave temples in China, I have found that the stone carvings that remain in their natural environments have a far greater impact on me than those displayed in museums. Some are shrouded by lush vegetation, blending seamlessly with the surrounding flora, while others have been severely eroded by geological forces, leaving only a shadow-like outline. Yet, even in this state, they exude a powerful vitality.


A particularly memorable experience was in Anyue, Sichuan, where on a scorching midday, I found myself in a state of self-reproach after my car's paint being scratched while driving on a narrow mountain road. But the moment I turned the corner, a towering statue on the cliffside gently gazed down upon the world, its serene and steadfast demeanor calming the turbulent emotions within me. Following the bodhisattva's gaze, I saw the lemon groves in the valley below shimmering in the sunlight. The refreshing breeze and that moment of tranquility became the guiding spirit for the works in this exhibition.


However, accompanying the sense of ease and contentment was the realization that the stone statues in the Anyue region have been severely eroded by the natural environment, as if they had completed their earthly journey and were slowly retreating back into the cliffs. Some of the statues, worn smooth by the reverent touch of devotees over centuries, have developed soft, undulating curves and a rich, nuanced patina, not unlike the layered quality of lacquerware. In this series of works, I hope to not only convey my impressions of the stone cave temples but also express my understanding of the lacquer medium - using its layered quality as a visual representation.


Most of the sculptural works employ casting and coating techniques, utilizing raw lacquer, black lacquer, and earth powder to create intricate textures and rich visual effects from these basic materials. These works seek to transcend the physical qualities of the materials, aiming to evoke deeper philosophical and spiritual resonances. The changes in material properties and the sculptural quality of the textures form the visual language of the artworks.


Through a process of repeated application, carving, and rendering, the works ultimately present a visually austere and understated, yet inherently tense effect.


藝術家自述


我一直對古代的石雕造像感到著迷,因為它們身上有著某種被時間沉澱下來的氣質,這正是我想在作品中嘗試體現的。走訪過國內的石窟寺,我發現那些仍留存在自然環境中的石刻相較於博物館的陳設,對我有著更大的影響力。它們有的被茂盛的植物遮蔽,與周圍的草木融為一體,有的因地質的原因被嚴重侵蝕,只留下一個影子般的輪廓。但即便如此,這樣的存在仍具有強大的生命力。


印象非常深刻的是在四川安岳,盛夏正午又熱又燥,我因狹窄山道上的會車刮傷車漆,處於無法自拔的自責中。轉過山體的一刻,身邊崖壁上巨大造像正低垂雙眼溫和地註視人間,那種平靜敦厚的氣息紓解了內心淤塞的情緒。順著菩薩的目光看去,是山谷中檸檬樹林在陽光下閃閃發光。清風拂面,那一刻的暢快與平靜錨定了我這次展覽作品的基調。


然而,伴隨著舒暢快意的是安岳地區的石像被自然環境嚴重侵蝕,它們彷彿完成了這個世間的修行後又慢慢退回崖壁;也有的石像經過信徒千百遍地撫摸,原本方硬的石材出現了柔和的曲線、灰白色表皮露出了色彩豐富細膩的層次,這和大漆的層疊性又何其相似。所以我在這一系列的作品中,希望展現我對石窟寺印象的同時表現對漆材質的理解—— 把漆的豐富層次作為視覺語言。


大部分立體作品探用脫胎、變塗等技法。肌理由生漆、黑漆以及土粉等基本材料構成,利用樸素的材料在細微之間營造出豐富的效果。這些作品試圖超越物質本身,觸及內在的意義追求和精神體驗。材料的物性變化和肌理的雕塑感,構成了作品的視覺語言。透過不斷的反覆塗覆、雕刻、渲染等工藝,作品最終呈現一種冷峻、素淡,卻又蘊含內在張力的視覺效果。


 

Meet the Artists 藝術家在廊 


Specialised Topic Seminar 專研講座 :

"Myths of Contemporary Chinese Lacquer Paintings"「當代中國漆畫的迷思」

Date 日期 : 7.9.2024 Saturday 星期六

Time 時間 : 4 - 6pm

Venue 地點 : The Gallery by SOIL

香港中環荷李活道10號大館營房大樓一樓102店

Speakers 講者:HU Jiebin 胡傑彬 / LIU Yang 劉楊 

Language 語言: Putonghua, and supplemented in English 普通話輔以英語

This is a Free-of-Charge event 費用全免


Please RSVP via this online form to secure your seat. An acknowledgement will be sent to confirm your reservation. We look forward to your presence and support at this significant event.

如有意參加,請填妥網上表格以預留座位。



 

Exhibition Highlights 展覽亮點

View the catalogue appended below. Visit our gallery. Contact for enquiry and purchase. 

詳情請閱下列展覽目錄。歡迎蒞臨藝廊參觀、查詢、收藏作品。




Lacquer Paintings by HU Jiebin 


胡傑彬漆畫作品

H01 Recall-1

HU Jiebin 2024

Natural lacquer, tile ash

H40 x W30cm



H07 Recall-7

HU Jiebin 2024

Natural lacquer, tile ash

H40 x W30cm




H14 Celestial Gaze-4

HU Jiebin 2024

Natural lacquer, tile ash

H80 x W60cm



 


Lacquer Paintings & Artworks by LIU Yang 


劉楊漆畫及藝術作品

LY05 Robe-2

LIU Yang 2024

Natural lacquer, linen, soil powder

H59 x W39 x D3cm

LY09 Wind Traces-2

LIU Yang 2024

Natural lacquer, linen, soil powder

H51 x W61 x D5cm (Each)




LY11 Tibetan Wall

LIU Yang 2024

Natural lacquer, linen, soil powder, wood

H60 x W40cm





If you are interested in any of these art pieces and would like us to arrange a private viewing for you, please email to team@craftbysoil.com or WhatsApp 95593908


若您對任何作品感興趣,而希望可安排私人會面時段,請電郵至 team@craftbysoil.com 或 WhatsApp 95593908 ,我們樂意為您服務。

 

The Gallery by SOIL is dedicated to presenting the art of lacquer from Asia. It is probably the first gallery in Hong Kong which brings together lacquer masters and artists of diverse cultures, blending the traditional with the contemporary to showcase variety in the discipline.


Address:

Shop 102, 1/F, Barrack Block, Tai Kwun,

10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong


Opening Hours:

12nn - 6pm Tuesday - Sunday


Enquiry: 5916 9266 / 9559 3908




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