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Copyright © 2000 by Plum Blossoms Gallery and Hu Yongkai. All rights reserved. |
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Copyright © 2000 by Plum Blossoms Gallery and Hu Yongkai. All rights reserved. |
When I first set my foot on the island of Bali, everything before my eyes seemed novel yet intimate, and I thought, after all, it too is an Asian civilization. The grand spectacle of the ceremonial rituals reminded me of lost ancient Chinese culture while temples and courtyards bathed in tranquil moonlight kindled memories of my childhood homeland. The native culture of Bali triggered new inspirations and I expressed them through my paintings.
In my recent work there appeared to be an inclination toward a more traditional theme, and perhaps, this is the inevitable course of one's artistic journey. Beneath the surface of brilliant and ornate colours, I search for a natural beauty that is transcendental and lofty, and of historical significance.
The situations of Chinese artists today are contradictory. On the one hand they benefited greatly from the artistic fundamentals established by their predecessors and maintained by the tradition. But on the contrary, they found this very tradition limiting and confining. While blindly following the footsteps of the past great masters, they lost their individual vision and direction in the admiration of past glory.
Looking back at China's New Art Movement over the past ten years, it is not difficult to find avant-garde artists whose works are attractive and unorthodox but also, like a fleeting cloud, feeble and without substance. The success of a true artist lies not on his delusive superficiality but rather his hardwork, talent and ability to seize opportunity.
Hu Yongkai
March 18, 1996
Yi Se Tang, Hong Kong
Copyright © 2000 by Plum Blossoms Gallery and Hu Yongkai. All rights reserved.
