No Frontiers: The Art of Ding Yanyong

Ding Yanyong(1902-1978), one of the most accomplished and sophisticated artists in modern Chinese history, extended the borders of Chinese and Western Art. He was the 'Oriental Matisse' and turned a new page of Chinese art in the 20th century.

Although the subject matter of his paintings are mainly imundane objects and living creaturess , the images he created under under his splashes of brush are extraordinary. Between 1957 and 1978, he had taught art at the New Asia College of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. As the former fine arts students mentioned, many outsiders came to his lecture because of the fame of Ding.

In 1902, Ding Yanyong was born in Mou-Ming, Guangdong province. He studied in Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1921 . In his early art development, he adopted the style of Fauvism and Matisse. Then, Ding emigrated to Hong Kong in 1949. Despite he experienced great hardship, he still insisted on painting continuously. I really admire his pursuit of art even the condition was poor and resources were short. From the history stated in the exhibition, I can trace the history of the past and the transformation of the artist.

What impress me most are the interplay of different media and his personality revealed in the paintings. Moreover, he showed strong determination when facing struggling situations throughout his life. In the exhibition, I find the One-stroke Cat is the most impressive and creative which simplified the image in a single stroke only! You can really feel his childlikeness and power when confronting the artwork!

Closer to the 'spectator' and 'users'

All the way we appreiciate artworks in Art Museum, there must be certain scared distance dividing viewers and the artworks. We are taught to be obedient to 'worship' the High Art with traditional sense. It seems that the basic rules in an exhibition are understood, albeit we somehow really want to approach the artworks curiously.

Last week, I gained enormous visual pleasures in the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Gallery of Hong Kong Muesum of Art -- " Exhibition of Charming Experience". Curator Grace Cheng, who previously worked in Art Center, attemtpts to introduce an extraordinary experiences of art appreciation to the public. She quoted a few lines from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: " Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.... " Both from the creative work of the artists and the scrupulous planning of the Museum open up the different sense of the audience to receive and interprete messages from the artworks. Besides the Chinese and English audio guild services, the Braille codes are also provided for blind people. The exhibition not only brings different people closer to each other, it apparently brings the audience closer to Art!

Ho Siu Kee - Visible Sound

Size variable/ Bronze, mixed media and video installation

Chow Chun Fai - Mahjong

Size variable/ Oil on wood/ 2003

With the deconstruction of the object's form, the artist has shifted the Mahfong players' attention from the game to their bodies. I doubt if it is another useless invention or writing a new rule for the games?

Otto, Li Tin Lun

Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No.5 in C minor, First Movement

Size variable/ Mixed media and video installation

Otto Li's animation and mixed media stimulates our vision and sense of hearing. He vividly interplays the physical reality and virtual space into a new form of digital units. Both ends are the pixel images showing on the screen. At the first glance, the groups of digital units hung on wall are solid and concrete. But when I was encouraged by the security staff, I felt its softness and smoothness. I do appreciate his conceptual idea of translating the computer pixel images into tangible sculpture! The mixture of high art and scientic technology strenghten its contemporaneity.

Kwok Ying- Commodity

Size variable/ Colour pencil and cement on canvas

Details

Kwok Ying's work is poetic. Her subjectivity and the intension of drawing or painting is strongly reflected from her artwork. That's the reason I long for her works. The daily motifs chosen in this series is crucial to her. She has strong sense of her surrounding. In her hands, the towels are not just commodity, but lines and colour. We are directed to form a new way of seeing! Her works are soft but confident. May not carry serious issue or academic topic but is familar and personal. I am looking forward to seeing more surprise from her new paintings!

anothermountainman- Impermanet

Size variable/ Mided media/2009

1 1/ 2 2 (Two Art)

3x3x3m/ Mixed media

This is one of the most fascinating artworks in my eyes of my students! Pak is a conceptual artist who is well know as a visual art columnist in newspaper. With the instruction and sketches given by the artist, the visitor become a 'user' and learn how to 'play' with the mixed media! They peep in from a hole, touch and feel the heat and finally leave marks on the wall. All keep trying effort to explore the meaning of incompletenss. Through the shared experience, we get more idea to communicate with the artist and another 'half '!

Without the active 'users', an exhibition can't be completed! It's worth to visit once more!

Any similarities?

On 17th Nov, teacher Helen and we fellow classmates went to visit Fotan Artists' open studios. After the group exhibiton I jointed there five years ago, I found many changes have taken place in 'the Fotan artists village' since then . For example, the infrastructure of Wah Luen industrial centre has been improved a lot. Perhaps more commercial art galleries are the main reason behind.

The Blue Lotus Gallery is the most impressive gallery I visited. Also, it aims to support the development of Hong Kong local artist. Just outside the gallery and the entrance of a local artist Stepthen's studio, I noticed two different styles of light guarding their doors. Can you match them right? These two are interesting components, aren't they?

Fontan is an energetic zone!

Wall painting

To celebrate the 30th Anniversary of my secondary school, I led my colleagues and ten students to create this great wall painting on 21st Jan. The final layout is came from three awarded sketches of form three students. Though the sunshine was very strong on that day, we concentrated and co-operated very well. We painted continually from nine to six. Thanks God! We can finish this 'master piece' in a day! It's miracle! Though we were all starving at sunset, we gained much passion and energy in the process of creation.

Now, this wall painting gives all of us a fresh scene once we step in our school as it symbolizes a bright future! Indeed, I am so proud of our team spirit!

Between the lines - Mr Lui's studio

One of the treasures in the trip of Fotanian is to meet My admirable teacher - Mr Lui Chun Kwong. He always supports and enlightens me whenever I undergo critical moments or difficulties.

His present studio is smaller than several years ago. But it comes to closer with his peaceful paintings. The horizontal and vertical lines are full of simplicity and varieties.

On that day, his early painting 'Back shadowing' is exhibited by the left entrance. It shows a great contrast to his latest oil paintings. But they all demonstate his strong sense of colours that lead us return to a state of calmness.

My first blog

A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.
I love my angel baby Sharon. I love my husband Leith. I love art. I love cooking. If I have no love, I am nothing. I treasure God's amazing grace.