XIA QINGYONG: FRESH PAINT
by Wang ChunchenIn the 5th issue of Art Observation this year, there was a discussion on the conceptual comparison between Chinese traditional painting and ink wash painting. The main goal of the discussion was to clarify the similarities and differences between the two concepts, so that people can have a better understanding of the two.
In fact, this has been an ongoing debate and exploration of the two art forms since the last century, and it has continued through today. Xia Qingyong, as a young artist, has been actively exploring his own artistic interpretation and presentation of the medium.
If we say that "Chinese traditional painting" and "ink wash painting" have two different specific meanings, then the combination of the two may imply a whole new possibility. It comes not only from the precipitation of Chinese traditional culture, but also from the inspiration of artistic creation, namely the artist’s correspondence to the times he lives in. What is important here is to have this concept expressed at a deeper level, which requires the practice and efforts of a new generation of artists. Xia Qingyong is precisely at such an inflection point. With the careful observations that he has been making throughout the years, he has shown great persistence and patience with his experimentation of ink wash painting.
Xia Qingyong’s artistic career benefits from his knowledge and conceptual understanding of art history, which had allowed him to quickly develop his own methods early on. Xia Qingyong crumpled xuan paper to allow it to take different shapes, then dipped it lightly in or brushed with ink before unfolding it, creating unexpected ink marks along the creases. These naturally formed patterns remind us of brushworks in Chinese painting, but with a certain kind of hardness that is not dull to look at. In his "Clean Heart" and "Folding" series, he not only experimented with ink but also different color pigments as well. The creases and traces of colors as a result of the folding and crumpling certainly cannot be created with brushworks alone, as one can easily appreciate the subtle changes of ink when observing carefully.
In addition, by wetting the stripped xuan paper and kneading it into uneven lines to form various shapes based on the toughness of the paper, this is a characteristic that a canvas does not possess. On the contrary, Italian artist Lucio Fontana could only slash the center of his canvases to create dramatic cuts, whereas Xia Qingyong was able to fully utilize the flexibility of his paper to create crease marks, a re-creation of the material that did not exist in art history. This is precisely the beauty of exploration and experimentation in contemporary art. As a contemporary artist, one is encouraged to explore untried methods instead of following the historical traditions of the medium, revealing the aesthetic significance of the material itself. Xia Qingyong did not only create aesthetically mesmerizing creases on xuan paper, but also infused various colors into the material. The interaction between the two has led to a strong contrasting effect. The creases refuse to be set on colors, while the color pigments require a flat surface to be accurately presented. This apparent violation of traditional color rules deconstructs and reconstructs our apprehension of the medium, which gives us a completely different view after being flattened. Here, we can surmise that Xia Qingyong first looked at Chinese ink wash painting with an innate love, but rather than leaning towards the conservative side, he boldly re-orientated our perception by borrowing ideas from contemporary art theory and the ideology of materialism.
Another important question is how the new generation of young artists shall demonstrate themselves in ways different from before. As Australian art critic and writer Nicholas Tsoutas said, artists shall look forward to the future rather than the past from today's perspective, and young artists in particular shall be adventurous and daring to provide new ideas. What we are facing today are the crises of anxiety about the future and the sustainability of our ecological space. Art has to be constantly renewed with fresh blood, and this source of power must come from the younger generation. Why shouldn’t ink wash painting be re-examined? In other words, the history of ink wash painting does not necessarily require continuous re-writing, as new history could be instantly generated with extensions of its materiality and breakthroughs of its solidified territory.
It’s certainly a very exciting thing to look forward to the future.
Wang Chunchen, September 10, 2019
Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
Sep, 2019
RELATED
| Artists | Xia Qingyong |
|---|
-
All 2,829 authors; All 9,285 articles
- LATEST UPLOAD
- ABOUT | BY
- GENRES
20 MOST RECENT
- Preface by the Curators (critique, 1981)
Since their inception in 1932, the Whitney Museum Biennial Exhibitions have been among the most important surveys ol contemporary American art. These exhibitions have continuously assessed the wide spectrum of currenl art; they were originally conceived,...
- Foreword by the Director (critique, 1981)
The 1981 Biennial is the first exhibition to follow the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Whitney Museum of American Art. It reaffirms the dedication of the Museum to a tradition begun by its founder, Gertrude...
- GOODBYE: ArrowFactory Ho Rania, Wang Wei, Yao Pauline J. (miscellaneous, 2019)
Dearest Artists, Supporters, and Friends: After a remarkable eleven and a half years of running our experimental storefront art space Arrow Factory will close its doors at the end of this month, September 2019. It has been...
- Xia Qingyong: Fresh Paint Wang Chunchen (critique, 2019)
In the 5th issue of Art Observation this year, there was a discussion on the conceptual comparison between Chinese traditional painting and ink wash painting. The main goal of the discussion was to clarify the similarities...
- Jean Baudrillaurd's Sayings on Exhibit (miscellaneous, 2019)
Excess of information kills information; excess of meaning killls meaning, etc. But it seems that too much stupidity does not kill stupidity. Stupidity may be said, then, to be the only exponential phenomenon — one whtch...
- Whitney Biennial 2019 (critique, 2019)
Written by Mario Vasquez Note: This review was written before the 8 artists withdrew their works. Some works mentioned may no longer be on view. Upon exiting the elevator on the 5th floor of the Whitney Museum,...
- 2019 Whitney Biennial (critique, 2019)
By Alex Jen Curators Rujeko Hockley and Jane Panetta describe the 2019 Whitney Biennial as a “snapshot” of art making in the United States today. But “snapshot” carries particular meaning: not a posed portrait but something informal....
- Initial Thoughts and Highlights from the 2019 Whitney Biennial (critique, 2019)
Zachary Small The 2019 Whitney Biennial is about the state of American culture and how contemporary artists are responding to the conditions of living in a country with increasingly inequitable social stratifications. Curators Jane Panetta and Rujeko Hockley...
- A Whitney Biennial that speaks in urgent whispers (critique, 2019)
By Murray Whyte NEW YORK — The once-in-two-years art-world rite that is the Whitney Biennial never fails to disappoint at least someone. Whether too tame, too fractious, too political, too agnostic, too woke, too topical — really,...
- The New Whitney Biennial Made Me See Art History in a New Way (critique, 2019)
By Jerry Saltz First, massive congratulations to the Whitney. Even with long, flat patches of overly well-behaved work, a strange visual monotony that makes this show predictable (the prior iteration was more optically alive), generally weak painting,...
- 7 Artists Not To Miss At the 2019 Whitney Biennial (critique, 2019)
From the subtly spectacular to the oddly elegant at the 79th exhibition. The next 79th Whitney Biennial opens on May 17, bringing together 75 artists for an exhibition that has—especially in recent years—inspired controversy. Of course, any...
- Spring Art Preview (critique, 2019)
By Andrea K. Scott Before moma closes in June, to prepare for its grand reopening, in October, it plants a flag for the future with the exhibition “New Order: Art and Technology in the Twenty-First Century.” Curated...
- Curatorial Statement By Jane Panetta and Rujeko Hockley (critique)
Often described as a snapshot of art in the United States, the Biennial brings together work by individuals and collectives in a broad array of mediums. Over the past year and a half—an undeniably intense and...
- Ten questions to galleries:Star Gallery (interview)
Q: So far in 2019, what surprised you the most? A: Star Gallery moved back to 798. Q: What would you do if you have a year long holiday? A: Work in another gallery. Q: What is the biggest operating...
- Ten questions to galleries:Line Gallery (interview)
Q: So far in 2019, what surprised you the most? A: In 2019, the big surprise was that we motivated some artists to made new three-dimensional works, which will probably be released in the fall. Q: What would...
- Ten questions to galleries:Pace Gallery (interview)
Q: So far in 2019, what surprised you the most? A: The weather of Beijing was OK. Q: What would you do if you have a year long holiday? A: Traveling and spending time with family. Q: What is the...
- Ten questions to galleries:A Thousand Plateaus Art Space (interview)
Q: So far in 2019, what surprised you the most? A: Yang Shu's works of his solo show were sold out in Art Basel Hong Kong in March, and Chen xiaoyi’s all works in June in Liste...
- Ten questions to galleries:MadeIn Gallery (interview)
Q: So far in 2019, what surprised you the most? A: Announced recently in the UK, the new 50 pound polymer note will feature Alan Turing, pioneer of computer science and artificial intelligence, replacing Watt and Boulton,...
- Ten questions to galleries:PIFO New Art Studios (interview)
Q: So far in 2019, what surprised you the most? A: Agitated. Q: What would you do if you have a year long holiday? A: Stay in the mountains and have fun. Q: What is the biggest operating cost in...
- The Truth of Art | Boris Groys Boris Groys (critique, 2016)
The central question to be asked about art is this one: Is art capable of being a medium of truth? This question is central to the existence and survival of art because if art cannot be...
