Artist Highlight | Lui Shou-kwan

Alisan Fine Arts is proud to present "Hong Kong Landscapes", its sixth solo exhibition for ink master Lui Shou-kwan. With a focus on Lui’s modern landscape paintings from the 1950’s and 60’s, the works on display literally follow Lui’s footsteps while he visits the various sites around Hong Kong Island. They include iconic landmarks such as Victoria Harbour, Victoria Peak, Lion Rock, Happy Valley, and the beautiful beaches of Repulse Bay and Shek O, as well as the various hills and valleys in the country parks. Through these works one can trace the extra-ordinary techniques that Lui developed to meticulously depict the changing seasons, weather, and the various times of day while maintaining the literati spirit of traditional ink painting. This exhibition is the third in a series of important shows the gallery has planned for its 40th Anniversary celebration this year.
Lui Shou-kwan (1919-1975) is recognized as Hong Kong’s pioneer in the New Ink Movement. He advocated the innovation of traditional ink painting, but never abandoned the ink tradition. During his artistic life he continuously and simultaneously focused on three different areas: traditional painting, landscapes, and abstract ink art. Inspired by Western artists such as Turner, he combined Chinese traditional ink techniques with that of the West. This unique artistic approach of harking back to tradition and looking towards the future had a profound influence on the development of Contemporary Chinese Art. Born in Guangzhou, Lui’s interest in painting was inherited from his father Lui Canming (1892-1963) from early on. His father was a scholar-painter and owner of an antique shop. Lui studied Chinese painting by copying classical works by past masters, such as Bada Shanren (1626-1705, Ming Dynasty), Shitao (1642-1707, Qing Dynasty) and Huang Binhong (1865-1955, under whom he studied for a short period). In this exhibition, we can see in "Lin Fa Shan, Hong Kong" (1961) that Lui was influenced by Huang Binhong's dark and bold style in his later years. The black mountains with a gleam of light breaking through, remind viewers of Lui's internationally renowned “Zen Painting” series.
Coordination : Pansy Chiu
Translation : Kathleen Mak, Shannon Hibberd
Voice-over : Shannon Hibberd
Design & Editing : Debbie Lam
Copyright : Alisan Fine Arts Limited, Hong Kong 2022
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A work of Liu Shou Kwan will be in auction London May 16, 2023. At Lyon & Turnbull.