⻘苔之上——刘国夫纸上作品展
Dusk Upon the Hush – Liu Guofu Works on Paper Exhibition
展期：2024年09月23日—11月29日
艺术家：刘国夫
地点：3812 Gallery｜香港·中环云咸街40–44号云咸商业中心26楼
营业时间：周一至周五11am–7pm
电话：+852 2153 3812
网站：3812gallery.com
展览展现了刘国夫纸上作品的光影与节奏。
Showcase the interplay of light and shadow in Liu Guofu’s paper works.
Liu Guofu, Flower Z-3, 2023, Oil on paper, 74 x 80cm
刘国夫，花Z-3，2023，纸上油彩，74 x 80cm
3812画廊将于9⽉23⽇⾄11⽉29⽇期间呈献《⻘苔之上：刘国夫纸上作品展》，这也是艺术家⾸次在3812画廊展出纸上作品系列，完整地呈现于2016⾄2024年间创作的26幅纸本作品，延续并拓展了他此前于该画廊展出的经典布⾯油画创作。此次展览包罗万象，展示了刘国夫在三种纸张上的精湛技艺：铜版纸上油彩，⽔彩纸上油画棒作品，以及宣纸上⽔墨创作。
展览标题「⻘苔之上」来源于中国唐代诗⼈王维（699 -759年）的诗《⿅柴》。诗的最后⼀句「复照⻘苔上」与刘国夫作品中光影的韵律和抒情交织相呼应。这⾸诗描绘了傍晚时分，⼣阳穿过幽静的树林将余晖洒在⻘苔上，其中低语声隐约可闻却难以追寻，最终以⼀抹⿈昏的余晖洒在苔藓上的空灵景象收尾，唤起了⼈们对宁静⽣命⼒的感受。
刘国夫的油画作品中，⼀直贯穿着将东⽅⽂化中的哲学智慧与⻄⽅现代艺术⾃由奔放的艺术节奏相融合的主题，这⼀主题在他的纸上作品中得以延续，并增添了⼀些显著的新元素，通过直观的感官刺激，传达出细腻⽽深刻的情感冲击。从布⾯油画过渡到纸上创作，艺术表达的桎梏逐渐消解，偶遇的灵感与创意在纸上跃动⽣辉。刘国夫在纸上创作所秉持的「颜料随⼼落，附着⾃成趣」的⽅法，使作品充满了轻松的趣味与受控的⾃发性，这种灵活性摆脱了沈重感的束缚，在纸媒介上开启了无限想象与创意的广阔天地。
在刘国夫的作品中，他通过艺术语⾔表达了对中国艺术巧思的赞赏，以及亚洲艺术家运⽤最简单、最朴实的媒介实现深刻艺术表达的精湛技艺。作为中国的四⼤发明之⼀，造纸术为中国⽔墨画的繁荣与发展奠定了基⽯，使艺术家能够精准⽽深刻地表达技艺的微妙之处与情感。刘国夫作品中单⾊的笔触，唤起了中国⽔墨画原始的精神⾵貌，它们被精⼼施绘，⼜使颜⾊⾃然的流动，形成了富有表现⼒和动态感的画⾯。与此并置的是⻄⽅⽔彩画及其他艺术媒介与流派中常⾒的抽象⽽朦胧的浪漫主义。
在刘国夫的艺术中，他⼒求唤起⼀种精神性和「仪式感」，将观者带⼊⼀个平静和内省的境界。受庄⼦哲学的启发，他相信艺术能够超越凡俗的界限，反映⼈类的审美精神，他曾强调保持沈静和⼼境平和的重要性，以扩展我们感性与直觉的边界，并努⼒通过艺术表现这种平静的状态，邀请观众反思⽣活的复杂性，并在沈思中找到慰藉。
3812 Gallery is pleased to present “Dusk Upon the Hush: Liu Guofu Works on Paper Exhibition”, the artist’s first solo exhibition dedicated to his works on paper series with 3812. As an artistic extension from his quintessential oil on canvas oeuvre previously showcased at 3812, “Dusk Upon the Hush” showcases 26 works on paper created between 2016 and 2024, demonstrating Liu’s mastery on three varieties of paper works: ink and colour, oil, and oil pastel. The exhibition will be on view at our Hong Kong gallery from 23 September to 29 November 2024.
Inspired by a poem by the Chinese Tang dynasty poet Wang Wei (699–759 A.D.), the exhibition title “Dusk upon the Hush” echoes the rhythmic and lyrical interplay of light and shadow in Liu’s works. Set in a secluded forest where whispers are heard but untraceable, the poem concludes with an ethereal image of dusk light casting shadows on a bed of moss, evoking a sense of serene vitality.
Integrating the philosophical wisdom rooted in Eastern culture with the free-wheeling artistic tempo of Western modern art, which has been a constant in Liu’s oil paintings, continues in his works on paper, now with some remarkable additions that deal a nuanced emotional punch through visceral stimuli. From canvas to paper, formality gives way to wilful serendipity, and rigidity leaves room for dynamics. The “throw the paint at the paper to see how it sticks” approach that Liu adopts infuses his work with a sense of playful levity and controlled spontaneity. This flexibility, unfettered by gravitas, opens up a world of unbounded imagination and creative possibilities on the medium of paper.
In his paper works, Liu’s makes an artistic statement of his appreciation for Chinese art ingenuity and the Asian mastery of using the simplest and most basic medium to achieve profound artistic expression. One of the four great inventions by China, paper-making lays the very foundation for Chinese ink and brush art to flourish and evolve, enabling artists to express the subtleties of their craft and emotions with precision and depth. The monochrome brushstrokes in Liu’s works evoke the primitive ethos of Chinese ink paintings, meticulously applied yet allowing the pigments to run their own course, resulting in an expressive and dynamic rendering. Juxtaposed with it is the abstract and opaque romanticism often seen in western watercolour and other artistic influences.
“In my art, I aim to evoke spirituality and a ‘ceremonial sense’ that transports viewers to a place of peace and introspection. Inspired by Zhuangzi’s (Chuang-Tzu, 369—298 B.C.E.) philosophy, I believe art transcends mortal boundaries and reflects the human spirit,” says Liu of his artistic conceit. Liu’s work emphasizes the need for calmness and a peaceful state of mind to expand our understanding amidst the conflicts of our world. Manifesting this state of tranquility through art, Liu’s work invites viewers to reflect on life’s complexities and find solace in their contemplation.
