Press Release
Red Gate Gallery is proud to present a new exhibition Wang Lifeng. Being one of the early practitioners of Chinese contemporary abstract paintings, Wang Lifeng is known for his creation with mixed media materials such as rubbings, foil and silk, as well as his continuing re-interpretation of Chinese classical art. We are delighted to see that his relentless pursuit has reached another milestone with his new series of work Ji.
Unlike previous works which are crafted using mixed media on canvases, Wang experiments on rice paper in the Ji series. The result is a lighter and more poetic series, which is a contrast to the solemn tonality conveyed using canvases. In the Ji series, Wang uses his signature materials such as foil, rubbings and silk in the collages and meticulously replicates the masterpieces of Chen Hongshou (1598-1652) and Ren Bonian (1840-1896), thus disrupting the narratives of the original classics.
While Wang’s respect and appreciation for the nation’s artistic traditions is evident, he has cleverly shied away from indulging in frivolous nostalgia. Instead, the artist injects components of traditional art into his own creative thread of thought to find a balance between the new and the old.
