Pearl Lam Galleries will present From Romance of the West Chamber to Matisse: a major ink brush painting series developed over the past ten years by contemporary Chinese master ink artist Qiu Zhenzhong. In this body of work, Qiu Zhenzhong looks to figuration, inspired by and transforming the lines of Chinese woodblock prints illustrating the Romance of the West Chamber and the celebrated works of Matisse. Qiu Zhenzhong is at the forefront of a generation of ink brush artists who are reacting to and embracing 5000 years of Chinese culture and the influence of the West. Through the practice of Linmo, a technique used in the study of classical Chinese calligraphy where a student would emulate the work of masters, he has created something new, exploring and reinventing traditions from the East and West.

Qiu Zhenzhong’s inspiration for this series began after living in Paris for two months in early 2003, where he took in Matisse works every evening at the Pompidou Centre. Upon his return to China, he began exploring classic Chinese manuscripts and their potential for transformation into contemporary ink brush paintings. Illustrations inspired by the Ming dynasty woodblock printing masterpiece, based on the Yuan dynasty Romance of the West Chamber drama, forms a major group of works in this exhibition.