[Press Release]
Song of the Siren explores the complex diversity of contemporary ink landscapes highlighting distinctive practices that communicate nature’s scenery via metaphor and realism. Featuring sculpture and video, the exhibition concentrates on the abstract painting of two artists inspired by nature’s tainted landscape. Isolated visions illustrated with barren branches and chemical horizons captivate viewers, drawing them inside the attractive yet austere scenery.
Cindy Ng debuts her new video from the Ink Walk series. The amalgamation of liquids poured over glass creates visual permutations shifting unpredictably with no definable beginning or end. There is a similarity between the manipulated movement in her video and the natural flow of ink over canvas and paper; abstract shapes meld together and separate again to simulate a naturescape.
In her first exhibition at Art+ Shanghai Marie-Isabelle Callier unveils The Trees series. Inspired by nature, her works shift between the abstract and figurative creating scenery that appears simultaneously both distant and personal. Using wax as a medium, the fluidity in her works echoes the gracefulness in Cindy’s ink landscapes. Emphasizing a volatile nature, the fragility of her paintings is exposed through a complicated and entangled shaping of line and form.
In the centre of the exhibition rests a sculpture installation from Marvin Fang. The severed tree sculpture adds to the already pensive atmosphere of an enchanting landscape under siege from human activity.
About the Artists:
Cindy Ng
Born 1966 in Macau, Ng Sio leng (Cindy Ng) graduated from Macau University majoring in Print Making. She moved to London to study etching in 1990, as a student of Bartholomeu dos Santos, the former Head of Department of Etching in the Slade School of Fine Arts of London University. While in London she began to explore Chinese Calligraphy and Painting at the British Museum, where she studied a rich collection of calligraphy and paintings, focusing on the influence of Taoism on Chinese aesthetics. The experience greatly enriched her later works.
Cindy’s major solo exhibitions include Kn Studio, Verona (Italy, 2011); Today Art Museum (Beijing, 2007); Seattle Art Museum (US, 2007); Ju Ming Museum (Taiwan, 2005); Amerasia Bank Gallery (New York, US, 2000); Taipei Fine Arts Museum (Taiwan, 1996) among several important group exhibitions. Cindy’s works are in public collections of Macau Art Museum (Macau); Guan Shanyue Museum of Art (Shenzhen, China); Today Art Museum, (Beijing, China); Taiwan Museum of Art (TaiChang,Taiwan); Bank Nacional Ultramarino (Macau); Fundacao Oriente (Macau); Jorge Alvares foundation (Portugal); Philippe Charriol Foundation (Hong Kong); Amerasia Bank Gallery (New York, US) among several private collections.
Marie Isabelle Callier
Born in Belgium in 1970, Marie-Isabelle Callier graduated with a BFA in Illustration and Graphic Arts at the Saint-Luc Art School in Brussels in 1991. She has worked as a graphic designer, illustrator, and an artist, exhibiting in Belgium, Luxembourg and Washington. Her life and work have brought her to live in Europe, the US and now Shanghai. Her major exhibitions include Trièdre Gallery (Lasne, Belgium, 1996); L n’est pas C Gallery (Genval, Belgium, 1997); Art au Village (Glabais, Belgium 1999); L n’est pas C Gallery (Brussels, Belgium, 2000); Salon, Cercle Artistique de Luxembourg (Luxembourg, 2002); Konschthaus beim Engel (Luxembourg, 2004); Balthazar Gallery (Brussels, Belgium, 2005) and Poppy, Art & Jewellery Gallery (Washington, US, 2010).
In addition to her artist pursuits Marie-Isabelle has likewise written and illustrated several children’s books. Her publications include, J’aime pas le poisson (Alice Editions, Brussels, 2003); Sarah et le petit pois (Alice Editions, Brussels,2005); Bosses, Cabosse et Carabosse (Alice Editions, Brussels, 2008); Non et non pas question! (Editions Mijade, Belgium, 2011); Ma maman ballon (Editions les 400 coups, Canada, 2012), and Mr Rouge et Mr Bleu (Editions Mijade, Belgium, 2012).
