This autumn, FQ Projects is pleased to present Sun Yu’s solo exhibition, 2013 New Works. This Exhibition is composed of three parts: Black Mountain Series, Moon Voyage Series, as well as some additional oil paintings and works on paper. Sun Yu is one of FQ Projects’ most represented young emerging artists. In the past three years, through both annual solo exhibitions and several group exhibitions, the art field has witnessed this young artist’s talent and diligences develop. His more recent pieces continue to demonstrate an ever maturing direction and progression in his works, thoughts and ideals.
Sun Yu specialises in portraits, composed with a solid academic base coupled with a deep and brave thinking. This unique expression of painting represents a composition that is modest yet subtle with strength; full of complex and delicate human emotions. With his usual meticulous style, his works reenact modern people’s lives and their destinies. Within this, his audiences are led to explore and ponder upon both spirit and life. Thus, he creates an open conversation between himself and his audience.
Sun Yu’s Black Mountain Series contains humor on the surface, yet after closer viewing evokes a greater sense of emotion. Black Mountain village in Haidian District, Beijing, is the regions only undeveloped area and is home to many low educated young migrant workers. Sun Yu has been living in this alternative area for one year. According to his opinion, “It’s a place that makes me feel insecure, but I like it without understanding the reason. The atmosphere feels more like the underworld of China’s ancient times.” In this series of works, the artist uses plain color and brave brushwork, splashing the atmosphere of this perceived underworld on the canvas. It presents a powerful emotion that represents this large yet forgotten group’s life, identity and mental state.
The inspiration of Sun Yu’s Moon Voyage Series inherits ideals from his earlier Sha Po Lang works, which comes from Chinese astrology. In this series, there are many symbolic elements of mysticism. Such examples are the rabbit which is often reminiscent of Chinese traditional concepts leading to the Guanghan Palace on the moon and femininity. In the artist’s work, the naked boy symbolizes the whole life of a human’s experience. This starts with nothing at birth, to possession during life, before returning back to the point where one is from. In Chinese astrology, the human life is connected with the more secretive parts of the universe. All of these elements encourage the viewer to think about the true meaning of life from a subjective perspective.
Also exhibited are some additional works of pencil on paper from this year. Sun Yu has used a new approach to represent the appearance of people from his daily life. Different to his formal portraits, which show the calm aura in the paintings, these recent works contain a sense of humor and ease. They demonstrate the artist’s innovative spirit, as well as his extraordinary talent and creativity.
Sun Yu, born in 1982 in Jilin and graduated from the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 2009. Now he lives and works in Beijing. His works were selected for the Oil Painting Exhibition of Contemporary College Students in China, Guangzhou Mumian Art Salon and the new forces of Lingnan Oil Painting Exhibition. In 2010, FQ Projects organized a double solo show titled “Here, there, where”, as well as the solo exhibition “Irrelevant” in 2011, and “Sha Polang” in 2012. In addition, Sun Yu’s works also presented at different international art fair. All exhibitions were well received with good feedback and captured the attention from the Art World.
