Weekly Review: The Song of Two swallows - Mr. Wu Guan Zhong, The Legend of Chinese Painting

This year, I have made 2 visits to Hong Kong Museum of Arts for one exhibition, the first visit was led by overwhelming media coverage, and the memory and of the exhibition made me to re-visit it for more in-depth understand of the artist journal and the meaning behind his art work.

(1) Mr Wu Guan Zhong

Mr Wu Guan Zhong (August29, 1919 - June 25, 2010)  is the Legend of Chinese Painting, who has contributed his life to Arts by teaching and continue searching in painting new pieces before he passed away in 2010.  Born in Yixing in Jiangsu province, his life and artworks has captured the transformation of China from Qing Dynasty to Revolution Era, Communism and into recent China.

Wu was originally an engineering student, until a visit to Hangzhou National Art College by Lin Fengmain which brought him to aware of his passion in arts.  He started study at Hangzhou National Art College and graduated in 1942.  In 1947, being the first group of artists received scholarship from China Government to study in France, he attended Nationale Supieure de Arts in Paris.  He returned to China in 1950to teach at several universities in Beijing and bring his influence of the east west cross culture back to China.  He as the pioneer of Chinese Modern Arts, his creativity was not recognized until later year after more exposure in the outside of China.

In Wu's life, he believe The Two Swallow in 1981 is one of the most representative painting in his life.  The start of this painting is a capture of a moment of attractive scenes before he caught a train after his outdoor painting practice with his student.  He quickly sketched out the scenes and create the painting based on the moment.

During his interview about his generous on the donation of 51 pieces of his artworks to Hong Kong Museum of Arts, he explained it as an appreciation of his 2002 exhibition in the same museum with viewing his 3 recognized paintings were exhibited parallel together.  The 3 paintings from 1981 Two Swallows to ten years later, 1988 Former residence of Qiu Jin and ended with 1996 Reminiscence of Jiangnan in another 10 years later has captured Wu's sensation and joy in being understand from a bosom friend.

(2) Two swallows  1981  Ink and colour on paper

“Across the painting surface, the whitewashed wall dominates like an immaculate princess dressed in white. The black doors and window stand out, cutting up the wall into novel planes that rejuvenate the old looks. In essence, the East and the West are no different aesthetically. Despite the absence of swallows, Mondrian would have been impressed by the minimalist oriental dwellings.”  by Mr. Wu Guan Zhong, Quote from  Hong Kong Museum of Arts

(3) Former residence of Qiu Jin 1988  Ink and colour on paper

“Ten years after the simple and serene Two Swallows was done, I painted Former Residence of Qiu Jin. The big black door is like a coffin in a tragic mime show. The swallows perching on the power line by the house are chirping away.” by Mr. Wu Guan Zhong, Quote from  Hong Kong Museum of Arts

(4) Reminiscence of Jiangnan  1996  Ink on paper

 “A decade after Former Residence of Qiu Jin was done, I painted Reminiscence of Jiangnan. The whole of Jiangnan is captured in just a few dots and a few lines. Jiangnan is too elusive to grasp and the Jiangnan son is too oblivious to come home.” by Mr. Wu Guan Zhong, Quote from  Hong Kong Museum of Arts

The 3 paintings in parallel has shown the transformation of Wu's painting, from concrete to abstract.  In later years of Wu's life,  his painting has been more absract and represent his thinking as an elder man toward the end of his life.

The aloof  2009  Ink on paper

“Up, up and away towards the infinite high, they are meant to be looked up to.”

He once mentioned his arts is not for living, but for creativity and adventure, which would like to leave his spirit to the future to continue his footstep.

Photo Credit:
Figure 1: China Visual
Figure 2-4: Hong Kong Museum of Arts

Extended Reading:
(1) 電視特備節目：吳冠中的藝術 （Special TV Program: The Arts of Wu Guan Zhong)，香港電台 Radio and Television of Hong Kong
(2) 吳冠中生平簡介 (Bibliography of Mr. Wu Guan Zhong)  [Chinese]
(3) Wu Guan Zhong, Wikipedia [English]
(4)  A Glimpse on Wu's Donations, Hong Kong Museum of Arts [Chinese/ English]
(5) Wu Guangzhong's Art work, Artnet [English]
(6) 冠絕天下﹣ 談談吳冠中(The Legend of the Arts World - talking about Wu Guan Zhong) ，Hong Kong Art Review， Jan 9, 2009  [Chinese]
(7)《我負丹青－－吳冠中自傳》(The Self-Bibliography of Wu Guan Zhong), Wu Guan Zhong, Joint Publishing Limited, 2010, ISBN 9789620424359  [Chinese]