When you think of the pioneers of 20th-century modernism, who comes to mind first? Previously thought to only be seen in museums or auction houses, art enthusiasts can now see a series of extraordinary modernist works in the latest exhibition “Pioneers” at the Li Wei Pavilion!
This exhibition features extraordinary modern still life and portrait paintings by artists such as Paul Cézanne, Camille Pissarro, Maurice de Vlaminck, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Giorgio Morandi, Pablo Picasso, and Kees Van Dongen.
The most eye-catching work is undoubtedly the series of works depicting nude bathers by the post-Impressionist master Paul Cézanne, “Bathers Small Image”. This work is full of exploratory spirit, with Cézanne blurring the lines between figures and nature, to the point where the gender of the figures is indiscernible. Viewers can only perceive nature through the connections between light and dark, patterns, and color blocks in the painting. This technique also breaks the tradition of Western art meticulously depicting the human body. When the human body harmoniously merges into the background composed of trees, water, and sky, the bright color blocks present a highly structured composition, creating a completely new visual language that has since influenced countless modernist artists, making a profound impact.
Camille Pissarro’s “Church of Saint-Jacques” is displayed opposite Paul Cézanne’s work, and this arrangement actually has its own meaning. The French Impressionist master was Paul Cézanne’s teacher, and he also brought a lot of inspiration to his students in the Impressionist style. Pissarro originally admired Claude Monet’s “Rouen Cathedral” series created in the 1890s, but when he was also creating a church, he transformed the buttresses and towers of the Norman Saint-Jacques Church into mottled brushstrokes, while adding market stalls and bustling crowds on market days, making the composition more rich.
If you have visited the recent surrealism exhibition at the Hong Kong Art Museum, you will surely be amazed by the works of Joan Miró. The exhibition showcases his piece “The Kiss” from 1924, characterized by his unique symbols and color blocks, transforming objects into colorful lines and shapes against an open background. Lines and shapes intertwine in oval and hourglass forms, with his painting of these abstract biomorphic forms becoming his signature style. Morris De Ullamung’s “Frog Pond” embodies innovative use of color and form, emphasizing bold abstract shapes and black outlines with vivid, rich tones, a breakthrough that established the artist as one of the leaders of the Fauvist movement.
In addition, the exhibition also features extraordinary paintings such as Pablo Picasso’s “Reclining Woman” and Keith Haring’s “Camellia,” allowing visitors to admire the masterpieces of these art masters firsthand and understand how they revolutionized the wave of modernism. Do not miss this rare opportunity!
“Pioneer” Exhibition
Date: August 26, 2021 to September 30, 2021
Time: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Location: G/F, St. George’s Building, 2 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong
Image source and learn more: Lévy Gorvy
