Qing Dynasty painter Shi Tao once said, “This painting captures everything beyond the vast emptiness, countless strokes of ink, all beginning and ending here, only heard by the ears of those who grasp it.” In his book “Record of Painting Expressions” that he wrote, he challenged the existing system to express the more primitive energy in painting – strokes that are self-contained. Shi Tao believed that artists should be able to express everything in the universe through each line. Artists nurture their thoughts within their bodies, then transmit them to the tip of the brush, and finally to the ink, to realize their spiritual nourishment.
Axel Vervoordt Gallery recently presented the group exhibition “Beyond Brushstrokes,” showcasing artists’ unique visual expressions, further illustrating how brushstrokes transcend their own limitations while reflecting the artists’ self-cultivation.
This exhibition brings together the works of 8 artists, including Yun Hyong-Keun, Masatoshi Masanobu, Lee U-fan, Raimund Girke, Shen Chen, Michelle Mouffe, Shiro Tsujimura, and Hong Kong artist Pong Yu Wai, focusing on their unique creative methods of expression such as graffiti, lines, and calligraphy.
An original line is not just a stroke, it is something deeper, shaping the artist’s self-cultivation and perception. By elucidating Shi Tao’s concept, the exhibition shows how artists connect with Shi Tao’s values and wisdom in their unique way, revealing a sense of liberation, imagination, and realizing their infinite potential.
In seemingly simple brushstrokes, each piece is filled with the humble literati spirit of the creator, reflecting their spiritual realm on the canvas. From a line, a dot, a touch, they convey profound creative meanings to the work, showcasing an “infinite” realm of thought!
Group Exhibition “Beyond the Brush”
Date: From now until October 29
Time: 11 am to 7 pm (Thursday to Saturday)
Location: 21st Floor, Kodak Design Center, 62 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
Image source and learn more: Axel Vervoordt Gallery
