Mixed media on paper

71 × 134 cm. 28 × 52 3/4 in.

Signed in Chinese twice on middle left

LITERATURE
2018, Blossoming Flower in Silence: Liu Wei Works, Xu Gallery, Shanghai, plate no.26
EXHIBITED
31 Jan – 9 Mar 2018, Blossoming Flower in Silence: Liu Wei Works, Xu Gallery, Shanghai

PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Asia

No Zuo No Die
Liu Wei's Vivid Landscape of Ink

Known as the ‘ghost' of Chinese contemporary art, Liu Wei gained fame from ‘Cynical Realism' in the early 1990s. Through the eroded objects in his pen and the emotional appeal of the images that breakthrough imagination, Liu proposes a critique of the cultural situation in current society. In the summer of 2006, the unfamiliar working environment around his new studio created an opportunity for Liu Wei to change his style. He took inspiration from the language and nature of traditional Chinese writing and translated it in his way, forming a two-way aesthetic that is diffused with vitality and implies both death and danger. His unique take on the creation of landscape paintings elevates the genre to a completely new level.

‘Untitled 3' comes from the artist's ink landscape series on paper that began in 2008 and spanned over 10 years. He chooses to use traditional paper and ink as his medium to combine ‘flower and birds', ‘graffiti texts', and classical personal symbols, such as ‘skull and crossbones', with dense lines that mix rashness with freedom. Liu uses the appearance and aesthetic of traditional ink literati to express their resistance to the genealogy of art classics.

A Hidden Angel Within Cynical Introspection

The horizontal spread of the background is filled with finely carved floral lines and simple monochrome ink colors to create a beautiful environment, like a brocade, that eulogizes youth and prosperity. In the middle, a faintly discernible looming skeleton hangs on a branch, symbolizing ‘life and death' and ‘brightness and disappearance'. The word ‘angel' is hidden below the skeleton, informing us of his identity. Its exaggerated body is fearless and naked to the viewer, declaring the existence of life instincts and their desires. The statement ‘no zuo no die' is drawn underneath it, forming an ambiguous answer to the meaning of life, along with the English words ‘Too Young To Die'. From these two statements, the artist points out the ultimate attitude of artists towards creation, which is that art is nothing more than struggling to pursue the ideal self within the constant work, which slowly leads to one's doom. The random ‘19' on the right or abrupt ‘countdown' sound ringing through the serene garden, arouses people's vigilance but also displays Liu Wei's consistent introspection and black humor.

A Painting of My Own Heart

‘Untitled 3' has a total of 12 sister works, which are all subtly different from each other, demonstrating Liu's genius control over seemingly random but precise brushstrokes and dissolving the power of ‘repetition' in the painting. Within the narrative of the painting, its perfect balance is used to express the artistic pursuit of ‘perfection'. Liu believes that the ‘feeling of the painting is the sense of language', and the sense of brushwork is the key to the language of the painting. The branches and birds in ‘Untitled-3' are only outlined by lines with a likeness to gold and stone ink's metallic aesthetic. Due to Liu's artistic background in printmaking, and the open-minded attitude that comes from the printmaking process, Liu's ‘black and white' does not drown within the frame of contemporary ink and wash, but presents a broader vision and avant-garde perspectives, such as the various changes to the flowers in the paintings, the forms of objects and brushstrokes create a complex yet compact isomorphism. Not only is he admired for his talents, Liu emits confidence through this precise brushwork, endowing the paintings with the fluidity of the robes of ancient wind gods, but keeping his vitality. The fusion of these two aspects reminds viewers to open up, be curious about the world and the awe of life.

Price estimate:
HKD: 260,000 - 350,000
USD: 33,400 - 45,000

Auction Result:
HKD: 336,000