'Far East Chronicle' Eric Fok Solo Exhibition by Karin Weber Gallery

FAR FAR EAST EAST CHRONICLE CHRONICLE by by Eric Eric Fok Fok

遠東誌遠東誌霍凱盛個展霍凱盛個展

Far East Chronicle solo exhibition by Eric Fok 17th November to 30th December, 2017

遠東誌霍凱盛個展 2017年11月17日-12月30日

INTRODUCTION

Maps existed before written words, with the oldest known map a clay tablet unearthed in Iraq and dating back 2300BC. Maps connect people from different cultures and geographical locations. They represent social and political aspiration and power. Cartography, or map-making, will never be completely objective. In pre-technology days, a map was only ever as good as its cartographer and the patron behind its conception. In ‘Far East Chronicle’, Eric Fok’s first solo show at Karin Weber Gallery, the artist’s ‘maps’ open up worlds of reality and imagination. They evoke both hopes and fears. Fok maps out human dreams in the context of the ‘Golden Age’ of exploration and imaginations of the Far East in faraway places. His painstakingly detailed creations offer fantastical syntheses of Bible references, medieval history from East and West, and current local, topical histories of Hong Kong and Macau.

They pose graphic challenges as Fok strenuously draws on a miniature scale, which entails considerable difficulty. Additional complexity is introduced when Fok, involves alternative mediums such as wooden panels and more everyday objects such as a briefcase. Eric Fok (b. 1990) graduated from the Macao Polytechnic Institute and currently lives and works in Macao and Taipei. Eric has taken part in many exhibitions in Macao, Taiwan, China, Portugal and Spain. His works form part of several prestigious public collections including the Macau Government Headquarters (Governor’s Palace), Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macau SAR, Oriental Foundation, Macau Museum of Art, The Orient Museum (Portugal), University Museum and Art Gallery (HKU) , and private collections in Hong Kong, Macau , China, Taiwan, Singapore, Italy, USA and United Kingdom.

Eric Fok’s works are technically complex and challenging on several levels. Each sheet of paper is hand-dyed with tea leaves, in a process which is repeated over and over to achieve an aged, ‘antique’ feel.

前言

地圖較文字記載早出現，已知的最古老地圖可追溯至公元前2300年，一塊出土於伊拉克的泥板上。地圖為擁有不同文化，身於不同地理位置的人們架起橋樑。地圖代表了社會、政治冀望及力量。地圖製作從來都不是完全客觀的。於科技出現前，地圖製作全靠製圖者及委約者本身的知識及動機。藝術家霍凱盛在香港凱倫偉伯畫廊首次舉行的個人展覽「遠東誌」中，以「地圖」開啟了現實與虛擬世界間的大門。他們喚起了人們的希望與恐懼。霍凱盛的地圖勾勒出人們對夢想中的「黃金時代」的探索及對遠東地區的幻想。

在圖像繪畫上亦是對藝術家另外的一項挑戰，為追求細緻度，必須於只有一平方厘米面積上畫出精細的圖形，這是非常困難且複雜的過程。藝術家又把圖繪於木板及木箱等物料上。霍凱盛，1990年出生於澳門。畢業於澳門理工學院視覺藝術系（教育專業）學士，現工作並生活於澳門和台北。霍凱盛曾於澳門，台灣，中國，葡萄牙，西班牙等地參加展覽，作品被多個公共機構所收藏，如澳門政府總部，澳門文化局，澳門東方基金會，澳門藝術博物館，葡萄牙東方博物館，香港大學美術博物館等，同時亦於世界各地，如香港，澳門，中國，台灣，新加坡，意大利，美國，英國等地被私人收藏。

霍凱盛精心細緻的創作背後是對聖經、中世紀歷史及香港與澳門當地歷史的依據。霍凱盛的作品在技術層面上非常複雜，對藝術家的繪畫技巧本身是多重挑戰。每張紙皆是由藝術家親手用茶葉染色。為了制造紙張的年代感，需不下一次，方可達到效果。

ARTIST STATEMENT

In a globalized world, people who live in the east are becoming less familiar with the concept of Orientalist painting. I try to challenge Eastern aesthetics and multi-perspective painting. We cannot change the course of history. What we can do is to make our own record. I have drawn a lot of animals for this exhibition. My inspiration was the story of Noah’s ark, and I deliberately painted in a style that is reminiscent of medieval times, somewhat clumsy and inaccurate compared to modern times. There are explorers and missionaries of various periods in the painting ‘2047.12’’. It shows how the Far East was imagined in the eyes of the west. ‘2047.7’’ is a wooden briefcase made in the 1940s when the civil war in China broke out and Kuomintang subsequently moved to Taiwan. It witnesses changes in life, hope and despair. I imagine myself as a part of that history.

Both Hong Kong and Macau have experienced a change of sovereignty. Society has not yet reached a consensus on future developments. Recent social movements have raised lot of questions and we tried to look for answers. People are constantly searching for their own garden of Eden. I have tried to depict my own version of Eden in which national borders, different races and even human beings do not exist.

藝術家自述

在全球化底下，東方人對東方繪畫了解越來越少。我嘗試挑戰東方美學和多點透視。我們不能改變歷史進程。我們唯一能做的只是記錄歷史。在「遠東誌」展覽中，我繪畫許多動物以代替人類，加入一些聖經故事，如挪亞方舟大洪水，同時參考中世紀的繪畫風格，那一種笨拙，那一種的不準確。作品 2047.12 描繪出尋找過去的旅人、探險家、傳教士，以及西方人幻想中的東方世界。作品2047.7 的木箱生產於 1940 年代，當時剛好國共內戰、新中國成立，國民黨退守台灣等歷史事件。行李箱載著不同的故事，見證了變化中的人生、希望和絕望。透過古物，一種時空交錯讓我們與那個時代發生一些交集，讓我們體驗歷史，參與歷史。

現在港澳都處於後殖民地時期，政權的交替，大家都有不同的立場及觀點。在社會尚未就未來發展達成共識底下，自然會產生很多討論。就近年的一些社會運動，很多問題被提出，每個人都不斷地尋找屬於自己的答案。大家都希望尋找各自的伊甸園，而我也在描繪我理想中的伊甸園，一個沒有國界、沒有種族、甚至沒有人類的樂土。

THE WORKS

2047.12

ink on tea-dyed paper 茶葉染色紙, 墨 39x54cm 2017

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2047.3

ink on pine wood 松木, 墨 30x60x2.2cm 2017

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2047.7

ink on wooden briefcase & paper, LED light 木箱, 描圖紙, 墨, 發光二極管燈 31.5x49x20.7 cm 2017

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2047.7 (inside)

tracing paper, ink 描圖紙, 墨 30x47cm 2017

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2047.8

ink on tea-dyed paper 茶葉染色紙,墨 16x71cm 2017

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2047.9

ink on tea-dyed paper 茶葉染色紙,墨 16x71cm 2017

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2047.11

ink on tea-dyed paper 茶葉染色紙,墨 17.2x54cm 2017

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2047.14

ink on tea-dyed paper 茶葉染色紙,墨 13x54cm 2017

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2047.13

ink on pine wood 松木, 墨 17x30x2.2cm 2017

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2047.6

ink on tea-dyed paper 茶葉染色紙,墨 28x27cm 2017

2047.10

ink on tea-dyed paper 茶葉染色紙,墨 18x18cm 2017 17

ARTIST Eric Fok Hoi Seng Born in 1990, Macau Currently lives and works in Macau Education 2013 Bachelor of Visual Art, Fine Arts/Art Education, Macao Polytechnic Institute Selected Exhibitions Solo

2017 ‘Far East Chronicle’, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong 2016 ‘Change of Times – Solo Exhibition by Eric Fok’, Nam Van Anim’ Arte, Macau ‘Landfall – Works by Eric Fok’, AFA, Macau 2014 ‘Paraíso’, Arte Periférica Gallery, Portugal ‘Paradise: Solo Exhibition by Eric Fok’, Rui Cunha Foundation Gallery, Macau

Group 2017 Art Taichung 2017, Millennium Hotel Taichung, Taiwan ‘Art of Living’, Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore 2016 Swab Barcelona Art Fair, Barcelona, Spain ‘Paperscapes’, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong Young Art Taipei 2016, Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan 2015 ‘Trace Element - Macau Contemporary Art Now’, Galerie Ora-Ora, Hong Kong; KCAA, Beijing ‘Anno Caprum’, The Venetian Macao Lagoon, Macau 18

2014 ‘Conforming to Vicinity – A Cross-strait four-region Artistic Exchange Project 2014’, Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong ‘Conforming to Vicinity – A Cross-strait four-region Artistic Exchange Project 2014’, Museum, Shenzhen, China ‘Conforming to Vicinity – A Cross-strait four-region Artistic Exchange Project 2014’, seum, Taipei ‘Conforming to Vicinity – A Cross-strait four-region Artistic Exchange Project 2014’, Museum, Macau ‘FEBRE – 15 Artists Contemporãneos De Macau’, Museu Do Oriente, Portugal ‘Hong Kong & Macao Illustrations’, The Macao Museum of Art, Macau 2013 ‘Bologna Illustrators Exhibition 2013’, Bologna, Italy ‘Forma & Innocence – Contemporary Sculpture Macau Exhibition’, The Macau Museum of Art, Macau ‘New York New York - The Colorful New York Art Journey’, MGM, Macau 2012 ‘AFA Autumn Salon 2012’, Oriente Foundation, Macau

University Hexiang Ning Art Pingtung Art MuHandover Gifts

Awards

2014 Selected in Taiwan 2014 International Art Competition 2013 Selected in 50th BOLOGNA Illustration Exhibition Selected in CHINA 2013 Art Nove Selected in ‘Western Paintings’ group, XXXIX The Artist Collective Exhibition of Macau 2012 Plastic Arts Award, Oriente Foundation’s collection, Oriente Foundation, Macau Selected in ‘Western Paintings’ group, XXVIII The Artist Collective Exhibition of Macau

Collections

Museum of the Orient, Portugal University Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong Macau Government Headquarters Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macau SAR Macau Museum of Art Oriente Foundation, Macau MGM Cotai, Macau Private Collections (U.S.A. Las Vegas, Italy, Britain, Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong)

藝術家霍凱盛 1990年澳門出生現生活並居住於澳門學歷 2013 澳門理工學院視覺藝術系（教育專業）學士展覽擇錄個展 2017 「遠東誌」，香港凱倫偉伯畫廊 2016 「香山嶴里巴」第四屆澳門文學節，澳門南灣舊法院大樓「物換星移」霍凱盛作品展，澳門南灣•雅文湖畔 2014 「Paraíso」，葡萄牙Arte Periférica畫廊「樂園」霍凱盛作品展，澳門官樂怡基金會

聯展

2017 「台中藝術博覽會」，台灣台中日月千禧酒店「Art of Living博覽會」，新加坡Marina Bay Sands Expo 2016 「Swab Barcelona藝術博覽會」，西班牙巴塞隆拿Fira Barcelona 「風景如紙」，香港凱倫偉伯畫廊「Young Art Taipei 2016」，台灣台北喜來登大飯店 2015 「微元素－澳門當代藝術進行時系列展」，香港Ora-Ora畫廊「遊-心-城」作品展，澳門葡萄牙領事官邸

2014 「因地制宜—第六屆兩岸四地藝術交流計劃」，台灣屏東美術館「因地制宜—第六屆兩岸四地藝術交流計劃」，澳門回歸賀禮陳列館「因地制宜—第六屆兩岸四地藝術交流計劃」，中國深圳何香凝美術館「因地制宜—第六屆兩岸四地藝術交流計劃」，香港大學美術館 2013 「2013義大利波隆那插畫展」，意大利波隆那展覽館「形相天真」澳門當代雕塑展」，澳門藝術博物館「NEW YORK NEW YORK」紐約藝術色彩之旅，澳門美高梅酒店 2012 「第二十八屆全澳書畫聯展」，澳門民政總署畫廊

獎項

2014 台灣2014年國際藝術家評選賽入選 2013 意大利波隆那國際插畫展入選中國2013年青年藝術100入選「第二十九屆全澳書畫聯展」西畫組入選澳門「東方基金會藝術大獎」「澳門視覺藝術年展」十優作品 2012 澳門「東方基金會榮譽獎」「第二十八屆全澳書畫聯展」西畫組入選

葡萄牙東方博物館香港大學美術館澳門政府總部澳門文化局澳門藝術博物館東方基金會(澳門) 澳門美獅美高梅私人收藏於(美國拉斯維加斯、英國、意大利、葡萄牙、新加坡、中國、澳門、香港、台灣) 21

KARIN WEBER GALLERY Established in 1999 by German-born Karin Weber and now in its 18th year, Karin Weber Gallery is one of Hong Kong’s oldest contemporary art galleries. Situated on Aberdeen Street, in the heart of SoHo, the gallery presents a year-round program of curated exhibitions, talks, and collector events. Karin Weber Gallery has been named by BLOUIN ARTINFO as one of ‘500 Best Galleries Worldwide’ for two consecutive years in 2015 and 2016. The gallery’s unique network of partners based in London, Mumbai and Berlin allows it to source emerging and established contemporary art from around the world. Karin Weber Gallery is equally passionate about presenting works by local artists. The gallery assists artists through exhibitions, art fairs, and residency programs throughout the world. Small in size, yet global in outlook, Karin Weber Gallery is one of Hong Kong’s truly international boutique galleries. 凱倫偉伯畫廊在1999年由德國的Karin Weber女士創立，今年踏入第18年，是香港其中一間最具歷史的當代藝術畫廊。畫廊位於蘇豪區鴨巴甸街，我們每年策劃不同的展覽、講座及活動給藏家參與。畫廊很榮幸獲選為2015及2016連續兩年BLOUIN ARTINFO「全球500最佳畫廊」。我們的合夥人於倫敦、孟買和柏林有辦事處，使我們能夠幾乎遍布世界各地為客戶提供服務並蒐尋新晉和有豐富經驗的藝術家。我們熱愛把香港本地的藝術推介給全球的藏家。我們畫廊代表的藝術家通過藝術博覽會，與其他畫廊的交流，還有駐留計畫發展自己的事業。面積雖不大，但放眼全球，凱倫偉伯畫廊是香港真正國際化的精品畫廊之一。