LINE 笔。墨。纵。横 (1994-2014), Hong Zhu An

Line (1994-2014)

笔。墨。纵。横 Hong Zhu An

Line (1994-2014)

笔。墨。纵。横 Hong Zhu An

Foreword

by Jazz Chong, Director Ode to Art

Soft flowing movement and hard gripped swipes that clutch to paper, leaving trails and bold strokes full of motion and emotion tripping along the page, bursting with movement, life and meaning. Calligraphy breathes structured irregularities, like a dancer performing interpretative symbols; and just like the dancer, it is the symbol that speaks for itself, rendering the conceptual from its very form, writing lyrical screeds without words. As a man and artist who has immersed himself in the art of the unspoken, allowing meaning to emerge from within its own confines, it is no wonder that for Hong Zhu An, it all begins with the line.

For Hong Zhu An, Calligraphy is far more than a practice; it is knowledge, it is discipline, it is philosophy- it is heritage. Through his lines, he expresses a lifetime of dedication, through his materials, he channels the spirit of the East; through his colours he articulates inexplicable emotion, through his composition he encompasses the philosophy of serenity and peace.

With a lifetime of scholarly readings and the penetrative study of virtually every art form that was available to him, the artist has moulded his journey into an exposition of art itselfchannelling every medium within his medium.

Taking elements from every learning, the artist eventually took to his roots- the line; and yet, it no longer remained just so. The line had now transformed, meandering on rice paper among fields of blocked colour, emerging from within layers, forming words that hold meaning beyond that of semantic logic.

ing to form art that surpasses superficial measure. It goes without saying that twenty years’ worth of Hong Zhu An’s oeuvre makes not only for monumental art, but for the portrait of a monumental artist.

It is this journey, this flow of conceptual and aesthetic, and this parallel reflection that I invite you to today. Imbued with the very philosophy that defines the artist himself, ‘Line’, or 笔，墨，纵，横 (closely translated to Brush, Ink, Vertical, Horizontal) is a tale within itself, that descends from individual but spans to a multitude- resonating to emotion held within every and each. Through his decades of introspection, dedication and unfaltering perseverance, this retrospective holds the essence of not only the artist, but of humanity itself; cradling its frailty, celebrating its spirit, and exalting its undying strive for the sublime.

I invite you to experience for yourself the tranquil reflection that is the art of Hong Zhu An; extracting an introspection that promises to remain with you long and far after you have walked the metaphysical line.

Through his years of practice, this transformation has driven forward unceasingly, with minimalistic tranquillity moving into explosions of colour, from bold strokes to smouldering layers of inked nerves, from shadowed ambiguity to enlightening illumination. The ebb and flow of his works, tinged with the undying spirit of transformation, forms ample reflection of the man behind it; running parallel to a life spent striving for calm transcendence, and intersectHONG ZHU AN

3

Artist Statement Hong Zhu An

“To me, art is nothing without study. One can practice and practice, but his creation will still want for something, if the scholarly is not present. My pursuit of skill has been based firmly on this. I have studied Calligraphy for decades, along with the study of Eastern and Western canvas, sculpture, ceramics and textile; and there are elements of every study that I have incorporated into my art.

Calligraphy is something I could say is almost impossible for anyone to understand completely- even after my studies, I cannot grasp the full extent of its complexity. However, it forms the base for the flow of my chi, or energy, which differs with the energy every calligrapher holds and feels. While the colours and composition of my art may concur with Western elements, I believe it ultimately resonates the emotion of the East, which is an integral part of me I can never isolate. The feel of my art will always be distinctly Eastern.

4

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

The philosophy that has carried me through the years is one of acceptance, calm and embracing change. Change is everything; and accepting it an equal and opposite necessity. It is a deep notion that is nestled within the very heart of every one of my works.

Study, Discipline, Emotion and Philosophy.

These are the elements of my art.”

Line Written by Kwok Kian Chow

Ink is more than a medium. It should be regarded as an art form or even a culture. The usual art category of period, movement, school, medium or aesthetic circle does not work here.

Not least because the ink culture gestated over a very long period of time – more than one millennium – and yet its engagement with global art discourse in recent decades has been, in contrast, dramatically abridged.

nessed terminologies like Modern Ink Painting, Experimental Ink Painting, Abstract Ink Painting, New Literati Art, Conceptual Ink, etc. Like in most art terms, the large amount of literature associated with the terms, supporting, questioning, taking positions for or against, eventually form a dynamic critical discourse which in turn render the terms themselves rather inadequate, if not sometimes misleading.

We are in need of new vocabulary in dealing with the contemporary ink culture. Hence, to approach the topic of ink these days, we should not just discuss within the framework of any conventional classification pertaining to art medium, a set of aesthetic characteristics or even an art historical period.

Some of us prefer to appreciate and analyse the concrete works, individual artists, or smaller groups of works. This may be proven more fulfilling. However, ink continues to be a cultural phenomenon necessitating clarification, as it represents a meeting of paradigms, cultural practices and philosophy. Ink offers fresh angles to aesthetic inquiry and art history in transcultural spaces, sometimes more productively so in international locales.

The discussion is made further complicated by identity politics. One could passionately associate ink as a marker or signifier of nationalism or even a certain zealous cultural centrism.

And it could be for the same reasons that the medium is biased against in any critical assessment, even before the discussion could go indepth into art history, aesthetics and possibilities in ink painting.

Such responses, on both sides of the spectrum, do not adequately take into consideration the diversity, vitality and important explorations by individual ink artists, or the significance of ink tradition and potentials in longue durée history, nor ink’s concrete engagements with modern and contemporary art historiography.

There are also the issues of the sites of practice and of reception, which materialise in a great variety of geographical locations with varying transnational and local contexts. The interplay of “Chinese art” and locales outside this geopolitical circle, such as Singapore and Sydney, invokes different positioning of ink as a cultural signifier.

During the last three decades we have wit-

Neither is ink pertaining to just painting or two-dimensional work. An ink work could be three-dimensional, durational, performative, ephemeral and of course, textual, given ink painting’s close if not interchangeable affiliation with calligraphy.

The exhibition, Line, featuring recent works by the Singapore-based ink artist Hong Zhu An is an excellent occasion to attempt a conceptual in-road into the ink phenomenon. A geographical distance can be very revealing on approaches one takes towards heritage and tradition, bypassing immediacies of geopolitics.

Originally from Shanghai, Hong moved to Sydney, Australia in that momentous year of 1989.

Subsequently, in 1993, he moved to Singapore. His association with formal art education includes Shanghai Art and Craft Institute, Sichuan Art Academy, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, LaSalle College of the Arts, and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Most of these are not institutions of traditional HONG ZHU AN

5

ink pedagogy.

A theory of media is in fact a theory of art, said Boris Groys, the media theorist and philosopher. Groys explained that, from Cubism onwards, the history of avant-garde art has been about the destruction of the surface of art, so as to “show what is behind.” Fragmentation, therefore, is a key word to understanding art theory.i Presumably then that this process of assigning what was hidden to the forth, is exactly the process of the media, that is, to transform and to transmit, and to document the interchanging layering of materiality and signs; in other word, a process of deconstruction.

What Hong Zhu An has done, in fact, is the reverse. He has intentionally made the otherwise translucent rice paper opaque; making the paper the first layer or treatment of his artwork so that his work will be densely constructed upon through multiple layers of pigments of varying permeation.

To a painting tradition that has always been about the interrelation of ink, brush and rice paper and setting them in a non-hierarchical relation, Hong’s fragmentation is not taken at the physical or material level. It is a fragmentation of the convention of the interlacing elements.

Groys’ theory of media, on the other hand, remains valid. One way of characterising contemporary ink art (to facilitate a discussion on the ink phenomenon, here I choose a generic term to encompass the various terminologies mentioned above) is to think of the critique of traditional media in ink, so as to isolate and realign or reorganise elements of ink media in creating new expressions.

Because ink art has such a long history, along with a vigorous body of theory and system of 6

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

aesthetic value, the ink phenomenon we see today is unique in the world of visual arts for its variety of forms and expressions, and yet centripetally centred in the core medium of ink or an “ink culture”.

From the perspective of art material or medium as tools or channels of expression, the focus on ink seems narrow if not constricted. From the perspective of ink as encompassing lineages of ink values, discourse and culture, an embodiment of identity politics in the challenges of the postmodern world, it is a fertile platform for articulations and innovations.

It is for the lack of critical vocabulary in the course of ink art’s engagement with global art discourses in the past three decades, attempts to characterise variants of ink expressions ended up with coupling of contemporary ink with terms such as cubism, expressionism, abstraction, folk, ecology, urban, etc.

Needless to say, “abstraction” is the largest category. It is also stating with such background and caution that we can speak of Hong Zhu An’s art as “abstract” although this term may not be explaining much. In a sense, the entire ink tradition is “abstract”.

Something else is at play here – the text. One of the key debates in the contemporary Chinese ink discourse is whether a division may be foregrounded between the calligraphic expression, or an art work that is “written”, and the painterly expression, or an art work that is “painted”.

This problematic is further couched in the deliberation if the supremacy of brush-and-ink should remain to be so, and if yes, how further to develop which. Supporting the paradigm but not without problematizing its contemporary ramifications in a global multicultural context are scholars like Lang Shaojun 郎紹君，Liu Xiaochun刘骁纯 and Pi Daojian皮道坚. The po-

sition is generally known as the theory of the centrality of brush-and-ink.

Incidentally Hong Zhu An has Brush, Ink, Verticality, Horizontality 笔，墨，纵，横 as the Chinese title of his exhibition. The English title is simply Line. This contrast is itself an attempt to negotiate the translation so as to avoid mis-reading. Wassily Kandinsky famously said that “the original source of every line remains the same – the force.”ii If he also mentioned qi (ch’i) “energy force”, the term “line” would have allowed a reading closer to Brush, Ink, Verticality, Horizontality.

The related question of text and calligraphy is critical. The calligraphy discourse is an equally energetic one. What may be argued along the lines of ink art forms from painting to performance art, or idioms from cubism to expressionism, will find parallel in the calligraphy discussion.

Herein lies, in fact, the centrality of text. This is key in looking at Hong Zhu An’s art. The text, or the written characters, no longer exist based on their semantics or dissertation; not even literary relevance or bibliographical reference. They are randomly written characters.

Hong Zhu An’s works are very well sought after in Singapore. A coveted reception, at a site outside China where many among the audience do not in fact read Chinese, speaks volume about the power of calligraphy and how the interplay of the calligraphic and the pictorial further heighten the vitality of ink aesthetics.

Finally, let me return to the question of identity.

As observed by Quah Sy Ren and Chen Le, the word “identity” has two common translations in Chinese. One is shenfen 身份 and the other, rentong 认同. These two versions are not exactly interchangeable. Shenfen is more of a noun, whereas rentong a verb. The noun indicates a set of attributes that make up identity.

The verb is an action, a process, of reflexivity on these attributes. iii The politics that ink painting portrays or facilitates is the endless loop between shenfen and rentong. In looking at Hong Zhu An’s ink works, one could reinforce shenfen but only to also realize its instability at the level of the movements (Kandinsky’s force) and texture.

One could, on the other hand, perform an act of rentong, only to marvel at the richness of tradition and the attending celebration of identity.

The line is a thin one.

The text merges with the pictorial (itself a response to the brush-and-ink debate), with the written words looking like images and images appearing as text. The words have “no meaning” in the usual expectation of written text.

Observe in particular the Testament series works (I, III and IV). In these works the commanding singular brushstrokes rendered decisively vertically or horizontally across the canvas are more calligraphic than the written text within the same composition. The latter serves more as graphic or pictorial elements. Such is the switch, like a powerful twist of the wrist just before a punch is delivered, in capturing the dynamism of contemporary ink aesthetics.

i Siegfried Zielinski & Boris Groys, Thinking Media and the Man-Machine Relations (European Graduate School Video Lecture), 2014, youtube.com, accessed 29 October 2014. ii Wassily Kandinsky, Point and Line to Plane: Contribution to the Analysis of the Pictorial Elements, 1947 (Archive.org/details/pointlinetoplane, accessed 29 October 2014).

柯思仁 (Quah Sy Ren) & 陈乐，文学批评关键词 (南洋人文丛书)，Nanyang Technological University & Global Publishing, Singapore, 2005, pp 199 – 200.

iii

HONG ZHU AN

7

Beyond the Line Ode to Art Director Jazz Chong delves into the depths of the inscrutable Hong Zhu An in an intimate conversation about Life, Art, and of course, the Line.

JC: Thank you for being here today; it has been a pleasure to work with you all these years. For the benefit of our readers, would you mind giving us a small introduction to yourself?

HZA: I was born in the year 1955 in Shanghai, China.

I was born into a family of Calligraphers and have been creating art since I was 4 years old. My formal education was at the Shanghai Art & Craft Institute, China, (1973 – 1976) where I also had the chance to study under the famous art scholar Wang Zidou. I had the benefit of being trained in both Eastern and Western Art styles and after graduating, I went on to lecture at the same college as an assistant professor for 6 years. (1976 – 1989). I later received my Master of Arts from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia at LaSalle-SIA College of Arts, Singapore (1997).

I am now a full time artist and enjoy painting abstract art with, of course, calligraphic influence.

JC: Your works often radiate strong emotion and a disciplined dedication of skill; would you say that art has always been your passion?

HZA: Yes, it has always been my passion and I always wanted to be an artist- although the road has not been easy. As I mentioned, my family is one of artists and calligraphers who have influenced me from a very young age; you could say that art runs in my blood. I have been creating art since I was 4 years old and at age 16, I was learning and practicing calligraphy. Through my years of studying, teaching and practicing, my passion has driven me to explore every kind of medium, from ceramic, to water colour, to bronze sculpting- even fashion design and textile!

When I was not creating art, I was studying it.

I believe the study and analysis of an art form is as integral a part of developing your passion as is the actual practice.

JC: To every great artist, there is a backstory of passion and persistence. How did you find your journey to success?

HZA: I have always been certain that my ultimate satisfaction would be in creating art full time. How-

8

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

ever, the journey towards this riddled with many highs and lows. I left China in 1989 in the midst of the political turmoil taking over the nation and settled in Australia, where I spent my time as a portrait artist. While this was a mentally challenging period of time, it helped cultivate my self-belief as an artist as I quickly gained popularity and had people lining up and paying high prices to be painted by me.

The true turning point for me was when I left Australia after 4 years and chanced upon Singapore. I say chanced upon because it was truly a matter of coincidence that I stopped by Singapore and happened to see the UOB painting competition in the papers.

I submitted my entry on a whim and was shocked and ecstatic when I was announced as the grand prize winner. This was when I decided to take the step into pursuing art full time.

It has been a long and difficult journey and I would say it is not a road easily taken. However, the satisfaction of achieving your dream is immeasurable.

JC: How would you say your journey has influenced your work as an artist?

HZA: My work is completely influenced by my personal journey, and every piece is reflective of emotion or memory. I prefer my art to have a meditative expression rather than a direct message- where people are able to delve into the emotional atmosphere it creates and decipher for themselves what could lie behind it. My work’s greatest influence is a mixture of academics and emotion. Academically, I believe skill should speak for itself; emotionally, however, I would like the audience to speak for themselves. One noticeable progression in my art I could put my finger on is my move from darker colours to lighter, more illuminated hues. This is perhaps reflective of the progression of my personal journey as well.

JC: Apart from your experiences, has there been any one person or people to have inspired your Art as well?

HZA: My greatest influences have always been my family- my grandfather and brother were also ardent and disciplined calligraphers. Apart from that, I have

trained under the prestigious art scholar Wang Zidou and also studied under Professor Huang Wei Yi in the Sichuan Art Academy, China. My years as an apprentice were very difficult but I am grateful for them as they pushed me to achieve more and more, while balancing the practice and study of art.

JC: Your art often carries so much depth and complexity, that it renders many at a loss of words to find an apt description.

How would you describe your style in your own words?

HZA: My art is abstract; it carries no particular form and is not figuratively representative. However, my language of expression is calligraphy and colour.

Calligraphy is something I hold very close to my heart, and I would say that every work of mine begins with the line; it is always about the line. The use of lines and colour is what breathes life into my art, creating an atmospheric expression that communicates though feeling rather than definitive imagery.

I believe certain works have been able to evoke sadness or happiness- simply through the melding of colour and stroke stemming from my own mind frame.

My style also incorporates a lot of philosophy, and is layered in depth that often develops over time. Each time you look at a work, it will say something different or something more to you. It encourages people to linger and lose themselves in the artistic language, finding their own meanings and reflections.

JC: Your methodology, colours and form come together as a very unique style of Ink or Abstract Painting. What made you decide upon this particular art tangent?

HZA: I have explored a lot of art in my time; from western techniques to Eastern, from painting to sculpting to woodwork or even textile. But every artist yearns to find their calling- the medium that makes their art sing. To me, this medium was Ink and Rice Paper. Bringing together my heritage of Chinese Calligraphy and my penchant for expressing through colour, this medium has offered me the platform I so desired to communicate through the abstract. I have experimented with strokes and lay-

ering, using thinner papers and thicker- and each has given me new insight on manners of expressing, and a scope for innovation which drives me till today.

I focus on the abstract because it has the ability to contain unprecedented depth. It lets me express and yet, allows every viewer to take their own meaning and immerse themselves in the process.

I have developed this technique as my own, and it brings me great satisfaction to be able to express myself through it.

JC: Your art truly makes for a magnificent oeuvre. However, has there ever been an artwork you created that has stood out above the rest?

HZA: Yes, most definitely. There was a dream that I had one night, where I dreamt of a beautiful golden tree that, astoundingly, did not have leaves, but fish dangling from its branches. I woke up in wonder and rushed to tell my mother, who told me that it was an auspicious dream. I began painting it almost immediately and it has never left my memory. It now hangs in my home. I also remember my UOB Painting Competition winner Artwork Yi Er San (1 2 3), as it will always remind me of the significant moment in my life where my fortunes began to turn for the better.

JC: Having reached a precipice of artistic recognition, what reflections would you have to offer on the struggles of being an artist?

HZA: To say it is challenging to be an artist is an understatement; it is a very difficult path that takes a lot out of you. It is a profession that requires relentless discipline, practice and study and all the while, maintaining the mental strength to carry your passion to the elusive place of enough recognition to make a living. I only sold my first real piece of art after the age of 40. Externally, there is constant competition and a pressure to maintain your unique perspective of art. Internally, there is a constant struggle towards innovation and betterment within the artist.

It goes without saying, however, that the benefits

HONG ZHU AN

9

are overwhelming. The creative satisfaction of living your passion is a satisfaction seldom achieved. It is a feeling of peace and growth that pushes you to keep creating, to keep exploring. Being collected in museums and art institutions is a great moment for any artist, and it is at moments like these that an artist is absolved- his journey feels worth every step.

But considering all the highs and lows, I would perhaps not recommend it for my children (laughs). I would rather they expressed their art through architecture or design.

JC: How have you enjoyed your time in Singapore so far, and how would you say the city has influenced you?

HZA: I believe that Singapore as a country contains a lot of space for art appreciation. My very first expedition in Singapore allowed me such an artistic welcome that I have been unable to leave it since. I believe the city suits my temperament in more ways than one. I prefer silence and solitude and Singapore, to me, is a very calm place with very peaceful people. It is a wonderful place to build a home in and I have been very happy here.

Professionally, the city opened not only my eyes, but a world of opportunity to me that I will always be grateful for. That my particular brand of abstract art is so welcomed and understood by the people here not only given me the platform to manifest my dream, but has encouraged me to continue innovating and developing as an artist.

JC: My experience has told me that you are an artist that refuses to stop learning and growing. Are there any new artistic excursions could we expect in the near future?

HZA: (Laughs) Thank you. Yes, as an artist, it is very hard for me to remain stagnant and I find myself exploring more and more every day, with my mind open to challenge, inspiration and innovation. I have recently been experimenting with textile and different kinds of rice papers, enjoying the discovery of the effects of a familiar medium on new canvases.

However, my life philosophy is one of acceptance and calm. Considering this, I will follow every step that is to come in my artistic journey without much

10

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

planning or expectation; I will take whatever inspiration may come to me, and express it to the best of my skill and emotion.

JC: On that note, where or when could our readers expect to be viewing your artwork?

HZA: This year, I may take up an Artist Residency at a prominent art organization in Bali and thus, may not be present in Singapore myself. However, post my display at the Singapore Art Fair 2014, my next solo show is expected to take place in 2015 at Ode to Art. Needless to say, I look forward to every exhibition, and remain humble to every individual that may understand or share in the expression of my artwork. I am grateful every day.

Testament (I), 2014 120 x 185cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

12

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

13

Wind And Rain, 2014 155 x 120cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

14

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

15

Testament (III), 2014 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

16

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Testament (IV), 2014 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

17

Regeneration (I), 2014 125 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

18

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Regeneration (II), 2014 125 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

19

Past And Present (I), 2013 100 x 160cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

20

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

21

Past And Present (II), 2013 116 x 185cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

22

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

23

Past And Present (III), 2013 155 x 116cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

24

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

25

26

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Memory of a Dream, 2013 125 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

27

Leisure, 2013 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

28

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Crimson Bamboo, 2013 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

29

Morning Dew, 2013 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

30

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Ink Bamboo, 2013 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

31

Ancient Thoughts, 2013 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

32

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Fields of Blossoms, 2013 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

33

Mesmerize, 2011 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

34

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Melody, 2011 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

35

36

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Homecoming, 2011 110 x 126cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

37

Encounter (II), 2011 61 x 85cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

38

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

39

Scenic, 2010 105 x 125cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

40

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Musings, 2009 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

41

Wind, 2008 185 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

42

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

43

Scarcity of Stars, 2008 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

44

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Introspection, 2008 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

45

Confidant, 2008 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

46

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Under the Moon, 2007 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

47

Quiet Emptiness, 2006 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

48

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

49

Synergy 1, 2005 105 x 185cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

50

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Synergy 2, 2005 105 x 185cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

51

Ancient Melody, 2005 125 x 185cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

52

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

53

Timeless, 2004 185 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

54

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Spring Dew, 2004 115 x 185cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

55

56

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Poetry in motion, 2004 185 x 125cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

57

Odyssey, 2004 185 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

58

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

59

Noble Spirit, 2004 105 x 185cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

60

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

61

Sea, 2004 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

62

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Memory, 2004 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

63

Dance, 2004 105 x 185cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

64

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

65

Autumn Field, 2004 185 x 10cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

66

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

A Gentle Breeze, 2004 185 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

67

Autumn Fall, 2004 185 x 115cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

68

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Colours of Autumn, 2004 185 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

69

Foot Prints, 2004 185 x 115cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

70

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

71

Water, 2003 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

72

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Emerald Shadow, 2003 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

73

Encounter 1, 2003 185 x 43cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

74

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

HONG ZHU AN

75

76

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Cloud & Moon, 2001 185 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

77

Obscure, 1999 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

78

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

Reminiscence, 1999 105 x 105cm, Ink & colour on rice paper

HONG ZHU AN

79

Biography Hong Zhu An

Chinese born Hong Zhu An (b. 1955) is one of the finest artists in Singapore today. Trained under the famous art scholar Wang Zidou at the Shanghai Art and Craft Institute, the artist is proficient in both Chinese and Western Art. Painting in acrylic and ink, his works exude a serenity and energy that calms the mind and offers insightful abstract interpretation alongside enchanting visuals. Constantly rising in both skill and prestige, he has exhibited his works in South East Asia, the USA and Australia and has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the UOB Painting of the Year ‘Grand Award’. His works have been collected by major institutions such as the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the Singapore Art Museum.

Awards 1994

UOB Painting of the Year Grand Award, Singapore

1988

The Best 100, The National Ink Painting Competition, China

Solo Exhibitions 2015

Line: 1994-2014 , Ode To Art, Singapore

2014

Line: 1994- 2014, Singapore Art Fair, Ode To Art

2013 The Limitless Void - Private Museum Singapore 2012 Ascetic Serenity, Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore 2011

Inner Dawning, Ode To Art, Singapore

2009 Intrepid Heart, Naked Soul, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Singapore 2008 Reflections on a Long Journey, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong 2006 A Deep Breath of Life, Art 2 Gallery, Singapore New Exuberance, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong Ten Years of Painting (1996 – 2006) Paintings for Sale by Silent Auction, YADDO Art, Windsor Ballroom, The Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore2008 2005

New Directions, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong KongBali Escapade – Recent Paintings by Hong Zhu An, iPreciation Pte Ltd, Singapore

2004

Going Forward , Plum Blossoms Gallery, New York, USA

2003 A Long Journey, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong KongFluid Transitions, The Esplanade, Singapore

82

LINE

笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 )

2002

2001

Ancient Hues, Plum Blossoms Gallery, New York, USAAncient Hues, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Massachusetts, USA The Color of Memory, Plum Blossoms Gallery, New York, USA

2000

Field of Virtue, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Singapore Field of Virtue, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong

1997

RMIT Master of Arts Graduate Exhibition, LaSalle Gallery, LaSalle-SIA College of The Arts, Singapore

1996 The Essence of Art, Art Forum, Singapore 1995

UOB The Painting of the Year Winners’ Exhibition, UOB Plaza, SingaporeEast – West: Abstraction Meets Calligraphy, The Substation, Singapore

1987

Hong Zhu An – Exhibition, National Art Museum Shanghai, China

Corporate and Public Collections The Singapore Art Museum The National Art Museum, Philippines The Newark Museum, New York, USA The Spencer Museum, New York, USA The Princeton University Museum, New York, USA The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, USA The Oxford University Museum, UK The National Gallery, Tel Aviv, Israel The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore Singapore AirlinesThe National Library, Singapore The Peninsula Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand The Grand Plaza Hotel, Singapore Raffles, The Plaza, Singapore Fullerton Hotel, Singapore Langham Southgate Melbourne Hotel, Australia LaSalle SIA College of the Arts, Singapore National Institute of Education, Singapore United Overseas Bank, Singapore Credit Suisse First Boston, Singapore Deutsche Bank and Deutsche Asset Management, Singapore Goldman Sachs, Singapore McKinsey & Company, Singapore Wheelock Properties (Singapore) Ltd, Singapore Fidelity Investments, Singapore SC Global Development Ltd, Singapore Coutts Bank, Singapore Kheng Leong Co (Pte) Ltd, Singapore

HONG ZHU AN

83

HONG ZHU AN LINE 笔 。墨 。纵 。横 ( 1 9 9 4 - 2 0 1 4 ) First published 2014 Ode To Art Raffles City 252 North Bridge Road, Raffles City Shopping Centre, #01-36E/F, Singapore 179103 T +65 6250 1901 F +65 6250 5354 Ode To Art Kuala Lumpur 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, The Pavilion, #06-24E/F, Kuala Lumpur 55100, Malaysia Tel: +603 2148 9816 Fax: +603 2142 6816 info@odetoart.com odetoart.com © Ode To Art 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Measurements of artworks are given in centimeters Printed and bound in Singapore