FLOWER FIELDS AND LANDSCAPES
sees the return of Chinese contemporary artist Zhuang Hong Yi to REDSEA Gallery. This new solo exhibition further explores Zhuang’s popular flower bed creations, meticulously crafted from pieces of painted rice paper, bent and folded into tiny buds. For the first time in Singapore, a selection of sculptural pieces from his 5 elements series can also be seen, together with a body of new mixed media works, further exploring the realms of his trademark flower oeuvre. Combining his Chinese background with a Western aesthetic, Zhuang’s works bear the influence of his past as well as his present, a harmonious and captivating combination of two very different but complimentary worlds. The flower motif continues to dominate and permeate the works of Zhuang Hong Yi, of Chinese origin but based in Europe for many years. An important and powerful image in Chinese culture, carrying countless meanings and emotions, these flowers are a symbol of the world in which the artist finds himself creatively, one suspended between tradition and modernity. Meditations on colour, nature and form, all traditional Chinese aesthetics, the works consist of delicate pieces of painted rice paper, carefully folded and manipulated into hundreds of tiny buds to create highly seductive and tactile pieces.
This latest exhibition also showcases some previously unseen canvas works where the influence of Impressionism can be clearly identified. These pieces feature heavy and highly expressive impasto strokes, where colours fuse together and seep over a collage of unfolded rice paper flowers, giving the works a three-dimensional quality. This rich tapestry of colour and form is further enhanced by the distinctive wooden frames, which each feature six buckets of five litres of paint, taking approximately eight months to dry. These impressive and highly textured works draw the viewer in, immersing one into a world of vibrant colours and elaborate compositions. This change of direction is yet another example of how the artist is continuously pushing boundaries and venturing into new creative realms. Built upon Zhuang’s native country’s artistic traditions and boundaries, the five sculptural pieces that represent the five elements - metal, wood, water, earth and fire - are another example of the significant role played by ancestry in his artistic journey. Seen for the first time in Singapore, this collection of five sculptures are yet another nod to his cultural heritage. Textured and engaging, they embody the same seductive quality as his flower creations, drawing in the viewer and continuing the dialogue between traditional and contemporary art.
ABOUT ZHUANG HONG YI (Born 1962) Contemporary artist Zhuang Hong Yi is based in the Netherlands but was brought up in his native China. This combination of a Chinese heritage and European influence has been key in marking Zhuang’s works and developing his characteristic style. Embracing his present without losing his past, he attempts to define a sense of self that exists between the two. Zhuang enacts this personal struggle visually, vacillating between phases of controlled planning, emotional gesture and careful editing, creating pieces that represent beauty, sophistication and perfection. Having completed his studies at the Sichuan Fine Art Institute in China, Zhuang then turned to Europe and the Minerva Academy of Visual Arts in Groningen, The Netherlands. Here he pursued an artistic career free of all the restrictions and limitations of his traditional background, expressing himself more freely yet still very influenced by his ancestry. Whilst he has been in the West for many years, he still has strong ties with China, travelling regularly to Beijing where he also has a studio. Zhuang’s works have been exhibited extensively and are held in numerous esteemed public and private collections worldwide, from renowned museums such as the Groninger Museum (The Netherlands) where he has been the subject of multiple exhibitions, to the Venice Biennale (Italy) and a plethora on international galleries, from New York to Berlin, Miami to Sydney and London to Shanghai.
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Flowerbed ZHY099 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 140 x 500 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY101 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 200 x 250 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY115 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 120 x 280 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY107 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 120 x 280 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY110 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas Triptych, 3 panels 200cm x 60cm each
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Flowerbed ZHY104 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 120 x 210 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY109 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 135 x 135 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY106 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 135 x 135 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY114 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 120 x 150 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY091 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 120 x 150 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY086 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 120 x 150 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY085 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 120 x 150 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY083 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 90 x 90 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY088 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 90 x 90 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY089 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 90 x 90 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY108 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 160 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY098 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 90 x 70 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY113 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 90 x 70 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY105 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 70 x 90 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY102 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY100 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY077 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY103 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY066 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY074 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY068 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY065 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY025 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY024 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 60 x 60 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY111 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 40 x 40 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY112 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 40 x 40 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY117 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 40 x 40 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY116 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 40 x 40 cm
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Flowerbed ZHY119 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 40 x 40 cm
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Landscape ZHY094 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 250 x 200 cm
Landscape ZHY096 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 140 x 170 cm
Landscape ZHY097 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 130 x 130 cm
Landscape ZHY095 Rice paper and acrylic on canvas 110 x 90 cm
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