HONG KONG.- Four master ink painters Lin Hong, Lu Heng, Liu Zhan and Du Yongping – considered as great ink painters of the Shanghai school – are staging a major art exhibition together for the first time. On view at the 4/F Exhibition Hall of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, this is also the first-ever exhibition of their works in Hong Kong.

Widely celebrated as the major contemporary ink painters from the Shanghai School, their works also display marked individual styles in terms of inherited traditions and innovations. This is their first-ever group show as well as the first time their works are staged in Hong Kong. Featuring over 80 artpieces, this exhibition showcases the strength as well as quality of the Shanghai school ink painting. Their works cover a wide range of subjects including garden flowers and birds, figures, landscapes as well as still life. As such, these paintings demonstrate the ‘energy and rhythmic spirituality’ and ‘painterly expressiveness’ of Chinese ink paintings, as well as the ‘all-embracing yet subtle’ quality typical in Shanghai School arts and culture.

Among the four artists, Lu Heng and Liu Zhan are the son of Lu Yanshao and the daughter of Liu Haishu. Lu learnt painting with his father and naturally inherited Lu’s painting style. His masterpiece The Gorges does full justice to the place, while his work is marked by its originality and sophisticated techniques. Liu Zhan began studying art since 1964, with the strength of Liu’s work in natural landscape, figures, flowers and birds. Marked by her refreshing and poetic style, her work Celestial Scent depicts the peony with such naturalness. Emphasising the stamen of the flower, the artist brings the flower as well as its girl-like innocence and elegance to life.

Known for his ink painting portraits, this exhibition features Lin Hong’s drama portraits as well as his recent works. Among these, his work Sunflowers stands out from the rest. The golden overtone of this colourful artpiece is combined with soft, delicate silhouettes, with layered complexity and rich imagery, making it a distinctive piece.

An emerging talent of the Shanghai school, Du Yong-ping is known for his classic, leisurely figures. He is excellent in capturing the gracefulness, purity and startlingly refreshing lotus scenes. Both artists register the value of tradition and yet seek to explore new territories. For example Hearing the Piano and Shadows can articulate the beliefs among the Chinese youths—something central to Chinese painting.

Wang Yisheng, General Manager of China (Hong Kong) Changjiang Cultural Arts Media Co. Ltd. that sponsored and curated the show, said: ‘The exhibition has the support of the four artists. Despite their age and experience, many of them have handpicked their favourite works for the show. Some of these artworks are bold and revolutionary, and their bold experimentation has led to surprising results. We hope that this exhibition can reinforce the exchange among artists from China and Hong Kong, and at the same time bring Hong Kong’s ink painting practice to completely new heights.