Returning to Her Roots
ThoughtsonKangChunhui’sSoloExhibition(Excerpt)
Over the past several years, the word “innovative” has
been used countless times to describe “ink painting”, “finely detailed,
traditional Chinese painting” (in
Chinese, gongbi “工笔”,hereinafter referred to
as “gongbi”)and even “sculpture”. Such labelling of art is more easily
promotable, and more easily facilitates the logic of the market. However, at present, this trendy approach is
gradually dying down, and we are once again focusing our attention on the work
of art itself.
Kang Chunhui’s works don’t really follow the crowd and
represent an independent approach in today’s busy world of gongbi
painting. Her “Flowers the Whole Year”
series naturally attracted me because of
her use of roots of plants as the main component featured in these paintings.
Chunhui paints roots.
I imagine that in her eyes the repetitive quality and intertwining
nature of roots have their own distinctively aesthetic appeal.This moment is
the time at which we must find strength in the search for our roots. What we refer to as “ancient” and
“traditional” are not things of the past, but are an ongoing continuum into
eternity. Secondly, we must consider the
roots which give rise to our senses.At present, the spread of urbanization and
smog swept along by environmental pollution has stifled our six faculties of
sensory awareness, our “six roots of sensation”. These so-called six sensory faculties or “six
roots” are as follows: “Our eyes are the
sensory faculty which gives us our sense of sight; our ears are the sensory
faculty which gives us our sense of hearing; our nose gives us our sense of
smell; our tongue gives us our sense of taste; our body gives us the sensation
of touch; and our mental consciousness is the root of our thoughts. These roots which are able to give rise to
life are akin to the roots of plants and trees.
Plants and trees which have roots are able to grow trunks and branches.
Our cognition arises from our roots. Our six roots
give rise to our six levels of consciousness, in the same manner.”
Her new series of works, especially the “Root of Life”
series, takes her artistic creation to a new level. On the contrary, her style embodies an
unyielding spirit. She explained to us
that the concept of the “Root of Life” was inspired by the “Chapter on Letting
Things Be” (在宥篇) in Zhuangzi (庄子). Zhuangzi states, “All things flourish and
return to their roots. Each thing returns to its root without knowing that it
is doing so. All things are unevolved
and unaware, and thus remain throughout their existence. If they became aware
that they were returning to their roots, they would become separated from this
process. They do not seek to identify
it. They do not discern their true state
of being. Accordingly, things come into
existence spontaneously of their own accord.”
One may reflect on the deep meaning in this passage.
In this exhibition there is also a painting named
“Root of All Life Confrontationt” , a work which incorporates multimedia
components. The images in this painting come directly from the famous sculpture
“Lacoon and His Sons”.The sense of tragedy expressed in this work provides
insight into the aspirations of the artist, Kang Chunhui. Using the gongbi style of painting to convey
a sense of tragedy is a gamble, and requires substantial daring. The style of the painting should be
magnanimous and the artist must have the ability to successfully create such a
work.
This new group of Chunhui’s works, has in fact
inspired me to realize this. Moreover, her
use of color incorporates the color schemes of Xinjiang’s Kizil Grottoes, with
bright hues expressed in sedate tones, which considerably enhance the colors in
her works. The key point is that she has
not been crushed under the weight of classical relics. Kang Chunhui is indeed able to naturally
incorporate the essence of past artists in her own creations. She should indeed be congratulated on her
achievement!
Wu Hongliang
October 19, 2017
Wangjing District, BeijingR