Melding abstraction with tradition

A painting that looks like a sparking electrical bolt - made not with an brush but by a whirling machine - and a seemingly traditional Chinese painting executed with acrylics are among the striking works at an exhibition called Reclaim, Manifest in 798 art district.

The show by four of China's most renowned abstract artists is "a breakout attempt by traditional Chinese culture in an increasingly Westernized country", said Li Lei, executive director of the Shanghai Art Museum, in a brochure that explains his Shang Hai Flower series.

The four artists are Meng Luding, Tan Ping, Jiang Dahai and Li Lei.

Meng is showing his recent Yuan Rate No 7, a huge pair of paintings that could be interpreted as an exploding universe or gigantic electrical bolt that was made by a machine he invented himself.

"The machine has a rotating platform where I can put my paints," Meng explained. "When the speed is high enough, the paint is thrown and creates countless droplets on the canvas - the result is amazing ".

Meng, who immigrated to the US in 1992, was a pioneer in the 85 art movement, which saw artists begin to embrace multiple art styles more than two decades ago.

Believing it is difficult nowadays to break through established styles of two-dimensional painting, Meng said he turned to painting with "the least human intervention".

"I want to show the dynamics of life through my Yuan Rate series," he said.

In contrast to such aggression and brightness, Jiang's paintings seem extremely calm. His works Cang, Dim and Hill are subtle transitions between colors, yet convey a strong message that draws audiences closer.

"Back 10 years ago when I was in Paris, I began to consider blending Western oil painting with traditional Chinese painting of water and mountains," said Jiang, who was born in Nanjing in 1949, lived and worked in Paris from 1986 to 2007, and is now an invited professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

"Then I found out a perfect media to achieve that - acrylics. By dissolving acrylics in water, I can create a distinct aura with an Oriental feeling."

For Peng Feng, the academic host of the exhibition, the highlight of this exhibition is different backgrounds of the four artists. "They lived and studied in four different countries while having a Chinese background, so it is interesting to compare their styles," Peng said.

In response to confusion expressed by some viewers about the messages in the paintings, Jiang reassured them that they "don't need to echo the painter's feelings".

"Painting is like music," he said. "Music is composed of notes, while painting is created by dots, lines and planes - when you hear beautiful music, you instantly like it although you don't know what it means. Abstract painting is like that. "

An art dealer agreed. "I don't know what they mean but I buy a lot of abstract paintings," she said. "I love this exhibition because it gives me a strong emotional impact."

Add: White Box Museum of Art, 798 Art District, No 2 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang district

Time: until Jan 27

Tel: 59784800

(China Daily 01/18/2010 page28)