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Songs from the Highland

Works by Wang Yi Guang

Vernissage: 16 April 2009,   6:30pm - 8:30pm
Exhibition Continues: 17 April 2009 - 12 May 2009

Main Gallery, 21-31 Old Bailey Street, Central, Hong Kong

A Reflective Look at Life and the Modernisation of China’s Indigenous Regions.

Wang Yi Guang’s paintings provide a pictorial allegory that encapsulates the very essence of life. His highly imaginative oeuvre portrays the life and spirit of China’s highlands in soft, dreamy and illusory settings. It is with great pleasure that Schoeni Art Gallery presents Wang Yi Guang’s second solo exhibition with the gallery, Songs from the Highland.

As creative designer of the China Railway Construction Corporation, Wang Yi Guang has been able to travel to the most remote areas of China, gathering inspiration through experiencing the local cultures of Tibet and other minority groups. The breathtaking landscape of the region, and the unwavering optimism and peaceful life of its people are captured in his works, with young girls reminiscent to the “Feitian”, a Chinese mythological flying goddess, depicted in ornate indigenous costumes hovering along with their yaks. During his stay in Tibet, Wang was especially moved by the people’s love of nature and regard for animals, and through long observations and reflection, the artist traced his psychological journey into canvases, venturing deep into the imaginative and surreal realm.

On a closer look, the viewer will be able to notice traces of mechanical advancement and urbanisation behind the perfectly undisturbed dreamscapes created by the artist. Wang Yi Guang’s subtle inclusion of such elements, namely the railways, motorcycles, cars and roads, provides a sharp point of contrast that leaves viewers to reflect on. With the launch of the Qinghai-Tibet railway in 2006, the issue of urbanisation has been subjected to intense ethics debate throughout the world. Perhaps, Wang Yi Guang sets an open interpretation for us to judge whether the influences and consequences brought upon by these means of transport are for the better or worse, nonetheless his works convey a constant reminder for us about the value of nature and true spirit of life. The world has surely become a smaller place for us to live in with the help of technological developments, but in order to preserve a peaceful way of life, we must not forget that the true concern lies in mutual understanding and respect, as the artist has said: “To me, searching and selecting are vital when it comes to the study and examination of life. Painters should open their hearts and merge into life without any prejudice.”

Born in 1962, Wang Yi Guang has followed the footsteps of his renowned brother Wang Yi Dong, graduating with a master degree from the prestigious Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1990. Wang Yi Guang has participated in numerous exhibitions and has played a vital role in many of the Wide Road Fine Art Exhibition series, organised by China Railway Construction Corporation in collaboration with China’s Artists Association and the National Art Museum of China, to commemorate the honour and splendour of 100 years of China’s railway dream. In Songs of the Highland, we are privileged to showcase some of the artworks previously exhibited at the 14th Wide Road Art Exhibition in 2008, including the impressive large-scale quadritych, Journey to Chang Jiang Series. 

An exhibition catalogue was published in conjunction with the exhibition. For more details please click here.
To view Wang Yi Guang's first solo exhibition, Retrospective of Tibet, with Schoeni Art Gallery, please click here.
To view catalogue information of Retrospective of Tibet, click here.
To read an article about the Songs from the Highland exhibition on Ta Kung Pao, please click here.