'Black Mountain' Zhu Jingyi Solo Exhibition

BLACK MOUNTAIN 黑山 solo exhibition by Zhu Jingyi 朱敬一個展 7.6 - 21.7.2018

INTRO

‘Black Mountain’, an ensemble of selected works by Zhu Jingyi, offers a personal vignette of this innovative Chinese ink artist by chronicling his artistic evolution. In his first solo exhibition at Karin Weber Gallery, the artist shares his life experiences and reveals defining moments during his creative journey that pushed him to infuse a traditional medium with a contemporary influence to challenge the very DNA of the ink painting genre.

Zhu became fascinated with traditional Chinese ink painting, its grand and mature view on the world, while studying Chinese painting at university and asked to copy paintings from the Song Dynasty. Yet as he worked on Chinese inks, he always felt that the ink was not dark enough. Says the artist, “I wanted to find the darkest black, so I experimented with a lot of mediums on paper such as oil, acrylic and emulsion paint. Whilst using oil, I discovered the potential three-dimensional effect and then I stumbled upon resin, which could be melted and took shape instantly. I applied some basic concepts of architecture to turn ink from two dimensional to three dimensional.” This was a turning point for Zhu – his signature ‘Standing Inks’ were born.

Zhu’s earlier works were mostly landscapes with low relief, delicate, wiry web-like forms reflecting trees, mountains and rocks. As he matured, he created more imaginative, complex works like Overflowing 8 and Meeting of Wind and Clouds, with the ephemeral taking on denser forms as creative impulses flowed from an unconscious or sub - conscious state. Zhu demonstrates his mastery and expert control over the material by creating standing sculptures like Whirlpool. His latest works reflect a lighter, more playful mood as he tries to interpret and make sense of the apparent chaos in nature. In all his works, the balance between the accidental and artificial shaping of the resin is struck by ingenious application and the inherent malleability of the substance. The result is a pleasing combination of man-made and natural subtle textures.

As Zhu’s method of working adapts into an array of forms – standalone sculptures, low relief images and abstract woven shapes, the constant in all his creative outpourings is his search for a self identity that seeks expression – one leg deeply embedded in traditions of the past and the other firmly in the future as an innovator and visionary.

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「黑山」整合了朱敬一過去的藝術作品，從而製作一個紀錄這位水墨藝 術家創作演變的展覽。朱敬一第一次在凱倫偉伯畫廊展出時，他分享了 自己的人生經歷並揭示當初他挑戰水墨本質，把當代注入傳統的決定性 時刻。 朱氏在大學時代開始學習中國畫，大學一年級時臨摹宋畫，自此對中國 古典水墨那宏大而又成熟的世界觀所著迷。然而當他在進行中國畫創作 的時候，他一直覺得墨汁不夠黑。 「我想找到最黑的黑，所以嘗試用 了很多材質，在紙本上進行創作，例如油畫、丙烯、油漆等等。在用油 性材料進行創作的時候，發現有堆積成立體效果的可能性，於是我找到 了樹脂，它具有熱熔之後速乾的效果，可以瞬間成形，我再利用一些建 築的基本概念讓水墨從二維變成了三維。」朱氏說。而這正是朱氏創作 上的轉淚點，他的代表風格「立體的墨」從而誕生。 朱氏早期的作品主要以淺浮、細膩、網狀去表現景觀中的樹、山與石。 隨著他的技巧日漸成熟，他創造出更富想像力和複雜的作品，如《彌漫 8》與《風雲際會圖》，在一種無意識或潛意識的狀態中，朱氏創造出 這種高度密集形式的作品。朱氏透過立體雕塑，如《漩渦》，展示出他 對材料熟練的掌握和專業的控制。朱氏最新的作品以一種較輕鬆，玩味 十足的方式去呈現他對大自然中亂象的理解與感受。在朱氏的作品中樹 脂流淌出的偶然和人工刻意塑形之間達到一種平衡。從而令作品最後呈 現出來的效果是一種空靈的人工和天然微妙結合的質感。 朱氏的製作技巧成就了一系列的創作形式，如獨立雕塑、浮雕圖與抽象 的編織網狀作品，而他創作中唯一不變的是，他持續在作品中劃找自我 定位，一邊深深紮根於歷史傳統中，另一邊在未來挑戰成為一名創新家 和夢想家。

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ZHU JINGYI

My personal journey as an artist has been challenging yet immensely rewarding. It is not easy to stand out as Chinese ink artist as there are several artists sharing the same path and there are a lot of masters who have excelled at it. I have always wanted to create a new path different from traditional aesthetics. Yet I found that, when it came to using traditional tools, almost all possibilities had been explored. In every school, there was already a master who was difficult to surpass.

For two years after graduating from university, I put aside ink painting and devoted my time to studying Western contemporary and Chinese folk art. I have been inspired by these two contrasting ideas. The pioneering spirit in Western contemporary art has given me a lot of motivation and new methodologies. The vitality in Chinese folk art has taught me the importance of perceiving the world from my own self. It took me about five to six years to experiment with other types of art, such as oil painting, acrylic, sculpture, and installation.

Later, when I discovered resin, finally there was a door open to me. As the black lines can instantly melt and solidify, creating a three - dimensional effect, my creative approach becomes a concept of transformation from a flat plane to a threedimensional construction. This was a complete turning point for someone who was accustomed to 2D graphic artwork. Making traditional ink ‘stand up’ gave viewers a diversified and multifaceted viewpoint to explore the possibilities of traditional landscapes.

The evolution of my work is more like an unconscious or subconscious state. My three-dimensional ink series, from the beginning of the interest in resin, to the final evolution of my creations, has been a process of continuously searching for myself.

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從國內大環境來說，水墨藝術家走水墨這條路其實是一條非常艱難的道 路。因為有大量的藝術家在這條路上進行創作，前輩又有很多大師，而 我一直想創造一種新的模式，能夠脫離傳統的審美。在運用傳統工具的 時候，幾乎所有的可能性都被別人走過了，每一條路上都站著一位大 師，所以我覺得很艱難也很痛苦。 於是在大學畢業2年後，我絕對暫時放棄水墨畫的創作，潛心研究西方 當代藝術和中國民間藝術，在這兩個最土和最洋的領域裡，我都獲得了 靈感。西方當代藝術裡面這種活躍的思維，勇於開拓的精神給了我很多 動力，也給了我一些全新的方法論。中國民間藝術裡孕育的生機勃勃的 原始活力， 也讓我感受到從自我出發感知世界的重要性。 我大概用了 5、6年時間，進行其他藝術門類的創作，例如油畫、丙烯、雕塑、裝 置這些類型我都進行過嘗試， 後來當我找到“樹脂”這種材料後，發現老天給我開了一扇重要的門。 當黑色的線條可以瞬間融化，瞬間凝固，最後形成三維效果的時候，我 的創作方式就變成了一個從平面轉化到立體的觀念。這對一個習慣了二 維平面創作的人來說是一個全新的轉折點。我運用了樹脂這種材料的可 塑性和延展性,讓傳統意義的水墨從紙面站立起來,給觀者提供了一個形 成了多元化多角度審視傳統山水的可能。 我的作品的演變其實是處於一種無意識或潛意識的狀態中。我覺得立體 水墨系列，從一開始對材料的興趣，到最後演變的模式，完全是一種不 斷的找尋自我的方式。

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THE WORKS

Mountain With Streams 流淌之山 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 100x70cm 2018 6

Twin Pines 雙松圖 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 100x70cm 2018 7

THE WORKS

Landscape On The Horizon IV 樹色平遠圖4 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 40x160cm 2017

Details

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THE WORKS

Meeting of Wind and Clouds 風雲際會圖 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 120x300cm (5 panels) 2016

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THE WORKS

Rock of Dawn 曉石 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 120x90cm 2015 12

Watching The Waterfall 觀瀑圖 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 120x90cm 2015 13

THE WORKS

Landscape On The Horizon I 樹色平遠圖1 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 40x160cm 2015

Details

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THE WORKS

Landscape On The Horizon III 樹色平遠圖3 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 40x160cm 2015

Details

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THE WORKS

Overflowing 8 瀰漫8 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 120x180cm 2014

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THE WORKS

Autumn Moonlight Stone 秋月石 resin, wire and Plexigals 樹脂、鐵線、塑膠 130x100x30cm 2014 20

Empty Stone 空空石 resin on canvas 布面樹脂 120x90cm 2013 21

ARTIST BIO

ZHU JINGYI Born in 1975, Jiangsu Province, China Currently lives and works in Shanghai

EDUCATION 1998 Bachelor of Chinese Arts, Nanjing Normal University, China

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2017 ‘City Bubble’, SM Skywalk, Xiamen, China ‘Rhapsody in Yunnan’, South Asia Plaza shopping mall, Kunming, China ‘Kohler X Zhu Jingyi, Mashup lab’, Suzhou Elite Bookstore, China ‘It’s Not Broken’, NPC Changle Road Space, Shanghai, China 2016 ‘Evolution and Ethics’, Spring Art Museum, Shanghai, China Calligraphic Graffiti Show, Epoch Art Museum, Wenzhou, China 2015 ‘The Great Compassion’, 2679 art space, Xiamen, China 2014 ‘Nearly Everything’, Pudong International Airport, Shanghai, China ‘When returning to the mountain, please chase fox back into clouds’, RNP Art Space, Shanghai, China 2013 ‘Exploration’, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong ‘Peach Blossom Spring’, Galerie Junger Gallery, Berlin, Germany ‘Chinese Zodiac’, Villach, Austria 2012 ‘ZEN Mountain View—Three Dimensional Ink’, PUSU Yan-Shan Study, Shanghai, China

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SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS 2018 Art Central, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong 2017 ‘Anjuke“ideal city”Public art program’, Global Harbor, Shanghai, China ‘Window public art show’, Huijin Department Store, Shanghai, China 2016 ‘Reverberation of Nature’, Shanghai, China Art Central, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong 2015 ‘Ink Lodge’, Ink Asia, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong ‘Dressage’ Contemporary Art Exhibition, La Gallery, Shanghai, China ‘Exhibition of Wild Boars Art Salon’, 523 Art Zone, Shanghai, China ‘Cooking a small fish such as Governing a large country straddling the year 2015’ Fang Tai Art Exhibition, Fang Tai Art Zone, Shanghai, China 2014 ‘Lodge of Tranquility’, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong ‘In Its Place’, Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China ‘Yuan Shi Tao: a case study of non-sociological research’, ZhengDa Contemporary Art Space, Shanghai, China ‘Three-Dimensional Ink’, Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China 2013 Inaugural exhibition of Himalayas Art Museum, Shanghai, China ‘Ce Gao Shen’, Contemporary Ink Painting Exhibition Space, Beijing Museum of Contemporary Art, China Hillwood Art Festival, Chavaniac-Lafayette, France 2012 ‘Line Again’, 798 Art Space, Beijing, China 2011 ‘Lineism’, WuWei Creativity Zone, Shanghai, China 2010 ‘Beyond the Vision, Zendai Zhujiajiao Art Museum, Shanghai, China ‘Slowly’, Shanghai, China ‘Picnic in Spring’, Shanghai Times Square, China

COLLECTIONS Today Art Museum, Beijing, China Himalayas Museum, Shanghai, China Private collections worldwide 23

ARTIST BIO

朱敬一 1975年生於江蘇江陰 現生活並工作於上海

學歷 1998 畢業於南京師範大學美術系國畫專業

個展（擇錄） 2017 「城市氣泡」，中國廈門SM SKY WALK 「狂想雲南」，中國昆明南亞風情第一城 「草書歌行」，中國上海大世界 「藝術百代2017年年朱敬一跨界藝術展」，中國上海世博展覽館 「科勒X朱敬一混搭實驗室」，中國蘇州誠品書店蘇州 「不破不立」，中國上海全國人大長樂路空間 2016 「天演論」，春美術館，上海 「文字塗鴉秀」，年代美術館 2015 「同體大悲」，2679藝術空間，廈門 2014 「萬物」，上海浦東國際機場 「歸山時，請把狐狸趕進白雲」，上海RNP藝術空間 2013 「三維墨法」，香港凱倫偉伯畫廊 「桃花源記」，德國柏林Galerie Junger畫廊 「12生肖」，奧地利菲拉赫 2012 「山見•營造 - 立體的墨」，上海璞素研山齋

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聯展（擇錄） 2018 Art Central，香港凱倫偉伯畫廊 2017 「安居客“理想之城”公共藝術計劃」，中國上海月星環球港 「櫥窗公共藝術秀」，中國上海匯金百貨 2016 「當下」，Art Central，香港凱倫偉伯畫廊 「誰？ - 海上新族當代藝術作品展」，中國上海春美術館 「迴響•自然之道」，中國上海優在集 2015 「水墨藝博2015」，香港凱倫偉伯畫廊 「上海新媒體藝術家聯展」，Emergent Media Center，美國伯靈頓 「TA時代」第二回展，北京時代美術館 「野豬沙龍藝術展」，上海523藝術空間 「烹小鮮。如治大國2015年方太藝術跨界年度展」，上海方太藝術空間 2014 「未完待續--2014東昌電影院藝術計劃」，上海 「2014中國國際裝置藝術展」，上海龍美術館 「養逸山房」，香港凱倫偉伯畫廊 「各就其位」，上海多倫現代美術館 「袁石桃：一個非社會學研究的個案」，上海證大當代藝術空間 「三維的墨」，上海多倫現代美術館 2013 「無住 - 當代繪畫五個案」，上海大樸堂畫廊 山林藝術節法國Chavaniac-Lafayette 2012 「再出線」，線體主義第二展北京798藝術區正印坊畫廊 2011 「線體主義三人聯展」，上海五維創意產業園大溪藝術空間 2010 「超視界」繪畫群展，上海證大朱家角藝術館 「慢慢行」，中國新生代實驗漫畫展 「春日野宴」繪畫展，上海時代廣場

收藏 北京今日美術館 上海喜瑪拉雅美術館 世界各地私人收藏包括陳幼堅先生 25

KARIN WEBER GALLERY

Established in 1999 by German-born Karin Weber and now in its 19th year, Karin Weber Gallery is one of Hong Kong’s oldest contemporary art galleries. Situated on Aberdeen Street, in the heart of SoHo, the gallery presents a year-round program of curated exhibitions, talks, and collector events. Karin Weber Gallery is one of Blouin Artinfo’s ‘500 Best Galleries Worldwide’.

The gallery’s unique network of partners based in London, Mumbai and Berlin allows it to source emerging and established contemporary art from around the world. Karin Weber Gallery is equally passionate about presenting works by local artists. The gallery assists artists through exhibitions, art fairs, and residency programs throughout the world. Small in size, yet global in outlook, Karin Weber Gallery is one of Hong Kong’s truly international boutique galleries.

凱倫偉伯畫廊在1999年由德國的Karin Weber女士創立，今年踏入 第19年，是香港其中一間最具歷史的當代藝術畫廊。畫廊位於蘇豪 區鴨巴甸街，我們每年策劃不同的展覽、講座及活動給藏家參與。 畫廊很榮幸獲選為Blouin Artinfo「全球500最佳畫廊」。 我們的合夥人於倫敦、孟買和柏林有辦事處，使我們能夠幾乎遍布 世界各地為客戶提供服務並蒐尋新晉和有豐富經驗的藝術家。我們 熱愛把香港本地的藝術推介給全球的藏家。我們畫廊代表的藝術家 通過藝術博覽會，與其他畫廊的交流，還有駐留計畫發展自己的事 業。面積雖不大，但放眼全球，凱倫偉伯畫廊是香港真正國際化的 精品畫廊之一。

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