Inspired by the work of Wu Guanzhong

"So many things have been forgotten. When you try to look for them, you find only scattered traces or prints. I paint these prints, these fuzzy memories. They may be fading, but they are after all the accumulated imprints on the face of an old man. Perhaps someone will cherish them." - Wu Guanzhong.

I had the opportunity to visit the Hong Kong Museum of Art that is on the Kowloon island on my last day of the trip. It is located at the arts and centre. I wasn't sure what was on display and was not really interested in antiquities and porcelain. But when I got there, right outside the museum, a selection of Wu Guanzhong's paintings decorated the wall. His work, "Lofty Integrity", was on display. I was immediately taken in by some of the paintings and his words to the paintings were rather inspiring too. I share some with you. These photos don't do justice to the art itself, but I was glad the museum allowed photography at all.

Cascade - "I have weeded the trees and rocks to give her the untarnished looks she deserves. Plunging down in pure white, the falls are like a mirror where men can see their own imperfections."









In the distance - "Who cares if it is a dragon or a snake? What matters is the dynamism of life that it projects. Words can never describe the painter's perception of life. Claiming that it is in the distance is nothing but an excuse."









City Nights - "To begin with, I worked at the intersection of the thick horizontal and vertical strokes to produce the illusion of jagged buildings. Realistic or not, they are all buildings, standing tall and vying with each other to reach for the sky as far as the eye can see."








Leaving youth behind - "When a tree is old, its roots are exposed. When a lotus is old, its stalks break. It is better to break than to submit, leaving no regrets even when youth is gone."










It was only at the exhibition that I knew that Wu Guanzhong had died less than two weeks before. He had donated many of his works to museums in China and Hong Kong. He is well known as one of the great modern artists of China. During the Cultural Revolution, Wu served at the labour camp and was only allowed to paint during holidays. He started his painting in his late 50s after the end of the cultural revolution and had his first exhibition at the age of 59. I tried to get a copy of the book on his exhibits but the museum shop did not have copies and orders had to be placed, and it would take a month to get the book. I really hope the reason was because all the copies they had were sold out. I think it would be sad if they didn't keep copies at hand while the exhibition was going on.

A nice conclusion to my trip to Hong Kong.