Faceted Symphonies: Paintings by Ma Desheng in Hong Kong

Wednesday, 10 May 2006 11:49

Hong Kong - One of the two Le French May events at UMAG is an exhibition of paintings by the Chinese artist Ma Desheng, who resides in Paris. The exhibition includes 40 works from Ma's latest series depicting stones in acrylic, plus his earlier woodblock prints and ink paintings, dating from 1979 to the present. Exhibition closes 11 June, 2006.

Ma was a pioneer of the Stars (Xingxing) group of artists who first exhibited in Beijing in 1979, the year China started its open-door policy.   This exhibition was influential in promoting freedom of artistic expression in China.

Born in Beijing in 1952, Ma worked as a draughtsman during the Cultural Revolution. His woodblock prints are characterized by their bold use of black and white contrast, inspired by the Realist and Expressionist movements of the West. Ma's works were first introduced to overseas audiences in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1983, and have since been widely presented in museums and galleries in Japan, Europe and the United States.

Ma moved to Paris in 1986 and was one of the first Chinese ink painters the French Cultural Department sponsored to exhibit in France. His ink paintings, often depicting landscapes and abstract nudes, are executed with a traditional ink and brush technique and calligraphic strokes.  Ma is also a poet whose works are often performed in public.

A catalogue of the exhibition will be available. Visit University Museum and Art Gallery (Hong Kong) : http://www.hku.hk/hkumag/