ZHONG CHENG

Zhong Cheng 2024 Autumn Auction「Modern And Contemporary Art」

  • Zhong Cheng 2016 Autumn Auction「Morden And Contemporary Art」
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    LIU KUOSUNG (b.1932)

    The Earth, Our Home ( C )

    2005

    Mixed Media on Paper
    121x59cm

    Signed Liu Kuo-Song in Chinese, dated 2005 With one seal of the artist Signed on the reverse: Titled in Chinese, dated 2005, inscribed 121x59cm

    Estimate TWD 3,200,000-4,500,000
    USD 102,200-143,800
    HKD 0-0

    Hammer Price TWD 3,840,000
    USD 120,038
    HKD 927,536

Provenance：

Illustrated：ILLUSTRATED: "The Universe in the Mind - A Retrospective of Liu Kuo-Song," Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan County, Taoyuan Taiwan, 1997, Page 116

Exhibition：EXHIBITION: "The Universe in the Mind - A Retrospective of Liu Kuo-Song," Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan County, Taoyuan Taiwan, October 1997

Exposition：

Liu Kuo-Song was born in Bangbu, Anhui Province. He arrived in Taiwan at the age of 17 and enrolled in the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University. He completed his Bachelor Degree in the Fine Arts Department of National Taiwan Normal University in 1956. With the encouragement from artist and instructor Liao Chi-Chun, he founded the “Fifth Moon Group” a contemporary art group that was at the forefront of modern art movement in Taiwan in the 1960s. Liu Kuo-Song dedicated fully to revolutionized the realms of Chinese contemporary ink painting. In 1998, he was the only artist from Taiwan invited to participate in the exhibition “China: 5000 Years Exhibition” at the Guggenheim Museum in New York and Bilbao. In fact, as a living Chinese artist his works are collected by the most art museums in the world, this includes the British Museum, Nation Art Museum of China, Beijing, and museums in United States, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Australia and 80 other National Art Museums. Liu once said with a sense of mission “To promote a new tradition of Chinese painting for the 20th century” Today there are frequent cultural exchanges between East and West. Therefore, it is important to stay in line with the spirit of the time. This is accomplished by preserving the tradition while incorporating modern Western techniques on the other. “To create a new style of painting --- ‘Chinese’ as well as ‘Modern’ --- is the goal I have been seeking to advance for 30 years.” Recognized as one of the most prominent and important advocates and practitioners of modern Chinese painting, Liu Kuo-Song is honor with the title “Father of Modern Chinese Ink Painting”.

Upon seeing the painting “Pomo Xian Ren” by Liang Kai, a Northern Song Dynasty Pomo (Thrown Ink) artist at the National Palace Museum, Liu became even more determined to revitalize and make new breakthrough in traditional ink. After endless trail and error, he successfully develops new innovative techniques such as water-rubbing, ink-splatter, spray-painting, collage to tearing the fiber of the paper he invented, called, “Kuo-Song Paper.” This enabled him to characterize a new and distinctive discourse, while adherence to Chinese traditions.   

Liu Kuo-Song believes ‘anti-tradition’ is just a term for self-encouragement. He uses the expression frequently as a reminder to refrain from repeating the conventional ideas, instead to promote creativity instead of imitation. He stated, we oppose the ‘tradition’ - that is not assisting the growth of our contemporary era- not tradition as a whole. The purpose of ‘anti-tradition’ is to create a new tradition, one that carried on the merit, and not to rebel without a cause. It is a meaningful process of creation. 

“The Earth, Our Home (C)” belongs to his renowned Space Series, in which he was inspired by the photograph published from the Apollo 8 space mission in 1969, the perception of Earth and the universe changed for mankind. Liu Kuo-Song said, “In the past, Chinese painters have seen, experienced and felt landscape, they observe landscape from ground point of view, but my landscape is not simply our world, I can observe the whole universe from space point of view.” In the lower half of the work, large ambitious brushstrokes suggest the surface of the moon, it also makes use of Liu Kuo-Song’s characteristic “paper-tearing” technique to create a distinctive multi-layer’s texture. Liu deeply believes in spontaneity, with diversified and innovative method he is able to create a magnificent sublime spectacle. His perfectly balanced composition conveys the full and new moon phases- when the moon, earth and sun aligns. The sun is portrayed as bright and powerful with warmth and radiance; the earth depicted in the center of the composition is painted realistically with details. The viewers are invited to enjoy the serene and poetic ambience of the solar system. The energetic brushwork originates from traditional Chinese calligraphy, offering a brand new vision and a sublime sensory experience.

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