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Lot Essay
Artist Wong Hau Kwei is one of the representative figures in the contemporary ink painting scene in Hong Kong. Born in Chongqing in 1946, Wong is the son of Huang Mohan, a renowned political figure in Chongqing in the early 20th century. Wong graduated from China Textile University (now Donghua University) in 1969 and moved to Hong Kong in 1978. He began his artistic journey by studying traditional ink painting under master Huang Zhou in Beijing in the 1970s. Huang’s teaching has a profound influence on Wong’s work. Whilst in Hong Kong, Wong tirelessly divided his time between running a textile business and painting.
Wong’s paintings combine refined lines, meticulous brushstrokes and geometric composition, creating a visual harmony as if different elements are woven together with needles and threads, thus reminding reviewers of his background in textile. He often presents natural scenery, modern architecture, and his social commentary simultaneously in a single painting; his ability to aptly balance these elements has become his signature style. Wong’s art is not only rooted in Chinese traditions but also infused with Western aesthetics and forms. It demonstrates his proposition to break the boundary between China and the West, with a sense of urbanity which the artist experienced in his home city, Hong Kong.
Wong’s paintings combine refined lines, meticulous brushstrokes and geometric composition, creating a visual harmony as if different elements are woven together with needles and threads, thus reminding reviewers of his background in textile. He often presents natural scenery, modern architecture, and his social commentary simultaneously in a single painting; his ability to aptly balance these elements has become his signature style. Wong’s art is not only rooted in Chinese traditions but also infused with Western aesthetics and forms. It demonstrates his proposition to break the boundary between China and the West, with a sense of urbanity which the artist experienced in his home city, Hong Kong.