Lui Shou-kwan is considered the founder of Hong Kong’s New Ink Movement. He had a profound knowledge of classical Chinese painting theory and philosophy and also integrated modern Western abstraction to develop his characteristic ink painting, exercising an indelible influence on the development of art in Hong Kong. The monumental-sized ‘Zen paintings’ are most representative of his abstract painting. This one sees layers of black ink extend from the centre, with red, yellow and blue vaguely emerge from underneath. The untouched space at the bottom of the painting brings out the flash of light in the upper left corner, creating contrasts between black and white, thick and thin, void and solid, and lightness and weight and superbly illustrating Lui’s extraordinary skills and his deep understanding of Zen.
The Weight of Lightness: Ink Art at M+. M+ Pavilion, Hong Kong, 13 October 2017–14 January 2018