A Tribute to a Young Artist- Liu, Hong Yuan (b. 1976, China) by CatherineYen

Chinese Opera White Butterfly
Painting by Liu, Hong Yuan (b. 1976 BeiJing)

Liu Hong Yuan is a young, dynamic talent who is dramatically emerging into her own promise with unique and unconventional panache. Expressing her own interpretation of Chinese cultural awareness, her style emulates elements of the Dutch school of realism in the use of egg tempera mixed with oil. Creating a translucency through her application, Liu Hong Yuan skilfully defines her individual stylistic lexicon to amplify her creative impact. Harking back to historical tradition, the artist's concern with the cultural status quo in

China

is echoed through the retrospective perspective that bolsters her artistic satire on social intrinsic values - aesthetic and otherwise. Through the artist's elaborate and sensuous reinterpretation of a traditional genre, her oeuvre is imbued with a harrowing and haunting dimension by the lacklustre facial expressions of her figures.

By reflecting on historical aspects of Imperial China, Liu Hong Yuan creatively bridges the chasm between the cultural aspects of Chinese history that were rejected for many years, and the artistic traditions that in many ways were dislocated from her immediate scope of experience - it is through her imagination that Liu Hong Yuan is able to articulately remember, and artistically reinterpret, aspects of her inherited history. Liu Hong Yuan's flower arrangements and fruit bowls are influenced by Song Dynasty paintings; her figures are poised in theatrical stance and ornately garbed in traditional Chinese operatic costumes - the visual narrative of her figures is boldly engaging whilst demure and reticent. Liu Hong Yuan's unique rendition of still life affords her, and the viewer alike a visually penetrating and thought provoking experience that owes much to her sensitive interdigitattion of drama, form and light.

Having accomplished so much already at the age of 27, in terms of her technique and distinctive vision, her achievements and popular acclaim bare testament to her potential as a budding new artist. This is a show not to be missed. A fully coloured catalogue will be released in conjunction with the exhibition.