Acrylic on canvas

130 × 159.5 cm. 51 1/8 × 62 3/4 in.

Signed in English and Chinese, titled in Chinese, dated on the reverse
PROVENANCE
29 Mar 2018, Poly Hong Kong Spring Auction, Lot 119
Private Collection, Asia

Images of a Boundless Universe
The Artistic Energy of Hsiao Chin

“For a long time my artistic creations have conveyed messages and processes related to spiritual growth ... and the vast energy of the cosmos is an inexhaustible and most important source of inspiration for my creative work.”

——Hsiao Chin

Hsiao Chin lived overseas for 60 years and has actively participated in debates over artistic ideas and art movements in both the East and West. Over the past half century he has been a hugely influential figure in the promotion of modern abstract art. Moreover, Hsiao has been able to use his rich cross-cultural experience to fully combine Eastern and Western artistic thinking and forms. Indeed, setting out from Eastern Daoism and Zen Buddhism, the artist discovered an inspirational fountainhead in the energy of the cosmos which for him remains “that most elemental part.”

In 1956, Hsiao Chin went to Europe to study and in 1961 launched the Punto International Art Movement in Milan, which was influential across the continent. Thereafter, the core philosophy of the movement expanded in its members works to become an exploration of the universe. For example, the paintings of Joan Miró, Paul Klee and Yves Klein made use of semiotics and expressive forms, but they also dabbled with the Taoist philosophy of Laozi and Zhuangzi, Zen Vajrayāna Buddhism and cosmic culture. As such, their artistic vision became an exploration of the meaning of the cosmos, as seen in its ultimate focus on the origins of spirit.

Cosmic Vortex, Irrepressible Life Energy

In 1977, Hsiao Chin launched the “Suraya International Art Movement” in Milan. At its core, this focussed on the “sun” and expanded the symbolic meaning of “points.” His Landscape of the Universe series which showcased the tangible and abundant energy of the cosmos was an extension of the ideas of the movement. Cosmic Vortex-17 (Lot 136) is one particularly vibrant example of this approach and its importance is emphasized by the fact that it was part of a large retrospective of works by Hsiao Chin held by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in 1992.

In the painting, the overflowing bright color symbolizes the irrepressible energy of a red sun, with spiralling free brushstrokes advancing outwards. The brightly colored vortex is surrounded by multicolored prancing dots, presenting a visual rhythm of joy and passion. Art critic Hsiao Chung-ray has said: “The vortex shape comes from the megalithic culture of antiquity and represents the fact that there is water under the stone or it has mystical powers ... As part of the pious process of painting, Hsiao Chin voices his deep praise for the mysical energy of the universe.” Over many years the artist broke free from the geometric circles of the past and here uses the irregular shape of the vortex to highlight the life energy of perpetual motion. As Hsiao's mind follows the movements of his hand, the living organism he creates, “its form changing as it comes together and disperses,” conveys infectious boldness an unrestraint.

Dazzling Nebula, Boundless Spiritual Glory

In 2002, Hsiao Chin received the National Award for Arts, the highest honor available in the world of art and culture in Taiwan. He also held a large retrospective exhibition at Studio Marconi, Fondazione Mudima in Milan. However, Hsiao's wonderful achievements throughout his illustrious career have gone hand-in-hand with the vicissitudes and insights of life. After 2000, he once began to explore the cosmos as a creative motif, displaying thinking that was more mature and complete.

In Birth of Nebula (Lot 135), Hsiao utilizes the magical change undergone by a nebula to relate the eternal sparkle of cosmic life, in a way that fully integrates and carries forward the results of his explorations over the past decades. In this large painting, the artist employs simple and clear, intuitive arcs to showcase an extremely impactful visual effect. As with a long river, a nebula cannot be depicted with solid lines, but is rather a flowing form with no beginning and no end, made up of diffuse colored points and overflowing with energy. In terms of color, Hsiao Chin combines saturated yellow and blue cold/warm hues and this has a powerful impact. In addition, the brilliant splendor of orange-yellow colored dots is spread throughout the nebula and these undergo gradual changes in color from shallow to deep layers that highlight the magnificent boundlessness of the universe.

Price estimate:
HKD: 320,000 – 550,000
USD: 41,300 – 70,900

Auction Result:
HKD: 377,600