Ink and acrylic on paper

68 x 93.5 cm. 26 3/4 x 36 3/4 in.

Stamped with an artist's seal on bottom left

LITERATURE
2015, Forget Lovesick, Admire Wind and Moon: Special Exhibition of Walasse Ting's Mountains, Water, Flowers and Birds, Longmen Art Projects, Shanghai, p. 67
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Asia

A Nature Lover, A Homesick Painter
Walasse Ting's Garden

As a painter and poet with a blazing passion for life and nature, Walasse Ting enlivens his women-driven portfolio with a rich variety of natural elements, singing an enduring paean to beauty and youth. Present at this auction are three of the iconic pieces finished in the early 1990s, that is Happy Fishes (Lot 136), Flowers, Birds, Fish, and Fruits (Lot 137) , and Still Life of Fishes and Birds (Lot 135) .

Nature Sings When Spring Arrives

As a large-size piece among his nature-themed paintings, Flowers, Birds, Fishes, and Fruits qualifies as a miniature of Spring with its mélange of colors. As the exhibition highlight, it was displayed at the entrance of Forget Lovesick, Admire Wind & Moon – Walasse Ting's Mountains Water Flowers & Birds held by Lung Men Art Gallery in 2015. The daisies, China roses and hibiscus in full bloom at the top section are representatives of an animated spring. The intense contrast of high-spirited birds and tranquil fish reflects the peaceful mental state of the house owner and, by implication, Ting's mindset in his American days.

“Ting mixed sketch techniques with flat wash to capture the color style of rice paper paintings, presenting the charm of nature and the artist's thoughts on life”, said Xi Yaoyi, visiting professor of Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts. This philosophy ran through Ting's creation in the early 1990s. The interesting collage of highly saturated color patches presents the harmonious connections between flowers, birds, fish and fruits, creating a vibrant visual experience.

Here's a Fish, Make a Wish!

There are only three paintings with fish as the single theme in Ting's published album, which shows their minority status in Ting's collection and thus the rarity of Happy Fishes. The six fish, as they wiggle their tails, seem to flat wash the color out of the ink boundaries, generating a fascinating rippling effect. Fish has a timeless appeal to artists, and Ting is no exception. He orchestrates the duet of soft ink strokes and bright acrylic paint, putting in place a delicate equilibrium of fish and water. With its traditional connotations of blessings and abundance, fish populate Chinese New Year crafts, including decoration pictures and decoupage. This painting, which was produced when Ting had left China for over 30 years, expresses the artist's homesickness and gives artistic traditions a new lease of life with its combined use of Western paint and Chinese ink.

Still Life of Fishes and Birds features a diverse assemblage of natural elements, where flowers and fruits are flanked by fish and parrots on the side. The powerful color play and the delightful subjects of the painting tell the viewers about Ting's artistic journey and exude vitality that may generate wide resonance. With painting brushes as a helping hand, the colorful and lively world in Ting's imagination has materialized, where he indulges himself in nature to truly experience the mystical connections with other living beings and creatively praise the lasting charm of art.

Price estimate:
HKD: 120,000 – 180,000
USD: 15,500 – 23,200

Auction Result:
HKD: 141,600