Pastel on paper

53 x 72.5 cm. 20 7/8 x 28 1/2 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated on bottom right

LITERATURE
2018, Li Qiang's Works, Long Museum, Chongqing, p. 98
EXHIBITED
22 Sep – 31 Oct 2018, Li Qiang's Works, Long Museum, Chongqing

PROVENANCE
Private collection, Asia

Enjoy the Flower Rain, Taste the Cloud In
Li Qiang's Ode to Magnolia

In the middle and later part of 1980s, the new generation of Chinese modern artists broke out from the critical realism. They started to emphasis the real personal value and pursuit, moreover, the painting styles with individual artistic taste. Graduated from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 1981, Li Qiang always holds his own personal style. He began painting flowers in the early 90s and made his own way out. He held solo exhibitions in the Ueno Royal Museum (2015, Tokyo) and Long Museum (2018, Chongqing). His unique art language triggers a wide response and reflection. At this auction, we will present the oil painting Magnolia 2017 No.6 (Lot 153) and pastel Magnolia 2017 No.3 (Lot 152) of Li Qiang, and explore the artist's persistent pursuit of beauty from multiple materials.

Petals on the Road Makes Flower Rain

In recent years, Li Qiang's creation no longer pursuit the extreme pure beauty. Instead, he puts more effort on the conflict between the poetic feeling and the fixed past. He tries to get rid of the fluency inertia, yet focuses on the conflicts and tension of the language itself. In Magnolia 2017 No.6, the artist paints flowing gesture of Magnolia, from upward to downward. The floating and curving flower makes the space move freely and otherworldly. In the composition, flower, grass, twig, and their growing environment is abstractly and simply presented through art language and concave structure. Strokes shift in length, indicating the ink variation in the traditional Chinese painting, the calligraphy style. Looking through all Li's exhibition in the Long Museum, there is only one “Magnolia” painting with the red as the major color while the soft petals and twig are in lunar white. Surrounded by the unsaturated vermilion, they look even more charming and elegant, increasing the preciousness of this work.

The Beauty of Simplicity

Magnolia 2017 No.3 reflects Li Qiang's pursuit in traditional style of composition and elements arrangement. Several magnolia are in full blossom, or with petals flying in the sky. The scene looks like a corner growing wide of the garden. However, the soft petals are flying with the wind, as passionate as the dandelion, seeming soft and boneless. The flower is actually full of twigs, and the ochre buds connect the twig and petals. The ochre and foggy blue in the background form the color variation, which joins the varied darkness and hardness together. The painting invites people to feel the reality in void, highlighting the intriguing and interesting nature of this work.

Price estimate:
HKD: 40,000 – 80,000
USD: 5,200 – 10,300

Auction Result:
HKD: 53,100