Oil on canvas

115 × 165 cm. 45 1/4 × 65 in.

Signed in pinyin and dated on bottom right

LITERATURE
2019, Infinitrace: Rao Fu, Mind Set Art Center, Taipei, p. 28-29
EXHIBITED
12 Jul – 22 Sep 2019, Infinitrace: Rao Fu Solo Exhibition, Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei

PROVENANCE
Mind Set Art Center, Taipei
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Taipei Mind Set Art Center and signed by the artist

Galloping without Boundaries
Fu Rao's Artistic Landscape across Time and Space

Fu Rao entered Tsinghua Academy of Fine Arts in 1999 and went to Germany in 2001 to study at the famous Dresden Academy of Art, where he studied plastic art and art psychology. Leaving China, where he had lived for 23 years, Fu Rao deliciated himself to creating art in Germany for the past 22 years. This unique experience has endowed him with both Eastern and Western cultural roots: the traditional landscape painting and calligraphy nourish his oriental heritage, while the multi-cultural influences of European romanticism, German philosophy, and neo-expressionism have broadened his knowledge and inspired him to create a transcultural and multi-dimensional perspective on life and the passage of time.

In 2011, Fu Rao's Mirage was collected by the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD) and exhibited with German expressionist artists such as Georg Baselitz and Gerhard Richter. Since then, he has held solo exhibitions in Berlin, Beijing, Luxembourg, Taiwan and New York, attracting the attention of collectors from both the East and West. In 2022, he was included in the latest book on contemporary Germany painting history since 1970 by the German Contemporary Painting Forum. In 2023 Hong Kong Art Basel, his solo exhibition Night Feast garnered widespread attention and discussions. With its innovative and colourful vision, it mesmerized every viewer!

The Enchanting Gaze of a Vibrant Fantasy World

In the artwork Summer Days, Fu Rao incorporates elements of romantic mythology and the spirit of expressionism, blending them with the natural setting to create a fantastical realm. Unlike traditional equestrians, the protagonist in the painting is driving a motor vehicle through the winding forest path, giving it a contemporary feel. The sky is still adorned with a light crimson glow, while the lush green shadows are engulfed by the deepening night. The road back home is illuminated by a soft yellow halo, and on either side of the road, a cluster of square cottages begin to reveal the warmth of a home. The interplay of light and shadow, warm and cool colours, creates a fluidity in the lines and contours, with vibrant colours racing through, detaching from reality and wandering in the world of imagination and dreams.

Moreover, the artist employs a rare technique of “picture in picture” to create a subtle expression, forming layers of spatial tension. The man wearing a cowboy hat is driving forward, and the shopping bag hanging on the handlebars of his car shows the realistic aspects of life. In contrast, the woman in the backseat with white hair is holding a landscape oil painting, that depicts a path with swaying tree shadows, reflecting the protagonist's current journey. Here he deliberately makes a distinction between the two.

In the uninhabited landscape of the painting, the trees on both sides divide the sky into an inverted triangle-shaped blank space, with the winding road at the centre, showcasing the classic composition of the Barbizon School. The branches swaying in the wind, reminiscent of the fir trees in front of Mont Sainte-Victoire in Cézanne's brushstrokes, stretch freely and exuberantly. Fu Rao uses expressive lines with an oriental touch to create a vibrant form of life, while the elegant light brown hues convey a sense of classical charm, paying homage to tradition. The clever use of “picture in picture” creates a dialogue between the interior and exterior spaces, suggesting a comparison between the pursuit of pure landscape in classical art and the incorporation of characters and narratives in contemporary creations, thus implying the important significance and influence of art on humanity. The contemporary and surrealistic brilliance in Summer Days not only permeates through nature, seen through the artist's eyes, but is also based on reality, reflecting a sense of human sentiment. The people who reside in this poetic world, beyond their everyday lives, hold a deep love for art. And this love is enough to capture the inseparable and genuine connection between life and art.

The Ideal State of Life

In addition, Summer Days is also reminiscent of a 19th century German Romanticism artist Casper Friedrich. In his painting Two Men Contemplating the Moon, where he walks through the woods with a sense of mission and a mysterious journey towards nature. However, the era of exploring on foot has become a thing of the past and the people in the painting now continue to march through nature with a new force, bringing with them the glory of the past and the imagination of today. Whether it is the mythical and transcendent image of the white-haired woman or the knight-like spirit of the man, the colourful characters in the painting blend classical and contemporary, reality and imagination, and in the fresh and passionate colourful brushwork, they exude the optimism of life facing nature and the universe. Like the “Waldeinsamkeit” of Romanticism, they use their souls to dialogue with nature and time and space, to seek the source of inner faith, and to complete the ideal state of ultimate unity with the physical self. When we go deeper and deeper, we will finally see the splendid scenery with the galloping horses!

Price estimate:
HKD 160,000 – 250,000
USD 20,500 – 32,100