Oil on canvas

100 × 100 cm. 39 3/8 × 39 3/8 in.

Signed in Italian and Chinese, dated on the reverse
PROVENANCE
Important Private Collection, Asia

Silent Strokes, Worlds Unfold
Ho Kan's Childlike Geometric Abstract Melody

"Ho Kan's artistic style throughout his life is simple yet never monotonous."
—— Art critic Hsiao Chong-Ray

Born in 1932 into a literary family in Nanjing, Ho Kan grew up under the guidance of his calligrapher grandfather, Ho Rui. From a young age, he learned calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting. At the age of 17, he travelled to Taiwan with the military and later studied under the avant-garde artist Li Zhongsheng. In 1953, he graduated from the Art Department of Taipei Teacher's School. Four years later, he co-founded the "Ton Fan Art Group" with Li Yuan-chia, Hsia Yan, Hsiao Chin, and others, playing a crucial role in advancing modern art in Taiwan. Influenced by the surrealistic movement, Ho Kan resigned from his teaching position in 1964 and ventured to Italy, where he lived for fifty years. During the Punto International Art Movement and the prevalence of Hard-Edge, Ho Kan began his exploration and practice of geometric abstraction. He held numerous solo exhibitions in Taiwan and Europe, winning several prestigious Italian art awards. In 1997, he received the "Achievement Award for Modern Painting" from the 5th Li Zhongsheng Foundation, and his works are collected in the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts.

From the 1970s, Ho Kan delved into the core of Eastern culture, including the philosophy of "non-action" from Daoism. Drawing inspiration from Chinese rituals, totems, calligraphy, and daily life, he deconstructed geometric shapes to create a language of geometric abstraction. His works often feature vibrant and lively colours using a flat painting technique, forming his unique style known as "cold abstraction." Returning to Taiwan in 2014, he continues to be inspired, starting his paintings when classical vinyl music plays. The two pieces presented in this Spring auction, Untitled (Lot 76) and Untitled-4 (Lot 75), were completed in 1998 and 2005, respectively, during his time in Italy, showcasing his outstanding craftsmanship.

The Vitality within the Vastness of the Boundless Sky

"Blue is rich in fantasy and mystery."
—— Ho Kan

Ho Kan recalls the vibrant colours of his childhood, but due to war, he claimed to have gradually forgotten the colours of the world. It was only during his stay in Italy that he remembered his childhood love for the colour blue. Blue symbolizes the sea and sky, carrying a sense of fantasy and inclusivity. This colour theme permeates the artist's creations. In the presented work, triangles, straight lines, and dots compose a scene against a lake-blue background. A distinct sky-blue equilateral triangle stands out like a relief sculpture, with lines and colour blocks extending and dissolving within the triangle. Three scattered olive-green triangles appear within, seemingly separate but forming a cohesive whole. Each triangle's edges extend infinitely from the apex into the distance. The white dot in the centre serves as the finishing touch, resembling a light source radiating from the heart of the painting, creating a semi-transparent triangle. Compared to the artist's works from the 1960s, the blue in this piece is even brighter, with subtle diagonal brushstrokes in the background parallel to the triangle's lines, presenting a rhythmic texture. The contrast of blue and green depicts the dynamic interaction of colour blocks, like a condensed portrayal of the vibrant life under the merging sea and sky, achieving a cheerful and profound effect without explicit narrative.

The Poetic Sentiment of Life's Composition

"I don't know what it will look like in the end, but it's fun, and the good ones should be kept."
—— Ho Kan

On the other hand, Untitled-4 conveys a sense of bright sunshine. Ho Kan uses a bright lemon yellow as the main tone, accented with true red, creating a rhythmic interaction of triangles and rectangles. He achieves maximum variation with the most refined and minimalist lines, expanding outward from the centre. In the centre, a white square resembling a gate is visible, with three intersecting red lines constructing stable red triangles. In the centre, layers of colour blocks overlap to form an irregular hexagon in deep yellow, adding dynamism to the stable composition and inviting imagination and anticipation of infinite space. The most ingenious aspect is the sudden appearance of a red dash in the middle as if engaging in a distant conversation with the "breaking through" space. The lines in the centre square are strong and straight, while those in the outer squares intentionally exhibit fluctuating lines, presenting a world where order and freedom coexist, sparking endless imagination. Curator Sabine Vazieux once said, "To me, Ho Kan is the only Chinese geometric abstract artist. He is unique," affirming his unique artistic position and significance.

Price estimate:
HKD: 100,000 - 150,000
USD: 12,800 - 19,200

Auction Result:
HKD: 120,000