Oil on canvas

180×180 cm. 70 7/8×70 7/8 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated on upper right; titled and signed in Chinese and dated on the reverse
EXHIBITED
21 – 25 Mar 2023, Hong Kong Basel Soka Art Booth, Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

PROVENANCE
Soka Art Centre, Taipei
Acquired directly by present important
private Asian collector from the above

Harmonising with Nature
Hong Ling's Majestic Landscapes

"The world is a complex, inseparable whole. Beauty lies in the deepest harmony."
—Poet Liang Xiaobin to Hong Ling

In 1989, during the surge of avant-garde art, Hong Ling joined the Central Academy of Fine Arts, where he produced a series of modern oil paintings, including expressive portraits of women and moody landscapes. These works marked the beginning of his distinctive style. In 1992, he set up a studio in Huangshan, leaving the bustling city behind to immerse himself in the natural landscapes that have long inspired Chinese literati painters. He sought to capture the essence of traditional Chinese landscape painting using oil techniques, emphasising texture and thick layers of paint. By using black tones to define the scenery, he conveyed the deep, atmospheric quality of Chinese landscape art. Since 1995, Hong Ling has been invited to exhibit at notable venues, including the National Art Museum of China, the Palace Museum, Taipei's Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, the Brunei Gallery at SOAS University of London, and the Museum of East Asian Art in the UK. He also represented China at the Venice Biennale in 1997 and 2011, gaining international recognition. His works are held in collections at the National Art Museum of China, Kawaguchiko Museum of Art in Japan, and the Asia Art Foundation in London.

Mastering the Art of Landscape Painting

Completed in 2022, Deep Green Mountain afar reflects Hong Ling's mastery and his deep connection to the natural world. The painting envelops viewers in the peaceful harmony of a forest. Dominated by shades of green, the composition skillfully uses light and shadow, layering colours to create depth. Instead of a realistic portrayal of trees, Hong Ling shapes a textured, sculptural mass that evokes the feel of a relief. He captures the essence of growth in the trees, conveying the movement of branches, the rustling of leaves, the flow of air, and the sound of streams, all teeming with life. The vivid colours in the foreground sharply contrast with the misty, distant mountains, with sunlight casting a golden glow that enhances the majestic beauty of the forest.

In the background, Hong Ling uses flat washes and overlapping brushstrokes to add layers to the mountains, rocks, and trees. By sprinkling dots of colour, he creates a "breaking" effect that softens the edges and brings out the natural flow. He blends the elements of mountains, water, trees, and rocks together, intentionally downplaying the three-dimensional effects of light to create a harmonious composition. This painting preserves his deep connection with nature, capturing it as a lasting impression on the canvas, and embodying the beauty of landscapes.

The Serenity of Spring Mountains

In Chinese, the term "dai" refers to a "cyan-black" colour. The artist uses it here to depict the distant mountains, veiled in mist and appearing on the horizon. The subtle, muted "dai" colour, which blends green with touches of ink, flows naturally with the brushstrokes, capturing the rhythm and energy of nature while reflecting the artist's inner calm and philosophy of "living in harmony with nature." The soft lines behind the lush greenery seem to invite viewers into a misty, dreamlike world. In this poetic exploration of the natural landscape, the mountains and rivers go beyond their physical presence to convey a timeless, almost ethereal beauty, echoing the grandeur found in classical Chinese art.

Price estimate:
HKD 1,800,000 – 2,800,000
USD 230,800 – 359,000

Auction Result:
HKD: 4,200,000