Exhibition reimagines ink art in modern environment

Caption: "Candana sea – Unsurpassed Tranquility" by Chu Jia

Ink art, with its particular visual characteristics and rich cultural legacy, occupies a special position in the global art scene.

UOB Art Space at FutureLab is hosting "A New Real of Ink Art, the 2024 UOB Art in Ink Awards finalists' artwork exhibition" from November 1 to 10. The exhibition features exceptional painters from prominent art colleges around China who have been recognized with the 2024 UOB Art in Ink Awards.

Ink art, which embodies China's thousand-year heritage, is looking for ways to preserve its traditions while also innovating in today's fast changing world. They investigate how ink art is being reimagined and reinterpreted in a modern environment, using the youthful generation's distinct artistic ideas.

The exhibition is organized into two sections: Campus Talent and Emerging Artist.

The artworks on display capture the essence of ink painting, combining modern aesthetics with inventive concepts to demonstrate the diverse growth of contemporary ink art.

Caption: "Murmuring" by Xia Kaixi

This year's awards were judged by veteran artists, art critics, publishers, curators, and gallery owners, including globally known contemporary artist Qiu Anxiong and ShanghART Gallery founder Lorenz Helbling.

Chu Jia, a graduate student at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, was one of five Campus Talent Award winners this year. The Feilai Peak Grottoes opposite Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou is featured in her triptych "Candana sea – Unsurpassed Tranquility." Feilai Peak's distinctive rock formations, trees, and ladies from different dynasties provide a tranquil and serene atmosphere.

The artwork demonstrates her understanding of traditional culture and the re-creation of natural scenes.

Caption: "The Earthly Men" by Liu Yi

Liu Yi was named UOB Emerging Artist of the Year. Her multi-media work "The Earthly Men" is inspired by southern China's Tanka fisherman, who live on boats. Due to their past on the margins of society, roaming is both a lifestyle choice and a reflection of their mentality. The artist considers marginalized populations in modern cities and the issues of cultural and social integration caused by urbanization and migration in this work.