Chen Ping
August 18 - September 2 2011
The paintings invite contemplation whilst at the same time creating a sense of dynamism that keeps the eye moving. Chen is an artist who makes you think by engaging and drawing you deep into his ethereal world.
Chen Ping's exhibition titled Metaphysics lays down a challenge to its audience; this is a body of paintings that do not give up their soul easily. Beautifully painted, within the picture plane there are secrets that revel themselves over time. The paintings invite contemplation whilst at the same time creating a sense of dynamism that keeps the eye moving. Chen is an artist who makes you think by engaging and drawing you deep into his ethereal world.
Ancient poems, eastern and western philosophy collide within his contemporary abstraction. The ghosts of Rothko and Goya pervade this exhibition and the works, which are executed with the exquisite skill of a Tang Dynasty swordsman. Indeed the nuances of Chen's mark making are the key to the success of the paintings; delicate glazes give way to a heavenly viscous oil paint. A mark made on the canvas could be painted a hundred times yet never replicated, every one unique and impassioned.
Chen's inherent understanding of the human form allows him to use it as the vehicle to link the composition of his paintings together. Fading in and out of sight, the figure is the conduit not just to anchor the eye as a starting point to the visual adventure - his ultimate goal is for you not only to see the work but to feel it. The identification of a figure gives us a key to the underlying philosophy of the picture, rooted in thousand year old tales. It makes sense for this to be an integral part of the work - it is the essence of the human condition to feel emotion and the challenge of the artist to portray it, something Chen does with the upmost integrity.
Having recently exhibited at Art Scope, Basel, Chen Ping's successful New York and Beijing gallery representation indicate that he is an artist with a genuine international following that is both rare and exciting. Upon viewing this exhibition, there is no doubt that Chen will continue to captivate the art world and his audiences with his immense conceptual talent and uncompromised technical ability.
Ralph Hobbs
August, 2011
