Gallery on Old Bailey

By the Coast

120 x 150 cm oil on canvas 2007

200 x 300 cm oil on canvas 2007

Date

25 May 2007 - 18 June 2007

Artists

WANG Wensheng

Venue

Gallery on Old Bailey 奧卑利畫廊

Synopsis

As a leading figure of the ’85 New Wave movement in China, WANG Wensheng’s early paintings featured the style of German expressionism - depression, stress, grievance, impulsiveness and pessimism were not rarely found. However, after moving to Europe and exposing himself to many other cultures since the 90’s, his paintings underwent a drastic change and adopted strong characteristics of the French Impression. Happiness, lust and joyfulness became then the main theses.

WANG’s recent works in this exhibition depict seaside landscape and figures as the main subjects. By breaking the boundary of the traditional figurative and landscape paintings, WANG shows strong composition by portraying figures within the space of natural landscape. In addition, he emphasizes the vastness and profoundness of space in which the distant horizon has become the balancing factor of the painting. Through the simple use of composition and color application, the outline and contour of the figures are not defined clearly but gradually merge with the landscape. Such characteristics reflect the contemporary leisurely lifestyle of modern city.

WANG Wensheng is not interested in social, political nor literature context. Rather, he emphasizes the linguistic charm of oil painting itself, and respects the direct sentiment of a painting. His works show his interest and study of great masters such as Balthus, Post-impressionism and Picasso. By valuing the history of oil painting and comprehending the sentimental change in the language of oil painting, WANG renders his art with more contexts of delicate taste and contemplation.

Wang Wensheng believes the obligation of an artist now is to resist against the illustrative and stereotype in art creation. As a result, he has been humble and simple to confront life and penetrate into the flamboyance of the secular world in order to understand the diversification of visual experiences of the human world. Indeed, the art of WANG Wensheng recalls the direct and basic experience of our vision and humanitarian spirit.

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