“Fright”, the current exhibition at Art Beatus in Hong Kong is a blend of two recent series of oil paintings by Chen Jianguo. He lives and works in Song Zhuang, an artist community north of Beijing.
Chen Jianguo, Shadow #7, 2009.
In the “Shadow” series, Chen takes time to mock one of the fiercest predators on earth. The term shadow refers not to the reflection of the artist, rather to the mimicry that takes place in each of these expertly rendered oil paintings.
Chen Jianguo, Shadow #5, 2009.
Also on view are some works from a slightly older, untitled body of work. The roots for the shadow series are evident in these pieces. The addition of the flower to these paintings of natural and man made disasters offers a lightness that deters standard emotion and enables the artist to face his fears.
Chen Jianguo, Untitled #08-8, 2008.
Chen Jianguo
Fright
1 – 30 June 2009
Art Beatus
Hong Kong
