I have
visited the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Award 2012 in the Hong Kong Art Museum.
It includes the Wilson Shieh's artwork. As we all know, Wilson is famous about
his meticulous painting. He likes to use pencil to draw his artwork, but in
this artwork he makes some breakthrough. He uses colour pencil, crayon and
collage on paper to finish this work. This painting's size is quite large so it
is quite difficult for him to use those small colour pencil and crayon to
finish the painting.
The title of this painting is "八公返學". The theme of this painting is that Wilson wants to show the relationship between the education received and the policies imposed by different past-yearly Chinese presidents. He wanted to find out that how the education received can change the mindset of these politicians. There are eight persons in total and each of them receiving different types of education in the early ages. They are the most important politicians in China in recent few hundred years. Take Dr. Sun Yat-sen as an example. He went to Hawaii for study when he was young so Wilson wrote the Hawaiian letter on the top of the painting. Also, we can see that Dr. Sun took a Bible in his hand, which means that he was studying in a Christianity school so that he absorbed the concept of "Everyone should be treated fairly" from Christian behavior. This affected his thinking and ideas when he incurred the "Political Revolution" and established the "National Government".
Each presidents has different
characteristics, such as carrying a sword reflecting Chiang Kai Shek was a
soldier. Also we can discover that the clothing of presidents in later stage is
more or less the same as a formal dressing with a suit and tie. This reflects
the education level in China was getting higher and higher.
I think you have a really detail observation on this art work! I agree with your interpretation on this piece of art work. I would like to talk more about Yuen Sai Hoi on the left. His quote is 'kill! kill! kill!', which shows that he is a cruel soldier who used to kill people without hesitation. As for Mao Ze Dong, he is holding a booklet (or a poetry), and his quote is from a chinese poet. I think this shows that Mao is a person who has high knowledge level, which later started the cultural revolution.
回覆刪除I have pay attention on this art work in Hong Kong Art Museum too,I really like your analysis of this painting "八公返學".I agree that it shows the relationship of the education and the policies that how to affect different past-yearly Chinese presidents, I think different education will create what different people of attitudes and characters .It show the importance of education.Although your analysis is very good of this art work, I think firstly you can introduce more about his background and others art work ,for example canvas works at Osage gallery in May this year, I really like the style of his painting and this works are more colorful.
回覆刪除It is a very interesting piece of artwork. Your analysis to this artwork "八公返學" are really good. The artist are really creative that try to link eight Chinese contemporary president together by their differences in education. Although education is only just the one factor to determine their personality and mindset, it is very inspiring that let us to employ another perspective to look at these significant people who affect the whole Chinese up to now. You have been analysis Dr. Sun Yat-sen as a example. I also want to analysis what Mao Ze Dong in these artwork: since he was a poor farmer in village when he was young, he did not have a complete and well education like Dr Sun Yat-sen. He cannot read the books easily. And his favorite book is Three Kingdoms which allow he deal with different people, like the strategy to army.
回覆刪除I also choose Wilson Shieh to do the research, generally because I like this artwork, which named Eight Modern China Political Leaders in School. It won the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Awards in 2012. This work of art is humorous and can at the same time set us thinking. The eight famous men hold different things in their hands, which indicate their characteristics. Their hands are made of three-dimensional paper art.
回覆刪除From Wilson Shieh’s art works, we can see his unique idea of this world. I agree that the education a person has received in his or her early years could have big effect on that person’s characteristic and personality. Wilson has found the interesting relationship and represented it in art.
‘Eight Modern China Political Leaders in school’ is one of the artworks impress me in Hong Kong Contemporary Art Award 2012. There are eight china political leaders with a specific sentence for describing their thinking. Also they have different dressing showing their characteristic as well as their times. It shows the different Chinese leaders’ attitude and education background. Wilson Shieh wants to point out the importance of education as education can influence a person mind greatly. Those Chinese leaders who receive different education influenced China differently. Therefore, I agree with your comment that it shows how the education received can change the mindset of these politicians. Wilson wants audience to not only think about who the Chinese leaders is, but also the influence behinds those leaders as well as the factors to develop their characteristic and political thinking. And he used colour pencil and crayon to draw these artworks which is very details in those characters’ facial expression and layers of shadow.
回覆刪除Kelvin, I also have the same feeling with you. Because I also went to this exhibition, when I captured this art work, it really attracted me. Not only because of his techniques, (because it is like a handwritten painting work), but also his concept of creating this set of art work.
回覆刪除As I read another aritcles on your blog, I briefly clarified Shieh will add some elements about political issues on his work. I think this represent the freedom of speech of Hong Kong people, he build up an image to show the public political issues are always around us and we cannot escape from them. Not matter in his art work or his standpoint.