Dr Hung Sheng1
1Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Shanshui (literally mountain water) as a subject matter has been a significant category in the development of classical Chinese painting. The earliest reference of shanshui can be traced to painting treatise in the fourth century, however it only blossomed in the tenth century. Physical resemblance of nature was not the first priority of the ancient Chinese shanshui painters, but the spirit of the nature which was very much related to Chinese philosophy. The term “shanshui” is still widely used in the contemporary Chinese art scene, yet there are discrepancies between its ancient and contemporary understanding. This paper will focus on a group of Hong Kong contemporary artists, such as Lam Tung Pang (1978 – ), Koon Wai Bong (1974 – ) and Leung Kui Ting (1945 – ) to explore the interpretation of shanshui in the twenty-first century. How do they perceive shanshui compared to the ancient painters? How do they reflect their perceptions in their artworks?
Biography:
Hung received her PhD in Visual Studies from Lingnan University in 2017. She has taught part-time at i-dArt, Lingnan University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on the history and aesthetics of twentieth-century Chinese and Hong Kong art as well as art education in different settings.