Hsiao Chin

(Xiao Qin) B. 1935

蕭勤 Vento Cosmico - 28 (Cosmic Wind - 28)

Footnotes

Provenance
Christie's Hong Kong, Asian 20th Century Art (Day Sale), 31 May 2015, Lot 509
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Literature
Spazio Oberdan, Fondazione Mudina, Galleria Gio Marconi and Lattuada Arte, Hsiao Chin - Opere 1958-2001, Milan, 22 January to 2 March 2002, p. 83
Dimension Art Center, Hsiao Chin, Taipei, 1996, p. 212
Studio Marconi, Hsiao Chin, 17 November 1988 to 15 January 1989, p. 47

宇宙風－28
油彩畫布
1988年作

簽名：蕭勤
背面畫布框架簽名：Vento Cosmico - 28

來源
香港佳士得，「亞洲二十世紀藝術（日間拍賣）」，2015年5月31日，拍品編號509
現藏家購自上述拍賣

出版
《蕭勤：1958-2000作品回顧展》，此展覽曾在米蘭省政府奧拜堂（Spazio Oberdan）藝術空間、姆迪瑪藝術基金會（Fondazione Mudina）、馬爾各尼畫廊（Galleria Gio Marcon）、拉都阿達畫廊（Lattuada Arte）巡迴展出。2002年1月22日至3月2日，第83頁
《蕭勤》，帝門藝術中心，台北，1996年，第212頁
《蕭勤》，Studio Marconi，米蘭，1988年11月17日-1989年1月15日，第47頁

Hsiao Chin was born into a family of literati in Shanghai, and moved to Taiwan in 1949 with his uncle, where he studied under artist Li Chun-Shan. In 1956, Hsiao founded the Ton Fan Group along with Ho Kan, Li Yuan-Chia, Ouyang Wen-Yuan, Hsia Yan, Wu Hao, Hsiao Ming-Hsien, and Chen Daoming. The group was bonded by the ideals of breaking through the mould of classical paintings by adopting an abstract style. In the same year, Hsiao was awarded a scholarship that brought him to Europe, and there he held his first solo exhibition in Milan. Although Hsiao was based in Europe, he was still committed to the artist circle back home, and remained dedicated to propelling the modernization of Chinese art, and remained one of the leading figures of the Ton Fan Art Group.

Untitled (Lot 18) is a rare example of oil painting from Hsiao Chin's early Chinese Opera series. It was a treasured subject for the artist; watching Chinese operas was one of his favourite childhood pastimes. Chinese operas had been popular since the Qing dynasty, and for over two hundred years continued to capture the devotion of the audience through its unique sound, rich repertoire, and sumptuous costumes. Hsiao's clean, modern strokes captured the vivid essence of traditional Chinese drama. The vibrant colors of the painting echo the arresting visual effects of a Chinese opera show while permeating an atmosphere of child-like candour, simply exuding the joy in enjoying the opera. Mountains in the clouds contrast with the luminous blue background; a domineering young man on the left primed to demonstrate his martial arts prowess; the white stallion in the foreground awaits his call, just as the audience awaits being swept up in a dazzling adventure.

Vento Cosmico – 28 (Lot 19) is a late masterpiece from the Chi series of the 1980s. This period comes after the Duality and Zen series of the 70s as the artist entered a stage of further maturity, and began creating imposing and majestic abstract paintings. At the time, Europe was rife with thriving Western artistic movements, but Hsiao stayed true to the philosophy of Lao Zhuang and continued exploring his own inner state of mind and honouring the universe with humility. With both Western and Eastern techniques, he efficiently illustrated the quintessence of Chinese calligraphy. The artist's profound composure while creating this work is evident through the expansive brush strokes. With expert control over the brush, he was able to capture the radiant, sprawling energy of the universe. A violet current flows through the canvas from left to right, as if prancing through the vast universe with grace, and the spots of fluorescent dotted across the surface move with the current like a magnificent meteor shower.

蕭勤是出生在書香貴胄的世家子弟，1949年自上海隨姑父來台，在台時拜藝術家李仲生為師。1956年蕭勤與霍剛、李元佳、歐陽文苑、夏陽、吳昊、蕭明賢、陳道明成立了東方畫會，為當時意圖打破傳統繪畫語境，力求突破的抽象藝術團體。在同一年獲得獎學金的蕭氏遠赴歐洲， 隨後在米蘭舉辦了第一個個展。儘管蕭氏人在歐洲，他仍心繫在台的藝術家夥伴們，致力推動中國美術現代化運動，是東方畫會領軍人物之一。

《無題》（拍品編號19）是蕭勤早期京劇系列罕見的油畫作品。觀賞京劇是蕭氏在上海生活時情有獨鐘的休閒嗜好。京劇自清朝開始發展，距今已有兩百多年的歷史。獨有的聲腔、豐富的劇目，加上目不暇給的服飾裝扮，至今仍深受人們的推從及喜愛。蕭氏將中國傳統的戲劇精髓用現代、俐落的線條勾勒出活靈活現的戲劇情調。鮮明亮眼的色系反應出京劇奪人眼目的視覺效果，蕭氏的手法帶有童真之趣，樸實地流露出賞劇的喜悅。畫面上碧藍色的背景襯著視覺遠方白雲環繞的山峰。左方人物是京劇中擅長武功的壯年武生，氣勢凌人的他霸氣登場。畫面前景的白色駿馬屏息等待指令，台下觀眾翹首以待，一場華麗的冒險將席捲而來。

《宇宙風－28》（拍品編號20）是蕭勤在80年代「氣聚氣散」系列晚期代表作之一，這個時期的創作是蕭勤走過70年代二元性和禪系列後，進入更成熟、展現恢宏氣勢的抽象大作。當時身處歐洲各式畫派的興盛時期，蕭氏始終以老莊思想為本，探究自身心境的宇宙觀，以謙卑之心向宇宙致敬。結合中西方的繪畫手法，俐落地表現中國書法的底蘊。大幅的筆刷在畫布上拓展開來，展現蕭氏在創作時氣定神閒的力度及張力，呈現通透自如、豁達寬宏的宇宙氣韻。流暢的紫藍色氣流，從畫面的左至右方，以輕盈活潑的步伐邁向浩瀚無限的宇宙。隨氣流運動而產生的螢色光點，宛如絢麗的流星雨般順勢而行，伴著繽紛喜悅的期許，迎接更美好的未來。