Preface

Mineral pigment art—an artistic medium carrying the memory of millennia of civilisation—has continuously reflected humanity’s quest for colour and texture, from ancient cave paintings to the resplendent imagery of the Dunhuang grottoes. Sun Museum is pleased to present the first exhibition of its Colour Painting Series—“Unbound: A Narrative of Mineral Painting”—featuring nine artists from Japan, different cities of China, including Hong Kong, showcasing the rich spectrum and transnational flows of mineral pigment art within the contemporary context.

 

China has a long and profound tradition of mineral pigment painting, while Japan has likewise maintained its own tradition of Kara-e painting since ancient times. The art of mineral pigments has continued to develop in both regions to this day. The artists in this exhibition each approach this ancient medium from distinct perspectives, allowing mineral pigments to radiate vastly different forms of vitality in their hands. As a major Japanese mineral pigment artist, Ikuo Hirayama (1930–2009) imbued his brushwork with a sense of sombre, vast history, giving the medium a spiritual weight that transcends art itself. In the featured work, he utilized his signature warm orange-yellow tones, and the thickly applied mineral particles emit a serene texture under light and shadow. Asuka Irie skillfully combines the decorative qualities of traditional folding screens with contemporary pictorial narratives, imbuing her compositions with a light and tranquil atmosphere. Ayana Otake renders the intricate patterns and soft folds of fabric in her paintings with a subdued lustre, brought to life through the granular texture of mineral pigments. The Chinese Mainland artists include Chen Wenguang, Hu Mingzhe and Zhu Jin. Chen Wenguang, who studied in Japan, presents works in which various subjects emerge from deep, mottled backgrounds, rendered with mural-like textures of “flaking” and “fracture”. Hu Mingzhe’s works juxtapose large expanses of colour with coarse earthy tones, creating contrasts of colour and texture; the interplay of coarse and fine mineral particles is presented to the viewer through a minimalist visual language. Zhu Jin’s compositions dispense with complex backgrounds, employing white and black mineral pigments punctuated occasionally by bright colours, releasing the raw power of the medium through minimalist arrangements. The three Hong Kong artists are Chan Yuk Keung Kurt , Chung Tai Fu and Yau Wing Fung. In recent years, Chan Yuk Keung Kurt collects coloured sands and stones from mountains for his creations. The works exhibited here resemble primeval surfaces eroded by wind and rain, endowing his pieces with an earth-like texture. Chung Tai Fu, who serves as President of the Society of Mineral Pigment Art of Hong Kong, has studied in Japan and conducted research at Dunhuang, dedicating himself to bridging traditional mineral pigment art with contemporary artistic contexts. Yau Wing Fung, from a younger generation’s perspective, injecting an imagery that attempts to connect tradition with a lightweight contemporary feel into the heavy, rich texture of mineral pigments. 

 

Finally, we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to all artists for their participation, particularly to the Society of Mineral Pigment Art of Hong Kong for its assistance, to Mr. Kevin Sun for his generous loan of exceptional Japanese mineral pigment paintings, to Mr. Wang Zhizhou of the Totem Art Materials Research Institute for his invaluable support. Last but not least, Professor Hu Mingzhe, Mr. Chung Tai Fu, and Ms. Mianco Wong, who generously contributed their insightful essays to the exhibition catalogue. The cross-border flow of mineral pigment art has never ceased. We hope that through these works, our audience will experience the unique charm of mineral pigments as a “cross-border” medium—one that carries the ancient wisdom of the East while being revitalised in the hands of contemporary artists. May this inaugural Colour Painting Series exhibition mark a fresh new chapter in the museum’s continued support of painting.

​

Lesley F.H. LAU

Director, Sun Museum