Hong Zhu An’s art feature washes of subdued colour diffused in layers upon each other, resembling waves upon water.

The paintings appear abstract and Modernist in style at first glance, replacing usual depiction of subject matter with mammoth blocks of colour.

However Hong Zhu An incorporates the very traditional Chinese art form of calligraphy into his paintings by setting calligraphy script alongside broad swashes of muted colour. The use of calligraphy identifies the work as keeping to one of the highest canons of traditional Chinese painting. The application of colour in ink-wash, spreading across the canvas, lends a washed-out, watery appearance. This gives an impression of a continuous moving and receding of layers to and from the forefront- the sense of movement being a defining characteristic of traditional Chinese painting.

The constant, gentle, ebb-and-tide of these layers appear to create a sense of peaceful meditation in Hong Zhu An’s work, a journey of self-awareness and introspection.

November 2014
Words for Esquire Singapore
Images courtesy of Brand Cellar Pte Ltd