Chak Man Lei
Ink Paintings
Opening Reception 6-9 pm with Chak Man Lei in
attendance
Friday, August 1, 2014
Animation Artist
Tian Xiaolei
in the Video Room
Cut-outs by
ZiRan
in the Drawers Gallery
Chak
Man Lei’s exhibition,
Tung and Sootzpah
will open at Headbones Gallery on August 1 with a
reception from 6 to 9 and the artist
will be
in attendance – all the way from
China!
Born in Hong Kong, Lei grew up in Macau
(Cantonese language) until he was 12 when his family
immigrated to Canada. Lei became a Canadian
citizen, went to OCAD, and after six years in Vancouver dealing Chinese antiquities while maintaining his
ink art practice, Chak Man Lei bought a one-way
ticket to Beijing. He learned
Mandarin, set up a studio in one of the new art
districts and now says “I feel more Chinese than the
Chinese.”
Lei’s work is based on Ink. In Chinese art,
ink was used for elevated work with an intent to
connect with the spiritual, seated in calligraphy
and painting. Traditionally, a landscape was not
begun plein- aire but by walking
through
the landscape. In solitude, from memory, the
painting was created. Ink came from tung derived
from burning pine trees so the essence was soot with
added elements increasing longevity for image
making.
Headbones Gallery will also introduce the
work of
Tian Xiaolei,
a video animation artist working with themes of
generation and alienation. His videos explore a
gamut of changes from birth to death, serenity to
confusion, ancient to contemporary, the myths of the
country folk to the plight of the modern Chinese.
Refined yet expressive, the imagery is beautiful.
Small hand-made books and collages by the
street artist, ZiRan, will also be displayed. Billed
as “councillor of discoveries”, one of “top ten art
celebrities in China” and “contemporary artist
innovating paper cuts” on his personal business
card, Ziran’s work lives up to his name.
Headbones Gallery is proud to now have this timber
frame housing by
Lars Olesen for the sign made by Oakes.
The elegant Thyra
Nordic Timbre Frame design and
construction is made from yellow pine and pinned
together with oak pegs. Solid and stately, it marks
the ascent to the gallery.
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