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HONGKONG -
APD Contributor Swan Xiao Li interviewed the artist Wong Sau Ching on topics of his solo exhibition “Beyond the Senses” which was delighted by Illuminati Fine Art gallery from 19 Dec 2020 to 31 Jan 2021. The exhibition features 24 pieces of oil paintings between 2018 and 2020 that embody the artist’s attempt to interweave together the multiple layers of experience of one’s subconsciousness, instinct and dream.
Wong Sau Ching(left), Swan Xiao Li (Right)
**APD: **The theme of your works is “Beyond the Senses” this time which is totally different compared with your works in the past. How did it come from and how to interpret it?
Wong: I’ve been thinking about originality and how to discover new things all the way through my career. And I think that's really critical for artists. I have been practicing in my studio without going out for sketching since 2015. From then on, the subconscious mind was gradually cultivated.
“Beyond the Senses” Exhibition
These works indicates the deconstruction of consciousness which has been repressed to serve only the intuition. In the process of human behaviour, at the lowest point of human consciousness, the two acts of painting and expression converge. The point of convergence is precisely the highest point of human intuition.
APD: Does your works intended to stimulate the subconscious of the audience?
**Wong: **First of all, I make things for myself and have to convince myself before I create. Art is not one plus one equals two, it has no answer. So I don't pay attention to audience s’ thinking because this can't be done once I think about it. Therefore, I began to consciously find the language in the picture after using my subconscious to paint. Then I pull out the subconscious and turn it into the works.
I always say do not care about my ideas when you see the works. You just focus on finding the things what you're looking for through subconscious and that's important.
APD: I found all works were marked by RGB colour model codes, that sounds interesting, would you like to share the creative process?
**Wong: **At the very beginning, it is blank on the paper. Then my subconscious come out and I start painting though I don't know what it is. When I am back to the studio the next day and find this is not I want. Then I would press it again and again with a layer of green or the colour of my subconscious at that time. That’s how we get a kind of colour crossing and many picture languages will come out. Finally, the gallery help me decompose my works by a computer and the colour schemes have been reduced from a polychrome to monochrome labelled with RGB colour codes.
Tibet, Oil on Canvas, 100*100cm, 2020
**APD: **How to interpret the “Tibet”?
Wong: I went to Tibet several times and felt differently each time. Tibet influenced my philosophy of life because it had extreme natural and cultural environment. You could see the staggered lines and colours used to depict the texture of light, this painting created the atmosphere of mystery that emphasizes emotions. When I went back to sketching, my mouth was full of the smell of buttered tea. I was wholly absorbed in painting and tasting the buttered tea, wasn’t it funny?
**APD: **You have held a variety of individual exhibitions and joint exhibitions since 1980s. Does the works has any changes on your creative thinking in these years?
Wong: I was educated in a very traditional way when I was young. My parents were very strict with me which made me under the great pressure. Therefore, the style of my early works was heavy and depressing. One interesting things is the taking exams. 60 points means pass in a lucky way for all we know. My father asked me that why I got 60 points all the time? Actually I just enjoyed the challenge, was't it difficult to get 60 points in every subject?
“Kew Garden” Oil on Canvas, 100*165cm, 2019
It was only later that I studies in Britain and changed me a lot. The journey of studying abroad made me more positive and changed my views. Therefore, the later works gradually became lively and happy. I hope the positive energy of the works could bring happiness to the audience. These works is, as it were, my life portrait.
APD: As a young artist, how do they find the opportunities in art industry?
Wong: You have to understand why you did art in the first place. Yes because you love it. I could draw on any piece of paper in a whole day. When you really like something, you will not care about others. When you do not care about others, you will concentrate on your works here, the opportunity is here.
Our generation of young artists is completely different compared with us. We’re afraid to show our works. I prefer to roll it up as soon as I finished painting. If you come to my studio, you’ll find my studio is too small to hold my works. So I suggest the young artist should show everyone what you have done, do not learn from me.
Someone said people won’t be afraid when the light follows their direction. No matter what you do, young people should not be afraid of failure, just stick to it. One more advise to the young artist: when someone push you to the cliff, do not negative, do not be afraid, to jump confidently! Remember, youth is your capital!
(APD NEWS)
