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23 Mar 2018

The ‘Tianfeng’ Branch of Lingnan School: From Innovation to CultivationCUHK Art Museum Presents the finest paintings of Gao Qifeng, Chao Shao-an and Au Ho-nien

23 Mar 2018
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(From left) Prof. Josh Yiu, Director of the Art Museum, CUHK; Prof. To Cho-yee, former Professor of Education, CUHK; Mr. Christopher Mok, Chairman, Advisory Committee of the Art Museum, CUHK; Prof. Joseph JY Sung, Mok Hing Yiu Professor of Medicine, CUHK; Prof. Au Ho-nien, Honorary Chief Curator of Lingnan Fine Arts Museum, Academia Sinica; Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK; Prof. Leung Yuen-sang, Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK; Ms. Lee Wan-hui, Secretary of Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation; and Dr. Phil Chan, Research-Assistant Curator (Painting and Calligraphy) of the Art Museum, CUHK.

Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK delivers a speech.

Prof. Au Ho-nien, Honorary Chief Curator of Lingnan Fine Arts Museum, Academia Sinica delivers a speech.

Prof. YIU Chun-chong Josh, Director of the Art Museum, CUHK delivers a welcoming speech.

Dr. Phil Chan, Research-Assistant Curator (Painting and Calligraphy) of the Art Museum, CUHK accounts for the exhibition.

Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK presents a souvenir to Prof. Au Ho-nien.

Gao Qifeng (1889–1933) Eagle and Pine Tree Dated 1908 Hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk 102 x 42 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 1973.1024 Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

Gao Qifeng (1889–1933) and his disciples Spring Flowers Dated 1933 Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper 114 x 47 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 1973.0924 Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

Chao Shao-an (1905–1998), Zhou Yifeng (1890–1982), Ye Shaobing (1896–1968), Ho Chat-yuen (1899–1970) and Huang Shaoqiang (1900–1942) Portrait of Gao Qifeng Dated 1934 Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper 176 x 66 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 1973.0922 Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

Chao Shao-an (1905 – 1998) Tai Po Kau, Hong Kong Dated 1967 Horizontal scroll, ink and colors on paper 96 x 185.2 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 1992.0170 Gift of Prof Chao Shao-an

Au Ho-nien (b. 1935) Chung Chi College Dated 1970 Horizontal scroll, ink and colour on paper 60 x 90 cm Collection of Chung Chi College, CUHK

Au Ho-nien (b. 1935) Two Horses Dated 2017 Horizontal scroll, ink and colour on paper 95 x 184 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 2017.0100 Gift of Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation

The Art Museum of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) will present the Legacy of the Heavenly Breeze: The Art of Gao Qifeng, Chao Shao-an and Au Ho-nien exhibition, from 24 March to 13 May 2018. This exhibition will showcase 65 works of altogether 85 pieces of painting and calligraphy, in which 12 works (30 pieces of painting and calligraphy) were composed by Prof. Au Ho-nien, a representative among the third generation of Lingnan school painters, specially for this occasion and gifted to the Museum for its permanent collection. Prof. Au Ho-nien, Prof. To Cho-yee, and the Chung Chi College have also kindly lent to the exhibition 6 works by the three masters in focus, so as to enrich the range of works on display. Members of the public are welcome to visit the exhibition. Admission is free. 

The opening ceremony for the exhibition was held today (23 March). The officiating guests included Prof. Au Ho-nien, Honorary Chief Curator of the Lingnan Fine Arts Museum, Academia Sinica; Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK; Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, Mok Hing Yiu Professor of Medicine, CUHK; Prof. To Cho-yee, former Professor of Education, CUHK; Prof. Leung Yuen-sang, Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK; Mr. Christopher Mok, Chairman, Advisory Committee of the Art Museum, CUHK; Prof. Yiu Chun-chong Josh, Director of the Art Museum, CUHK; Ms. Lee Wan-hui, Secretary of Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation and Dr. Phil Chan, Research-Assistant Curator (Painting and Calligraphy) of the Art Museum, CUHK. 

The Lingnan school plays a significant role in the history of twentieth-century Chinese art. Its forefathers , Gao Jianfu (1879-1951), Gao Qifeng (1889-1933), and Chen Shuren (1884-1948), regarded as the ‘Three Masters of Lingnan’, took their inspiration from the works of Ju Chao (1811-1865) and Ju Lian (1828-1904) of the Geshan school, which can be traced back to the Jiangsu bird-and-flower painters Song Guangbao and Meng Jinyi. Having each pursued their studies in Japan and learned from Japanese painting, the three Lingnan school founders innovated and ‘modernised’ Chinese painting by ‘making the best of the Chinese and Western worlds, and bridging the past and the present’. Gao Qifeng, in particular, was adept in a wide variety of subjects. His brushwork showed an exquisite vividness, especially in his bird-and-flower and animal paintings. Despite his all too short life, his work made a major impact and received high acclaim. In 1929, Gao moved to Ersha (or Napier) Island in Guangzhou for convalescence. He found a new home the year after and named it ‘Tianfeng lou’ (Heavenly Breeze Studio), where artistic gatherings with his apprentices took place. The place has since become an important symbol for the Lingnan school. The seven most accomplished of Gao’s apprentices were thus known together as the ‘Tianfeng qizi’ (Seven Apprentices of the Heavenly Breeze). Chao Shao-an (1905–1998), the youngest of the seven, not only managed to continue Gao’s artistic legacy, but also renewed it with modern elements and created a unique artistic style, bringing the Lingnan school to a new horizon and international fame. After settling in Hong Kong in 1948, Chao started accepting students and developed a strong following, so much so that he was hailed as a master of the Lingnan school of his generation. Prof. Au Ho-nien (b. 1935) came under Chao’s tutelage at the age of 17. Building on Chao’s artistic craft, Au has developed a style of his own, characterised by bold, vigorous brushwork. Excelling not just in painting but also in poetry and calligraphy, he is a key figure among the third-generation Lingnan masters. In 1970, Au migrated to Taiwan at the behest of his teacher to spread the Lingnan art to the island. For over a century, the three generations of Heavenly Breeze Studio artists have carried on their treasured tradition while exploring and breaking new ground. An examination of their works and the history thereof may provide valuable insights into the evolution of Chinese art of the period. 

Painting and calligraphy from Guangdong have long been one of the key focuses of the Art Museum since its inauguration in 1971. The Museum’s current collection includes a rich array of works by the late Lingnan school founders, such as Gao Jianfu, Gao Qifeng and Chen Shuren, which are crucial materials for the study of the Lingnan school. Over the last few decades, the Museum has firmly established itself as one of the main sites for the collection of and research into the Lingnan school. The Museum had its first collection of Gao Qifeng’s paintings as early as 1973. Chao Shao-an started teaching Chinese painting in the 1950s at the Department of Chinese of Chung Chi College, until summer 1960 when he left for visitor positions in the United States and endorsed Prof. Au Ho-nien as his successor. Chao and Au later both took up visitorship at CUHK and generously donated their works to the University. Au were also conferred honorary doctorate by CUHK in 2016. All these testify to the three masters’ connection with the University. 

The accompanying catalogue, Legacy of the Heavenly Breeze: The Art of Gao Qifeng, Chao Shao-an and Au Ho-nien, edited by Dr. Phil Chan, with inscription by Prof. Au on the book cover and articles written by Prof. To Cho-yee, Prof. Leung Yuen-sang and Dr. Phil Chan, covering the finest works by three generations of Heavenly Breeze Studio, offers a glimpse into the development of the Lingnan school over a century and sheds light on important aspects of the history of twentieth-century Chinese painting. 

Details of the exhibitions are as follows: 

Date:

24 March 2018 – 13 May 2018

Venue:

Gallery I, Art Museum, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Opening Hours:

Mondays to Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sundays and Public Holidays: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

 

Closed on Thursdays (except Public Holidays) and Easter Holidays

Enquiries:

3943-7416

 Attachment:    Highlighted exhibits



(From left) Prof. Josh Yiu, Director of the Art Museum, CUHK; Prof. To Cho-yee, former Professor of Education, CUHK; Mr. Christopher Mok, Chairman, Advisory Committee of the Art Museum, CUHK; Prof. Joseph JY Sung, Mok Hing Yiu Professor of Medicine, CUHK; Prof. Au Ho-nien, Honorary Chief Curator of Lingnan Fine Arts Museum, Academia Sinica; Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK; Prof. Leung Yuen-sang, Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK; Ms. Lee Wan-hui, Secretary of Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation; and Dr. Phil Chan, Research-Assistant Curator (Painting and Calligraphy) of the Art Museum, CUHK.

(From left) Prof. Josh Yiu, Director of the Art Museum, CUHK; Prof. To Cho-yee, former Professor of Education, CUHK; Mr. Christopher Mok, Chairman, Advisory Committee of the Art Museum, CUHK; Prof. Joseph JY Sung, Mok Hing Yiu Professor of Medicine, CUHK; Prof. Au Ho-nien, Honorary Chief Curator of Lingnan Fine Arts Museum, Academia Sinica; Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK; Prof. Leung Yuen-sang, Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, CUHK; Ms. Lee Wan-hui, Secretary of Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation; and Dr. Phil Chan, Research-Assistant Curator (Painting and Calligraphy) of the Art Museum, CUHK.

 

Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK delivers a speech.

Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK delivers a speech.

 

Prof. Au Ho-nien, Honorary Chief Curator of Lingnan Fine Arts Museum, Academia Sinica delivers a speech.

Prof. Au Ho-nien, Honorary Chief Curator of Lingnan Fine Arts Museum, Academia Sinica delivers a speech.

 

Prof. YIU Chun-chong Josh, Director of the Art Museum, CUHK delivers a welcoming speech.

Prof. YIU Chun-chong Josh, Director of the Art Museum, CUHK delivers a welcoming speech.

 

Dr. Phil Chan, Research-Assistant Curator (Painting and Calligraphy) of the Art Museum, CUHK accounts for the exhibition.

Dr. Phil Chan, Research-Assistant Curator (Painting and Calligraphy) of the Art Museum, CUHK accounts for the exhibition.

 

Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK presents a souvenir to Prof. Au Ho-nien.

Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK presents a souvenir to Prof. Au Ho-nien.

 

Gao Qifeng (1889–1933)
Eagle and Pine Tree
Dated 1908
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk
102 x 42 cm
Collection of Art Museum, CUHK
Acc. no. 1973.1024
Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

Gao Qifeng (1889–1933) Eagle and Pine Tree Dated 1908 Hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk 102 x 42 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 1973.1024 Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

 

Gao Qifeng (1889–1933) and his disciples
Spring Flowers
Dated 1933
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper
114 x 47 cm
Collection of Art Museum, CUHK
Acc. no. 1973.0924
Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

Gao Qifeng (1889–1933) and his disciples Spring Flowers Dated 1933 Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper 114 x 47 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 1973.0924 Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

 

Chao Shao-an (1905–1998), Zhou Yifeng (1890–1982), Ye Shaobing (1896–1968), Ho Chat-yuen (1899–1970) and Huang Shaoqiang (1900–1942)
Portrait of Gao Qifeng
Dated 1934
Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper
176 x 66 cm
Collection of Art Museum, CUHK
Acc. no. 1973.0922
Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

Chao Shao-an (1905–1998), Zhou Yifeng (1890–1982), Ye Shaobing (1896–1968), Ho Chat-yuen (1899–1970) and Huang Shaoqiang (1900–1942) Portrait of Gao Qifeng Dated 1934 Hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper 176 x 66 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 1973.0922 Gift of Mr Ho Iu-kwong, Mr Fok Bo-choi, Mr Li De and others

 

Chao Shao-an (1905 – 1998)
Tai Po Kau, Hong Kong
Dated 1967
Horizontal scroll, ink and colors on paper
96 x 185.2 cm
Collection of Art Museum, CUHK
Acc. no. 1992.0170
Gift of Prof Chao Shao-an

Chao Shao-an (1905 – 1998) Tai Po Kau, Hong Kong Dated 1967 Horizontal scroll, ink and colors on paper 96 x 185.2 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 1992.0170 Gift of Prof Chao Shao-an

 

Au Ho-nien (b. 1935)
Chung Chi College
Dated 1970
Horizontal scroll, ink and colour on paper
60 x 90 cm
Collection of Chung Chi College, CUHK

Au Ho-nien (b. 1935) Chung Chi College Dated 1970 Horizontal scroll, ink and colour on paper 60 x 90 cm Collection of Chung Chi College, CUHK

 

Au Ho-nien (b. 1935)
Two Horses
Dated 2017
Horizontal scroll, ink and colour on paper
95 x 184 cm
Collection of Art Museum, CUHK
Acc. no. 2017.0100
Gift of Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation

Au Ho-nien (b. 1935) Two Horses Dated 2017 Horizontal scroll, ink and colour on paper 95 x 184 cm Collection of Art Museum, CUHK Acc. no. 2017.0100 Gift of Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation

 

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