Ben Brown Fine Arts, Hong Kong, presents the first Hong Kong solo gallery exhibition for artist Kitty Chou. This series of lyrical, semi-abstract photographs will bring together a rich and complex body of work created over the past two years.
As the simplicity of the exhibition title suggests, Chou has dedicated herself to documenting water and its elemental interactions with light, nature, people and found objects. Working with what seems a very Zen and focused subject matter results in myriad and disparate compositions; the artist has transcended the simplicity of water and delved into its ethereal properties and possibilities. The rippling effects of wind, the shimmering reflections of leaves and branches, the looming shadow of a figure, the playful abstract patterns achieved by floating objects all infuse ChouÂ’s photographs with dialogue and character.
Yellow, Green & Pink #1 and Yellow & Green #1, both created in 2012, are two highly evocative images of water blurred by light, colour and motion, achieving an abstract, painterly effect that recalls the work of Gerhard Richter. Blue Jazz, 2012, has a similarly dynamic feel, its cold blue background of water traversed by curvilinear, calligraphic shadows that evoke the scribbles of Cy Twombly or a lively musical score. Chou cites Henri Cartier-Bresson as a major artistic influence; she too relies heavily on chance, spontaneity and fleeting moments in nature in her work. Remarkably, Chou does not crop or manipulate her photographs, firmly believing in presenting the image as she viewed and captured it in that moment.
Image: © Kitty Chou, Ben Brown Fine Arts
