Committed to pursuing the depth and philosophy of shui mo (“water-ink”), Galerie Ora-Ora has been dedicated to the development of ink since the very beginning. Riding on the undeniable trend of contemporary ink, auction records have reached new heights each season, creating great recognition and success for many artists. While the current contemporary ink market has been dominated by the work of masters and contemporaries, a period of ink featuring artists born subsequent to the Second World War have been notably under-discovered. Launching a new series “Rediscovering Shui Mo”, Galerie Ora-Ora is excited to present a compilation of exhibitions featuring this intermediate generation of ink artists. Consequent to early ink masters like Lui Shou-kwan, these “hidden gems” play a fundamental role to the development and history of shui mo. Ora-Ora will inaugurate this series with the paintings of local Hong Kong artist Nina Pryde. Titled “Determination”, this exhibition seeks to bring the ancient culture of shan shui (“landscape”) painting to contemporary light.
The early years following the Second World War was an untimely period for local talent. Among the renowned Hong Kong artists that surfaced during this era, only a select few were able to achieve success at an early stage. Born and raised in post war Hong Kong, Nina Pryde faced the aftermath of the war head on. Burdened with the responsibility of supporting her large family at a young age, Nina faced the obstacles of a child factory worker by day, and a student by night. After many years of hard work, her earlier misfortunes were rewarded as she now has her own family and runs a successful business with her husband. While this undoubtedly delayed her professional career as an artist, her determination, diligence and passion for art never faded. In 2004, Nina’s artwork caught the attention of contemporary ink master Wucius Wong. Honoured with the opportunity as one of Wong’s esteemed protégés, under Wong’s guidance and encouragement, Nina began her pursuit of the theories and traditions of Chinese ink painting, while developing her own technical interpretation of contemporary shan shui.
Trained as a multidisciplinary artist, Nina’s devotion to shui mo escalated while studying under her mentor Wucius Wong. Fascinated by the sense of grandeur of shan shui painting, Wong describes, “Nina is attracted to the traditional Chinese painting of landscape, in particular the grand atmosphere created. Her bold brushstrokes sweep across a large Xuan paper in an imposing manner. She likes the movement of a writing brush filled with feelings and the smooth, gradual flow of ink”. Echoing this spirit of shan shui, Nina’s confidence in brushstrokes and utlization of blank space, a contrast between light and dark, further enhances the qi and liveliness within her landscapes.
Mastering Wong’s surrealistic technique of geometrically mapping out his compositions, Nina also blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy within her paintings. Known himself for blending the traditions of Chinese ink with the aesthetics of Western art, it was also Wong who encouraged Nina to continue her experimentation with collage. Nina as an avid traveler and photographer, Wong describes, “With a disposition to art, Nina often accompanies her husband on travels. She has visited the five continents. The landscapes, famous scenic spots, museums and art galleries broaden her horizons”. Inspired by her rich life experiences, Nina’s latest shan shui paintings also incorporate the collage of photographs. Seamlessly integrating the two mediums together, Wong comments, “Nina’s recent works also use collages. Photos of people or things are pasted in the semi-abstract landscape to achieve seamless integration with drawing techniques. The painting appears to be both illusory and authentic, with both vague and real elements embodied to make it more alluring”. A reflection of her character, Nina’s observant nature and attention to detail is what separates her from her peers, as she includes intricate details in her paintings, speaking to audiences at an intimate level.
-Galerie Ora-Ora
Image; © Nina Pryde
