Art Experience Gallery takes the greatest pleasure in presenting “Serene Contemplation…”, the solo exhibition of Hong Kong artist Aries Wu, from 30 June to 3 August 2012. Aries Wu likes to observe the subtle changes in still objects in the movements of light and shadow, depicting the unique details and texture of “things” that look ordinary, commonly found, and hence a tranquil still-life world is created. His love for Dutch Baroque art of the 17th century was already manifest when he was studying at RMIT University, Australia. Yet this time, he has found inspirations in the memories of his childhood.

As a child, Wu lived a simple life in Guangzhou. Despite the absence of rich material living, his passion for art started to dawn drawing with a stack of paper and a few pencils. Wu’s recent works are mostly themed around the familiar items in his childhood, for instance, soup scoop, pot, scissors and vacuum flask. These usual items, possess a sense of beauty beyond the explanation of words, plain yet beautiful. Such childhood memories of Wu have lived through time and are once again brought together on the wood drawing board to affect us with the feeling of home.

These were the same typical items in our childhood. When appreciating the objects in the painting in detail, we feel acquainted because the marks left by the flow of time on them are identically evident on the items we once used in our own childhood and so are indeed known to us. These items were with us on our journey to become grown-ups. Thinking, we are brought back to childhood and can hear the cooking sound from the kitchen, the rumble of the sewing machine and the laughter of our playmates anew. Time flies. Good things disappear in silence before we can hold them. Still, the works of Aries Wu halt our steps, allowing us to immerse in the thoughts of…