“Gallery by the Harbour” collaborated with talented artist, Yang Xiaoli is pleased to present “Fertility & Fortune – The Power of the Hulu”, her first exhibition in Hong Kong at the Gallery by the Harbour from May 11 to 25, 2011. The myths of the Hulu suffuse artist Yang Xiaoli’s paintings, gourds, and photography in a brilliant display of traditional superstition and modern design. Xiaoli welcomes everyone to experience the enduring power of the Hulu, still standing the test of time.
The Hulu has been an iconic symbol of good fortune, fertility, and health throughout the centuries of Chinese culture. A bottle-shaped calabash, the Hulu’s feng shui imagery represents good luck, fecundity, and spiritual immortality. The talented artist, Yang Xiaoli, weaves this timeless symbolism into her paintings and hand-painted gourds to awaken nostalgic perceptions of the ancient themes of wealth and conception with a sophisticated, contemporary flair.
The Fertility series focuses on the Hulu’s connection to procreation which is rooted in the Chinese mythology of Nu-Wo and Fu-Yi, who escaped the Great Flood in a Hulu-shaped boat and later married and spawned the Chinese race. The Hulu’s considerable volume of seeds and capacity to grow easily in most conditions further cultivated its association with reproduction. This series captures the primordial forces of creation when the seeds of life relentlessly ascend to converge on the origin of conception. The concise, simplified shapes and luxuriant colors add excitement, anticipation, and joyful energy to build a strong visual and maternal experience with the audience.
Fertility series
Over time, the association of the Hulu was extended to represent a healthy marriage and sexual satisfaction. The Gender Code series examines the purity of relations between men and women untouched by superficial constraints. Xiaoli subtly introduces human elements into the Hulu silhouette to convey seductive messages of procreation and longevity. Her geometric design merges the male and female figures in alliance with the metaphysical powers of the Yin and Yang – the attraction of opposites.
The Lucky Fortune series is inspired by the notion of good luck and affluence. In traditional Chinese language, the similarity of pronunciation between Hulu and Fulu, Fu – meaning good luck, and Lu – denoting fortune and wealth, is attributed to the cultural connection of the words with the Hulu form. The audience is tempted to search for images of Chinese coins, a symbol of wealth and fortune, embedded on the colorful canvass.
Extending the notion of good luck and fortune beyond the canvass, Xiaoli has ornamented hand-picked Hulu gourds with recognizable elements from a number of very lucky and fortunate master artists: Andy Warhol, Ai Weiwei, Dali, Damien Hirst, Jackson Pollock, Miro, Mondrain, Picasso and Yayoi Kusama. In a lighthearted, but sincere tribute to these famous artists, Xiaoli polishes the Hulu’s frame with modern statements of achievement, innovation, and endurance.
“Fertility & Fortune – The Power of the Hulu”
Date: 11 – 25 May 2011
Time: 11am to 9pm
Venue: Gallery by the Harbour (Shop 207, Level 2, Ocean Center, Harbour City – Close to Fendi)
About Yang Xiaoli
Yang Xiaoli’s paintings fascinate through their geometric form, vibrant colors, and elegant stylization. She blends precise, realistic elements with mystical symbolism to charm viewers through an emotional journey of boundless optimism and inner tranquility.
A current resident of Hong Kong, Yang Xiaoli was born in Shandong Province, China, and later studied at the prestigious Donghua University Art & Design Institute in Shanghai where she was honored with several top national awards for art and creative design. Having traveled extensively across all hemispheres, Xiaoli’s creative brushstrokes transcend the boundaries of East and West, traditional and modern, and abstract and surreal to capture the random elements of natural beauty to enhance the emotional experience.
Xiaoli’s paintings have been featured in three solo exhibitions in Shanghai and Hong Kong and are preparing a new collection of artworks that will be unveiled at her next exhibition in May 2011. Many of her pieces have been collected by art lovers from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Seoul, Sydney and New York.
