The Centre of Buddhist Studies and the University Museum and Art Gallery of The University of Hong Kong will jointly present the first exhibition in Hong Kong of paintings by Shi Song.

Shi Song is recognised in Taiwan for his Buddhist-inspired artworks.  Born in Shanghai in 1947, Shi trained as an artist in Paris at the Éole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts.  He first worked as an editor when he returned to Taiwan but turned to Buddhism when his mother fell ill in the 1980s, seeking solace in the making of line drawings of the bodhisattva of compassion, Avalokitesvara or Guanyin.  Following his mother’s death, he continued this practice and deepened his engagement with Buddhism as a religion.

Inspired by his study of Buddhist sutras Shi began working on a series of oil paintings depicting episodes in the life of the historical Buddha, Sakyamuni.  Painted in a photorealist style, they feature Buddha in a forest setting bathed in a beatific light.

The exhibition features seventy works representing different aspects of Shi’s work on Buddhist themes: the oil paintings of the Buddha’s life; line drawings of Guanyin; watercolours; still lifes as well woodblock prints.

The exhibition opening will take place at the Museum on Tuesday 23 March 2010 at 6:00pm. Professor Pai Hsien-yung, Mr Gabriel Yu Chi-ming, Ms Helen H.B. Ng, Representative, The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation, Ms Jenny Chang, Representative, Trend Education Foundation, and Professor C.F. Lee, Director, School of Professional and Continuing Education, HKU will officiate at the opening ceremony.  The artist Shi Song will be present.

The Museum wishes to acknowledge the generosity of Mr Gabriel Yu Chi-ming; The Robert H.N. Ho Family Foundation; and Trend Education Foundation in supporting this exhibition.

Two associated talks will take place during the exhibition period.  Both are free and open to the public.

1) The artist Shi Song, “Countenance of Serene Composure – Paintings of the Bodhisattva” (in Putonghua) on Wednesday 24 March at 7:00 pm at the Wang Gungwu Lecture Hall, HKU.

2) Museum Director YEUNG Chun-tong, “The Bodhisattva Guanyin in Chinese culture” (in Cantonese) on Saturday 17 April at 3:00 pm at the Museum