Liu Qinghe, The 24 Solar Terms – Pure brightness, 2017; Ink on silk, 55x65cm

Tokyo Gallery + BTAP presents  the solo-exhibition of artist Liu Qinghe, entitled THE TIME OF THE YEAR, from November 5 to December 9, 2017.

This solo-exhibition showcases Liu Qinghe’s recently created ink wash series, revolving around the 24 solar terms. The artist integrates his reflections on nature and time into Chinese traditional depictions of time. Teetering between realistic (gongbi ) and freehand (xieyi) brushwork, the artist has found a most apt approach for displaying his craft. Although the works constitute straightforward illustrations of the 24 solar terms, they’re subconsciously made to coincide with the decay and growth of the natural world. The title Slipping through the Hourglass highlights the theme of time passing by: whether you’re bustling about or just in a daze, time passes by all the same. In his own words, the artist’s “biggest discovery throughout that year was the incredible trickery of Mother Nature. In defiance of the earth-shaking events and vicissitudes of worldly affairs, the days go by just the same with each sunrise and sunset.”

From Liu Qinghe’s oeuvre, we glean a burning desire to tell stories. The artist inquires: To what end does mankind exist? Why are we here? What intention does God have with us? He consistently ponders on mankind’s most candid questions. What we see in his canvases – be it jocular or heavy-hearted, vivid or murky, adhering to aesthetics or just plain weird – goes straight for the heart and provides food for thought.

Liu Qinghe, The 24 Solar Terms – Grain Full, 2017; Ink on silk, 55x65cm

Liu Qinghe, The 24 Solar Terms – Rain Water, 2017; Ink on silk, 55x65cm

Liu Qinghe was born in 1961 in Tianjin. He graduated in 1981 from the Tianjin University of Art and Design. In 1987, he graduated from the Department of Folk Arts at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing (CAFA), after which he obtained a Master’s degree from the Department of Traditional Chinese Painting in 1989. He’s currently an associate professor and postgraduate supervisor at the Department of Folk Arts at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, as well as a distinguished professor at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and research fellow at the China Academy of Painting. His works have participated in the Second National Art Exhibition, the Inaugural National Chinese Paintings Exhibition, the Eighth & Ninth National Art Exhibition, the Centennial Chinese Paintings Exhibition and the Exhibition Showcasing Works by Chinese Contemporary Artists. Moreover, his works have participated in international exhibitions held in countries such as the U.S., Germany, Australia, Korea, France, Malaysia and Spain.

About the exhibition

Dates: 2017.11.5 – 2017.12.9

Venue: Tokyo Gallery + BTAP

Courtesy of the artist and Tokyo Gallery + BTAP.