Pearl Lam Galleries and Hongkong Land unveiled a monumental 18-metre long, 7-metre high installation, Boat by Zhu Jinshi, on March 9. It is composed of bamboo, cotton threads, and over 12,000 sheets of Xuan (rice) paper. The work is shown in Hong Kong for the first time and is on view to the public in The Rotunda, Exchange Square until 31 March.

“Hongkong Land is delighted to showcase Boat by Zhu Jinshi in The Rotunda of Exchange Square, as we set sail into a prosperous Year of the Ram,” said Y K Pang, Chief Executive of Hongkong Land. “The Company has been a keen patron of promoting art and culture. The debut exhibition of this internationally-acclaimed art piece is in keeping with our vision of creating a vibrant lifestyle for the community.”

Zhu Jinshi is one of China’s leading contemporary artists, who has offered outstanding contributions to the field across various mediums, including painting, performance art, and installation art. Xuan (rice) paper has been a major medium in the artist’s repertoire since 1988 when, working in Berlin, he produced A Cubic Meter of Xuan Paper. Working on monumental sitespecific Xuan (rice) paper installations has been a constant line of exploration for Zhu that culminates with Boat’s arrival in Hong Kong. The Rotunda exhibition follows high-profile exhibits of the work in Beijing and Shanghai in 2012, Art13 in London in 2013, and the Rubell Family Collection in Miami in 2014.

Pearl Lam said, “Zhu Jinshi’s Xuan (rice) paper Boat is characteristic of the artist’s practice which deconstructs Western theories of art and visual language by rooting them to Chinese traditions and philosophy. The work’s many layers of cultural resonance embody Zhu’s own distinctive artistic career. I am delighted to be bringing a large-scale installation work by the artist to Hong Kong for the first time.”

Through the meditative process of working with Xuan (rice) paper Zhu Jinshi transforms his fascination with time into a physical m anifestation of the concept of time: both subjective time, and time in a cultural sense. The sheer size and visual impact of Boat is in stark contrast to the delicate nature of the material from which it is made, and through this duality the work becomes a vessel for the cultural implications of its materials, as well as for the artist’s own journey, and the viewer’s passage through space and time.

The exhibition of Boat by Zhu Jinshi is open to the public daily from 10 to 31 March 2015 at The Rotunda, Exchange Square in Central, Hong Kong. Guided tours will be offered throughout the opening hours between 9am to 7pm for visitors to experience the walk-in installation.

About Zhu Jinshi

Zhu Jinshi was born in Beijing, China in 1954, and moved to Berlin in 1986, living between Berlin and Beijing before recently moving back to Beijing, where he currently lives and works. Zhu has exhibited in numerous solo exhibitions including Zhu Jinshi: Simplicity (2014) at Pearl Lam Galleries, Singapore; Zhu Jinshi: The Reality of Paint (2013) at Pearl Lam Galleries, Hong Kong; Zhu Jinshi (2012) at Blum & Poe, Los Angeles, USA; Power and Jiangshan (2008) at Arario Gallery, Beijing; Tao of Rice Paper (1997) at Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada; Impermanence (1996) at Capital Normal University Art Museum, Beijing, China; and Fang, DAAD Gallery, Berlin, Germany. Major group exhibitions includes 28 Chinese (2013) at Rubell Family Collection, Miami, USA; Negotiations: The Second Today's Documents (2010) at Today Art Museum, Beijing, China; Hyper Design: The 5 th Shanghai Biennale (2006), China; The 1st Guangzhou Triennial Exhibition (2002), China; and Orient/Ation: The 4th International Istanbul Biennial (1995), Turkey. Zhu has also participated in the International Summer Program organised by The Byrd Hoffman Water Mill Foundation in New York.

About Pearl Lam Galleries

Founded by Pearl Lam, Pearl Lam Galleries is a driving force within Asia's contemporary art scene. With over 20 years of experience exhibiting Asian and Western art and design, it is one of the leading and most established contemporary art galleries to be launched out of China. Playing a vital role in stimulating international dialogue on Chinese and Asian contemporary art, the Galleries is dedicated to championing artists who re-evaluate and challenge perceptions of cultural practice from the region. The Galleries in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore collaborate with renowned curators, each presenting distinct programming from major solo exhibitions, special projects and installations to conceptually rigorous group shows. Based on the philosophy of Chinese Literati where art forms have no hierarchy, Pearl Lam Galleries is dedicated to breaking down boundaries between different disciplines, with a unique gallery model committed to encouraging cross-cultural exchange.

Contemporary Chinese Abstract art is heavily represented in the Galleries roster. Influential Chinese artists Zhu Jinshi and Su Xiaobai, who synthesise Chinese sensibilities with an international visual language, are presented internationally with work now included in major private and public collections worldwide. The Galleries has also introduced leading international artists such as Jenny Holzer, Jim Lambie and Yinka Shonibare MBE (RA) to markets in the region, providing opportunities for new audiences in Asia to encounter their work. Pearl Lam Galleries encourages international artists to create new work which engages specifically with the region, collaborating to produce thought-provoking, culturally relevant work.

About Hongkong Land

Hongkong Land is one of Asia’s leading property investment, management and development groups. Founded in 1889, Hongkong Land’s business is built on excellence, integrity and partnership.

The Group owns and manages almost 800,000 sq. m. of prime office and luxury retail property in key Asian cities, principally in Hong Kong and Singapore. Hongkong Land’s properties attract the world’s foremost companies and luxury brands.

The Group’s prime Hong Kong portfolio of some 450,000 sq. m. is located in the heart of the Central district. In Singapore, its 165,000 sq. m. portfolio consists largely of prestigious office space located at Marina Bay, much of which is held through joint ventures. The Group also has a 50% interest in a prime office complex in Central Jakarta, and has a number of projects under development that include a luxury retail centre at Wangfujing in Beijing.

Hongkong Land is developing a number of largely residential projects, in cities across Greater China and Southeast Asia. In Singapore, its subsidiary, MCL Land, is a well-established residential developer.

Hongkong Land Holdings Limited is incorporated in Bermuda and has a standard listing on the London Stock Exchange as its primary listing, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The Group’s assets and investments are managed from Hong Kong by Hongkong Land Limited. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.

Courtesy of the artist and Pearl Lam Galleries, for further information please visit www.pearllam.com or contact Rosanna Cator / Sutton PR Asia via rosanna@suttonprasia.com / +852 2528 0792, Moxian Sun / Pearl Lam Galleries China via Moxian@pearllamfineart.com / +8621 6323 1989.