Li Donglu at A2Z Art Gallery Hong Kong - until 30 September 2017
Li Donglu, b. 1982, Guangdong, China
In ancient times, people observed the Eight Diagrams. Images would have been explained as “images of the trigrams”, where “image” would imply “shape and profile” i.e. abstracting the intended meanings from observing the shape and profile of things. Ancient artists always attached importance to intended meanings in their landscape paintings after internalizing and refining the landscape time and time again. Such artists also drew the charm of the landscape by employing smooth lines combined with changes of Chinese ink painting, which represent an audience feeling as if they visited the landscape in person.
During more than 12 years of living in France, Li Donglu has developed a unique drawing method by combining the Western methodology of describing details with Chinese traditional drawing: a way of getting the intended meanings from observing images. The differences between Chinese traditional drawing and the realism of Western art are not obstacles in Donglu's paintings; they present the images to observe as well as displaying his intentions and understandings.
People always take it for granted that the scenes drawn by him are imaginary and in fact not real life scenes. The dark atmosphere of his paintings reminds us that the scenes are nothing but a dreamland. The drawing method of describing details endows an unrealistic sense of future. Fantastic implications are conveyed by knocking the context together in abnormal ways. From his paintings, Donglu uses an intuitive method to express his commemoration to the past and the anxiety after observing the dry land, a piece of broken melting ice, the spread of fire, the smoke filled on a half of the painting...
From the series “Subimpressionism” to “The Nature of nature”, Donglu always presents Chinese and Western traditional landscape by using modern drawing methods with a sharp observation and exquisite drawing. He invites audiences to integrate into the “images” that he creates.
Li Donglu, born in 1982, in Guangdong, China, graduated from The Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts and French Versailles Academy of Fine Arts. He has lived and worked in Pairs, France since 2004. His works have been exhibited around the world. Donglu has formed his own painting style by studying the Western drawings of the Middle Ages to modern-Western works of drawing, reflecting on the relations among human beings, nature and the universe.
李东陆，生於1982年， 中国广东
一隅古有伏羲“观物取象,始创八卦”，后有文人“观象取意”。前者的“象”，可作“卦象”之解，而后者的“象”则有“形象”的意味，观万物的形象而后取万物的意象。古代文人的山水向来注重意象的呈现，其诀窍和精妙之处在于文人千万次观赏景色后将其内化并提炼，运用流畅的线条，再结合水墨的轻重浓淡，勾勒出山神和水韵，把观者带进当下之境。
旅法十二年，李东陆的绘画运用了西方的媒材以及其细腻的描绘手法，并以中国古代山水“观象取意”的思考方式作画。中国古代山水画讲究的写意与西方传统绘画所追求的写实之间的不同并不阻碍李东陆通过观万物之“象”，呈其独特的“意”。
我们理所当然地认为他所描绘的场景存在于当下，但细心观察却发现并未曾真正遇见，是画面所传达的晦暗氛围提醒了我们这是一个梦一般的幻境。细腻的描绘手法赋予这些现实存在的物件一种不真实的未来感，艺术家对物件的非常理拼凑进一步加深了画面荒诞的意味。他试图借助画面，以一种直观的方法传达他对过去景物的缅怀以及当下观物后的焦虑，一方干涸的土地，一块断裂融化的冰，一把蔓延的火，几缕笼罩了半个画面的烟。。。
从“虚境”到“观象”，李东陆始终以当代的手法描绘一个中西传统的风景题材，用敏锐的觉察力和细腻的表现力，邀请观者进入他营造的“意境”。
