CURATOR Art Voyage

𝓞𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷 & 𝓣𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓼𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷

CURATOR Style將於Art Central 2021欣然呈獻群展「癡迷與轉化」,展出四位當代著名藝術家合共20餘件作品,包括草間彌生、奈良美智、KAWS和Mr Doodle等波普藝術和當代藝術重要領銜人物。是次展覽將展出他們各種精彩重要的布面繪畫原作和紙本作品,以及在過去二十年間創作的稀有雕塑和限量版畫,這些作品廣受全球藏家歡迎,常被視為理想的藝術收藏目標。

是次展覽的主題名稱為「癡迷與轉化」,旨在探討這幾位藝術家在創作激情與表現手法上的異同。草間彌生和Mr Doodle均在繪畫中表現出一種沉醉於繪畫不能自拔、幾近強迫症狀的行為:草間彌生專注於繪畫由幻覺產生的點和網,而Mr Doodle則24小時不眠不休地作畫,以卡通人物為主角在畫布上飛快塗鴉,從中獲得無比幸福的感覺。精選作品包括草間彌生創作於1993年的大型版畫作品《Dancing Pumpkin(跳舞南瓜)》,紙幅61乘以83厘米,是藝術家同系列中尺幅最大的跳舞南瓜。草間彌生以極富動感的鮮見方式描繪她最喜愛的南瓜,透過其經典的網狀圓點,碩大的黃色南瓜仿似一位殿堂級舞者在激情奔放地跳舞律動,表現出一種令人驚艷的藝術美感。而Mr Doodle於2019年創作的兩幅畫作《Balloon Kick》和《Rainbow》中,以明朗歡快的筆觸體現了其深深著迷的塗鴉世界,畫面生動有趣,暢快淋漓,充滿細節與故事性。

 

At Art Central 2021, CURATOR Style is delighted to present a group exhibition, Obsession & Transformation, with over twenty works by the four notable contemporary artists showcased: Yayoi Kusama, Yoshitomo Nara, Mr Doodle & KAWS, who are representing the forefront of Pop Art and contemporary art world. The exhibition will display an assortment of rare original paintings on canvas or paper, and limited-edition sculptures and prints created by these artists during the past two decades, which have been seen as desired, collectible artworks that are gaining in value and well-received by many art collectors worldwide.

The exhibition title, Obsession & Transformation, divulges the similarities and contrasts between the styles of these contemporary artists. Yayoi Kusama and Mr Doodle both develop an obsessive behaviour in drawing – while Kusama focuses on the dots and nets that came from her illusion, Mr Doodle devotes himself in a 24-hour non-stop process of fast scribbling of cartoon characters, from which he gains enormous happiness. Among the highlights of the exhibition, a large-sized, limited-edition, signed print Dancing Pumpkin (1993) by Kusama with a sheet size of 61 by 83 cm will be showcased, which is the largest from the same series. It reveals a rarely seen expression of her favourite subject, the pumpkin, which is dancing anthropomorphically and passionately, hence expressing a unique sense of beauty formed from her signature dots. Displayed on the other side, the two highlighted original work on canvas, Balloon Kick and Rainbow, executed by Mr Doodle in 2019, typify the artist’s obsession in the graffiti world through his cheerful cartoon doodling imbued with a unique narrative. 

On the other hand, the term of “transformation” refers to a way of expression often used by contemporary artists, in which they extract the images of popular culture and transform them into representations of new meanings. Yoshitomo Nara, who was a die-hard fan of Punk Rock ethos, transforms his indescribable, complex sentiment into an innocent, childlike figure with no angelic but rebellious characteristics against the threats from the outside. In this exhibition, an original work on paper by Nara, Untitled (Who Snatched the Babies) (2002), came from the artist’s inspiration by The Star Club, a renowned punk-rock band in Japan. It depicts a child wearing a propeller and travelling on a strange flying device, suspiciously staring at the back (or the real world) with his or her hands folded. Through this childlike image, Nara indeed portrays the world of the adulthood which is much more complicated. Comparably, KAWS appropriates and transforms the existing icons of popular culture like The Simpsons, Spongebob, Bibendum (Michelin man), etc. into his unique fictitious characters, then deliberately infuses these novel objects with human emotions. In this exhibition, one will be distracted by a 2.5m-tall, round-shaped, original work on canvas at the entrance. Inspired from the character of Spongebob, Tondo Untitled (Spongebob Eye / Red Colorway) (2013) is a work that demonstrates the transformation of popular icons into artistic concepts by the artist through abstraction and fragmentation, bringing an extraordinary experience to the audience while blurring the boundary between contemporary art and consumerist culture. Besides this, the Companion (2006) bronze sculpture, which is recognized as the earliest bronzes by KAWS to be found, will be presented at the show as one of the important highlights, shaping an exceptionally vibrant landscape of contemporary art.

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Art Central Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai
Exhibition Period: 19 May (VIP Preview), 2PM - 8PM
20 – 21 May, 2PM - 8PM 22
May, 11AM - 7PM; 23 May, 11AM - 6PM