The enduring legacy of Chinese ink painting, with its philosophical depth, reverence for nature, and mastery of brushwork, offers fertile ground for contemporary innovation. This exhibition brings together distinct practices of Su Rui, Fu Xiaodong, and Wang MengSha, each of whom engages in a lively dialogue with this heritage, exemplifying how tradition is not a fixed monument but a living system, capable of generating new forms in the present.
Su Rui draws on the lineage of gongbi (fine-line) painting with her exquisitely detailed studies of fish and insects, such as Zoulin (Small Fish) No. 28 and The Little Pond Genera. His technical precision and subtle ink washes evoke classical nature painting, yet his isolated compositions and near-scientific focus imbue the subjects with a contemporary stillness. These works do not simply reproduce nature; they invite contemplative attention to the overlooked and the fragile, rendering each creature with both intimacy and clarity.
Fu Xiaodong reimagines the shanshui (mountain-water) tradition, infusing her landscapes with symbolism, surrealism, and spiritual resonance. Works like Xi Hai and Planet Tree reference familiar forms—mountains, water, architecture—while drifting into dreamlike realms. Her use of ethereal atmospheres, mystical structures, and vibrant color palettes turns the landscape into a psychological or cosmological space. Fu's work transforms traditional landscape painting into a medium for inner exploration and myth-making.
Wang MengSha engages with the lineage of figure painting, blending it with folk narrative sensibilities and a playful, contemporary aesthetic. In works like Little Deity and Looking Forward to Spring, her dreamlike scenes are populated by charming figures, rendered in bold color and delicate line. While referencing traditional motifs and compositional rhythms, Wang’s approach feels spontaneous, intuitive, and emotionally resonant—translating cultural memory into a fresh visual lexicon.
Together, Su Rui, Fu Xiaodong, and Wang MengSha demonstrate the enduring adaptability of Chinese artistic traditions. Their works do not merely preserve the past; they reinterpret it, extending it into new conceptual and emotional territories. New Shoots from Old Roots celebrates the generative potential of tradition when treated not as inheritance alone, but as material for ongoing reinvention—alive, responsive, and full of possibility.
