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Night
Trip No. 1 (I), 145x180cm
oil
on canvas.
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Chairs
with Light No. 2(I).145x180cm oil on canvas.
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Night
Flight No. 1 (II). 145x180cm
oil on canvas.
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Han Qing abandoned music for oil painting in 2000. His works
of art have since centered on the phenomenon of night-, as opposed
to day-, light; it is the vehicle through which Han expresses
images of human fears and fantasies
When in conversation, Han Qing jumps arbitrarily from topic to
obscure topic. Deep concentration is required in order to follow
his train of thought. His paintings, in the same way as poetry,
require a similar intensity of focus, but their implicit meaning
is nonetheless clear.
The sometimes bleak, sometimes dazzling light of evening that
Han Qing depicts is a metaphor for the common contemporary feeling
of isolation. To Han, this ethos lurks close below the surface
of evening -- the time to him when true human nature is at its
most apparent, as in daylight it is subsumed in working mediocrity.
His use of rosy red shades alludes to the pornographic images
that pervade urban everyday life, pursuits and consciousness,
stimulating yet estranging those exposed to them.
Han Qing’s technique of oil painting differs from “standard”
practice in that he starts with light, vibrant colors, rather
than first applying the darker shades. As he also paints in just
one layer, his works must be perfectly thought-out as there is
no leeway for covering up mistakes or changing his mind. Han’s
paintings consequently have a sketchy, ephemeral quality, yet
are no less evocative than other works in oils that have more
texture by virtue of their density of application.
Han describes himself as nocturnal. He prefers to rest in the
light hours and work at night. Gazing at night’s illuminated
streets inspires and emboldens him to express and share his impressions
of contemporary city life.
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