Succour for the Spirit – Issue 11
Sunday Reading with artist Guan Wei.
Talking about walks along Maroubra beach, 鲁迅 / Lu Xun, Beethoven’s nine symphonies, painting history, the Chinese Zodiac, and, the connective force of wisdom, knowledge and humour.
#SuccourfortheSpirit #SilentDialogueEvents
Figure 2 Guan Wei talks about his survey exhibition, “Guan Wei: MCA Collection”, presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (11 October 2019 – 9 February 2020). Duration 5:11 minutes
“I try to emphasise three elements in my work, wisdom, knowledge and humour. I believe people need wisdom to choose from the many different cultural traditions that confront us every day; knowledge is the key to opening our minds to the diversity of the world; and humour is necessary to comfort our hearts.”
In Conversation
with
Guan Wei (GW) & correspondences’ Emma Thomson (ET)
Nature, food or art?
Art
Figure 3 Guan Wei, Ocean 2, 2013, bronze, 62 x 60, Ed. 1/5 © Guan Wei Courtesy of Martin Browne Contemporary
All-time favourite place
GW—For someone who grew up in an inland city, the ocean has always been particularly alluring to me! Since arriving in Australia in 1989, I have never strayed far from it. The year I arrived I was Artist-in-Residence at the Tasmanian School of Art, University of Tasmania in Hobart. Working and living at the art school, I could see the sea all day long from the pier. Later, when I arrived in Sydney, I stayed at the Museum of Contemporary Art for one year as part of another residency. During this time, I often strolled along Circular Quay and came to know its beauty.
Favourite place near home
Figure 4 Mahon Pool located north of Maroubra Beach, near Mistral Point. Source not disclosed.
GW—Since buying a house in Glenfield, Sydney in 2001, we often go to nearby ‘Maroubra’ beach. It is quieter than Bondi. The coast here is wide, rugged and beautiful. The waves on the headlands crash turbulently, creating an incredibly loud sound. In 2009 I presented a video as part of an installation called‘The Rising Sea Level’ at the Havana Biennale, which featured the sound of those crashing waves at Maroubra beach.
These days my wife and I come here once or twice a week. It is nice to see people walking along the beach, looking relaxed and happy. Standing on the beach, looking at the beauty and enormity of the ocean, one is reminded of the wider universe, the starry sky and the earth around us. Standing barefoot on the soft sand, the smell of the ocean all around me, I feel completely relaxed, as though I have melted away with the rushing water of the day.
What are you reading?
GW—At the moment, I am reading the renowned works of the great Chinese writer 鲁迅 / Lu Xun (1881-1936). Many of us are very familiar with Lu Xun's books as they have long been primary and secondary school education texts— and they remain widely read and taught in China today. Perhaps, because his works are all too familiar, they are often overlooked. During the pandemic, I have returned to Lu Xun’s books and have found him to be a great writer. His rich, imaginative works are both enjoyable to read and revealing of the Chinese national character.
ET—Lu Xun is a celebrated thinker and writer in modern Chinese history. For a great collection of seven of his classic novels, order a copy of the ‘Selected Novels of Lu Xun’ below, which includes A Madman’s Diary (1918) and other famous works. If you prefer to listen, Lu Xun’s works are also available via Audible.
'Lu Xun and Australia', edited by Mabel Lee, Chiu-Yee Cheung and Sue Wiles, published by Australian Scholarly Publishing, is also a fascinating read and is available in most library collections (as are the works of Lu Xun).
What are you listening to?
GW—I recently revisited Beethoven’s nine symphonies, and listened to them again and again. During the pandemic, returning to the classic works of music and literature has been very important for me — a way of building a sense of confidence and hope. Beethoven's music in particular has given me a lot of inspiration, especially in the making of my ‘sacred landscapes’, a new group of non-objective landscape paintings which I have been working on.
ET—I completely agree. When faced with COVID-19 and all the challenges it presents, spending time with great works of art like this, reminds us of the wondrous things humankind is capable of, and there is something both humbling and deeply hopeful about that realisation.
Tell us about one of your creations
Today, we would like to discuss two of Guan Wei’s artworks. The first work is Guan Wei’s monumental painting, Echo 2005. Acquired into the collection of the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (“QAGOMA”), this superb work is currently on display in Gallery 3 of the Queensland Art Gallery. The second work is Guan Wei’s No 1 Sky Pig 2017, which is installed along the beautiful Warners Bay Foreshore on the Lake Macquarie Cultural Trail.
Figure 5 Guan Wei, Echo 2005, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 42 panels: 273 x 722cm (overall), The Queensland Government’s Gallery of Modern Art Acquisitions Fund / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Guan Wei
What does Echo 2005 explore?
ET—As QAGOMA writes in its wonderful ‘Learning Resource’ for Echo 2005 (Figure 5 above):
In this epic work, Guan Wei reconstructs and grafts images onto the famous Chinese landscape painting Jiu Ri Shi Cheng Tu Juan by Wang Yuanqi (1641–1715). In doing so, he juxtaposes the ‘grand genre’ of European history painting of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries with the equivalent aesthetic achievement of China during the same period — while China had become culturally introspective, Europe was aggressively expanding into other cultures through exploration and colonialism.
ET—Echo 2005 is best thought of as a history painting which explores some of the most complex and important issues of our time—namely, migration, conquest and reconciliation.
To continue reading and to learn more, click on the button to head to QAGOMA’s Learning Resource. For families at home with students or young people, QAGOMA’s Learning Resource presents some wonderful questions and activities to do in connection with thinking about the work.
Also, read this wonderful piece by Dr Mae Anna Pang to learn more about the life and work of Wang Yuanqi, published by the National Gallery of Victoria as part of Art Journal 47.
Figure 6 Guan Wei, No 1 Sky Pig 2017, 80 x 40 x 35cm, bronze, ed 1-3/3. Lake Macquarie Cultural Trail, Warners Bay Foreshore. Acquired from the Artist with funds from the NSW Department of Industry. Image courtesy Lake Macquarie City.
What does No 1 Sky Pig 2017 explore?
ET—Combining human and animal features, the whimsical sculpture No 1 Sky Pig 2017 (Figure 6 below) is from a broader series of works by Guan Wei which is based on the Chinese zodiac. As the Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie (“MAC”) writes in the wonderful ‘Education Resource Kit’ from their exhibition, ‘Guan Wei: A case study’:
Sky Pig is also a very happy beast. It sits on a cloud and appears to be flying at speed through the heavens with human legs and arms stretched out. He is the speeding pig. His eyes and smile show great contentment. It is a sinuous, elongated pig form with tiny delicate ears and pointy tail. The pig in Chinese culture represents luck, overall good fortune, and honesty, symbolising a hardworking and peace-loving person. If you were born under the pig zodiac you would be a sociable person with a large sense of humour and understanding.
The work explores the relationship between humans and animals. As Guan Wei said of the work:
GW—The relationship between humans and animals goes way back. People across all societies attribute different human characteristics to animals, and vice versa; the mystery of dragons, the agility of eagles, the power of lions, and the fear and cunningness of snakes. Based on these traits, I have used human qualities in their opposite to create three ‘mascots’, Sky Pig, Power Dragon, and Fish God. They have delicate details and uniquely humorous appearances. I hope that they can bring you joy and luck in life.
ET—To continue reading MAC’s wonderful document, press the button below. Ostensibly geared towards Year 12 students undertaking VCE, it is a wonderful publication for all ages.
To learn more about the Chinese Zodiac in art, check out this great spotlight story released by Google Arts & Culture on the zodiac animals across 1000 years of art history. It is wonderful. Which Chinese Zodiac sign are you?
What else can supporters do?
Pre-purchase our book for Silent Dialogue. Featuring twelve original pieces of writing by some of the country's finest writers alongside beautiful imagery from our participating visual artists, it is going to be special. In the age of COVID-19 where public funding has been tight, our aim is to pre-sell 100 copies to help us with the production costs of the exhibition (virtual and the physical shows next April). Think fantastic sound equipment for Guan Wei’s brand new AV work.
Visit Guan Wei’s Revisionary (1998) which is currently on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, or check it out online. Or, browse through the virtual resources presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art in connection with Guan Wei’s survey exhibition earlier this year here.
Follow Guan Wei on Instagram @guanwei339. Do check his latest series on numbers, its simply wonderful! Guan Wei is represented by ARC ONE Gallery and Martin Browne Contemporary. Please contact his gallerists for sales inquiries and to sign up to their newsletters for the artist’s latest news.
Share our news via email & social media via i: silent_dialogue & f: silentdialogueevents.
Biography
Exhibiting artist Guan Wei has a significant international reputation as a contemporary artist whose work crosses cultural and political borders. A Chinese national who migrated to Australia in 1989, his practice which spans more than 30 years, draws on his personal experience of both Chinese and Australian culture, as well as an informed socio-political awareness and knowledge of art history. His creative output has consistently examined complex social issues underpinned by humility and a deep respect for humanity. Across painting, sculpture and installation, his work conveys profound stories of loss, migration, identity, and notions of boundaries and place, interweaving an understanding of tradition and the past in the face of overwhelming global change today. A prolific maker and the recipient of numerous awards - the Arthur Guy Memorial Painting Prize (2015), the Sulman Prize (2002) and the Clemenger Contemporary Art Award (2009) to name a few - Guan Wei is represented by ARC ONE Gallery and Martin Browne Contemporary. He has exhibited all of the world.
Image credit (banner): Guan Wei, Feng Shui (detail), 2004. Installation view, Guan Wei: MCA Collection, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney, 2019. Acrylic on composite board. Museum of Contemporary Art, donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Cromwell Diversified Property Trust, 2017. Photograph: Anna Kučera
