桃李芬芳 2019

Editor: Wang Xinfu’s 2019 oil painting, titled ‘Peach and Plum Blossoms,’ is captivating with its almost dizzying display of texture. The impasto technique really jumps out. What is your take on it? Curator: Note how the materiality, the sheer build-up of paint, becomes a primary subject here. Disregarding the representational aspect for a moment, examine the composition: the weave of thick, linear strokes creating a dense, almost impenetrable surface. How does this layering affect your perception of space within the image? Editor: I see that the overlapping strokes prevent any single element from taking precedence, which gives a feeling of shallow depth. But, also the choice of pink hues seems to add an atmosphere, in addition to depth. Curator: Precisely. Observe how Wang manipulates colour, employing a limited palette dominated by pink, yet fractured by subtle variations and the interplay of light and shadow, resulting from impasto brushstrokes. Semiotically, pink can represent fragility, youthfulness, yet its density contradicts such symbolism, thus disrupting established meaning. Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way. I was caught up in the apparent natural subject matter. Curator: The title invites such interpretation, certainly, but perhaps we must question whether Wang's concern truly lies within replicating a realistic blossoming tree, or rather, within exploring painterly properties of colour, texture, and form? What is more real--the texture of the oil or the represented scene? Editor: This changes my perspective entirely. The artwork presents, primarily, colour and paint. Thank you! Curator: An emphasis on fundamental forms truly unlocks many interpretations. It’s been a stimulating exploration, wouldn’t you agree?