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Wen Wu

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‘The word Hua means to paint, or a painting, in Chinese.’ Recently established in 2011, Hua Gallery specialises in the exciting and sometimes controversial space that is Chinese contemporary art. As Chinese contemporary art continues to fascinate and intrigue collectors around the world, demand and appetite for fresh and innovative art from this fast-changing region continues to escalate. Not only does Hua Gallery strive to introduce to the international art scene new and stimulating contemporary works by emerging Chinese artists, the gallery also represents and deals in the creative talent produced by a growing group of Chinese artists, who are establishing themselves locally, but not as yet “discovered” overseas. Hua Gallery adopts a distinctive business strategy by acquiring works from artists before selling them, as well as by exhibiting and selling works by artists on a commissions basis - an approach which demonstrates a passion, dedication and commitment to the artists and also, importantly, provides confidence to art collectors who trust the gallery to help expand their collections. Hua Gallery’s founder and managing director, Ms. Shanyan Fok, has developed strong relationships with her artists, and hopes to build a Chinese contemporary art collection in her gallery that is different and inspirational. Every artist represented by Hua Gallery is chosen for their artistic individuality, the creative symbolism in their work, and the emotional energy their work creates. Hua Gallery is situated on the Albion Riverside, a prestigious residential block on the Battersea riverside, designed by world-renowned architects Foster and Partners. With close to 2,000 square feet of gallery space, Hua Gallery is London’s only Chinese contemporary art gallery with a permanent exhibition space of this size and scale.

Shanyan Fok, Founder

I am delighted to present works by Chinese contemporary artist Wen Wu, in his first international exhibition.

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Wen Wu Encouraged to paint from a very young age, Wen Wu’s obsession with the female ideal was inspired by the classical Western oil paintings that she grew up with in China. From Velázquez and Goya to Titian and Hals, her knowledge of the Western art tradition is strong. Likewise, her familiarity with Western fairytales – particularly those written by the Grimm brothers and Hans Christian Anderson – was nurtured from a very young age. The two traditions share a timeless quality, which informs her technique today. This exhibition sees her reinterpret the stories from an Eastern perspective by replacing the original characters with oriental heroines of her own. Fascinated by power, Wen Wu not only seeks to instil her subjects with strength, but hopes the process will help her feel stronger as well; by adjusting the tales to fit her own imagination, she can finally relate to the stories in a way she could not as a child. These women, in many ways, are her revenge. At the same time, her fascination with people – faces, bodies – and beauty, lies even closer to the heart of the series. Wen Wu speaks of her paintings having a life of their own, more often than not beyond her control. She waits for the faces to emerge from the canvas, and liberates them, with her brush, from the background. She battles with the paintings, and patiently persists – only satisfied when the subjects stare back. She cannot predict what kind of expression will form on their faces but intuitively knows when it fits. The artist allows the viewer to witness moments of fantasy by placing him/her in the role of voyeur. Sometimes sinister, sometimes sweet, all of these women hold a sensitive, yet sensual charm, capable of seducing all viewers – men and women – alike. Wen Wu’s portrait Venus as a Boy is currently on show at the National Portrait Gallery’s BP Portrait Award 2011 exhibition. Wen Wu was born in Qing dao, Shan Dong province, Popular Republic of China. She lives and works in London, U.K.

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BIOGRAPHY Education MA (by project) Fine Art London Metropolitan University Sept. 2004 – Sept. 2005 Distinction BA (Hons) Fine Art Tsinghua University Academy of Art and Design, Beijing Sept. 1997 – July 2001 Distinction Exhibition Record (*solo shows marked by asterisk)

2011 The National Portrait Gallery, London: BP Portrait Award 2011, Venus as a Boy Eight Club, London: Oriental beauty The Others, London: Mapping the others *BHVU, London: Vivien Leigh Complex

2010 *Gallery King, Seoul: Pond Life Gallery Yang, Beijing: Six + Six, Energy, Passion Forman’s Smokehouse Gallery: Spectacle *Sartorial contemporary Art, London: Decadent Dynasty BHVU, London: Revenge of the Yellow House

2009 OXO Tower, Bargehouse, London: Cheers:) 2009 * DeVezEnCuando gallery, London: Operating Theatre Working Rooms at Bash Studios, London: Tail Devourer *Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester: Eating, Drinking, Man, Man

2008 Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester: Emo Boys (Residency) *Sartorial Contemporary Art, London: Visions of Faces and Names *The Agency Gallery, London: Ganymede Clare Hall Gallery, Cambridge: 13 Lin Dai Portraits

2007 Tate Britain, London: Staff Turner Prize (Winner) The Gallery at Willesden Green, London: Individual Universes Nog Gallery, London: Le Gun Drawing Exhibition *Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester: 13 Lin Dai Portraits

2006 Seven Sheds, Bristol: Eye for Art Group Exhibition Riverside Studios, London: Contemporary Paintings and Video

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01 The Glass Shoe (2011)

195cm by 125cm, Oil on Linen

In this piece, Wen Wu takes an iconic detail from the story of Cinderella and uses it to construct a political metaphor about the power relationship between the East and the West. Part friends, part enemies, these women fight for the slipper, and so, by extension, for economic supremacy. The two women are set up as opposites with the hair colour of the woman on the right counterbalanced by the dress of the woman on the left, and vice versa. This is the only painting in the exhibition to feature a Western woman, and here she is classically dressed in a little black dress, typical of the modern world. By contrast, the Chinese woman on the right wears a yellow, fine silk, qipao, reminiscent of the imperial era. The analogy thus reads further to highlight the ever-present struggle between tradition and modernity and the need for compromise as their feet meet in the middle.

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02 The Dancing Princesses (2011)

195cm by 125cm, Oil on linen

This painting draws upon the tale of the Twelve Dancing Princesses in order to illustrate the intimate bond – a little less than love, a little more than friendship – that exists between young girls as they grow towards adulthood. Like the Twelve Princesses who escape from their tower each night to dance in a faraway land, these girls seem to share a secret. The knowingness in the eyes of the girl on the left combined with the shy, downcast eyes of the girl on the right serve to hint at a private realm existing between them. By dancing barefoot the girls further reveal their trust in one another, leaning on each other physically and emotionally for support.

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03 Rapunzel (2011)

190cm by 125cm, Oil on linen

This interpretation of Rapunzel portrays a tender, vulnerable princess, and uses the tale to celebrate the female form. The character stands shyly with her back to the viewer, in perfect proportion – slim shouldered, yet shapely– in keeping with the Chinese ideal. The artist uses a limited colour palette to expose the nude, using traditional Chinese ceramic pattern in order to give the illusion that the girl has been trapped in a vase, just as Rapunzel was trapped in the castle. The painting is one of the largest in the exhibition, allowing the viewer to engage with the figure on a life-size scale. Wen Wu teases us with a sense of mystery by allowing the character’s plait to trail out of the frame, much like a chain, to an unknown recipient or location.

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04 The Little Mermaid I (2011)

91.5 cm by 152.5 cm, Oil on linen

05 The Little Mermaid II (2011)

91.5cm by 152.5cm, Oil on linen

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Hung side-by-side in the gallery, these two paintings tell the tale of the Little Mermaid; a character that exchanged her voice for legs in order to pursue her terrestrial prince. The paintings double up as self-portraits, and in their allusion to the tale, equate the mermaid’s sacrifice for love with Wen Wu’s own self-sacrifice for art – an enjoyable, yet painful process. The mermaid is a curious character, who is fascinated by the unknown, much like an artist. Her pursuit of a human soul is perhaps representative of a common anxiety among artists – that of legacy. Will her work dissolve into sea foam, or will it, along with the human soul, exist in the skies forever? In the first painting, the mermaid wears a tight fitting silver Cheongsam, which not only serves to emphasise her feminine figure but also, along with the green material that she lies upon, reaffirms her affinity to the ocean, much like a fish. The rich colour of the background reminds us of her regal status as daughter of the Sea King. Further, the paintings can be seen to overtly reference the 18th Century Spanish Master, Francisco Jose de Goya, and his controversial works, La Maja Desnuda and La Maja Vestida. However, whilst in Goya’s paintings, the model lies completely exposed, with her arms behind her head, red cheeks, and a provocative stare, Wen Wu’s mermaid casts her eyes downwards, and conceals her upper body with an arm, bringing her jade white legs into focus. Inverting Velázquez’s Rokeby Venus, the natural pose displays Wen Wu’s aptitude for painting the female form.

La maja desnuda (ca. 1797–1800) La maja vestida (ca. 1803) Francisco Goya Francisco Goya

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06 Bluebeard’s Bride (2011) 73cm by 54cm, Oil on linen

“Bluebeard” captures the peak of drama in the fairytale of the same name, in which a French nobleman’s wife unlocks a forbidden door to his castle and discovers within it, the bodies of his murdered ex-wives. The scene painted gives the viewer the still moment during which we see the cautious glance of the wife, glancing over her shoulder right before she betrays the words of her husband. The key the woman holds in her hand is outwardly the key that unlocks the door. Wen Wu, however, positions the key centrally on the canvas to give focus to its symbolic meaning – female curiosity. Traditional Chinese dress gives the portrait a timeless quality, and canary yellow as a background lends a reference to the interior of a French country estate.

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07 Allerleirauh (2011)

73cm by 54cm, Oil on linen

Allerleirauh (in German, "Thousand furs") is a fairytale recorded by the Brothers Grimm. The story’s theme is unnatural love, and is about a King who wishes to marry his own daughter. Wishing to mask her beauty to avoid enforced marriage, the girl covers herself in an ugly fur coat made from every kind of animal in the kingdom. Beneath this coat she wears three shiny dresses to distract the King from the beautiful, serene face that defines her. One is as golden as the sun, one as silver as the moon and one as bright as the stars; she wears the third dress in this painting. The piece therefore explores the way in which women can enhance or conceal beauty with apparel, and suggests that outer beauty is not always true, or a blessing – inner beauty is much more alluring. Wen Wu uses a traditional portrait to focus on the heroine of the tale, and places her in front of a dark green backdrop to hint at her hideaway in the forest.

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08 She Kissed a Frog (2011) 61cm by 45.7cm, Oil on linen

She kissed a frog is an example of Wen Wu’s passion for the captivating, mysterious portrait. This work is based on the tale of the princess who selflessly kisses a frog to transform him into a prince, and reaps the rewards in the process. While the story is lighthearted, the artist chooses to paint a picture of inward reflection. The soft pink flowers in the woman’s clothing are echoed in the pink background to create aesthetic as well as emotional harmony. Green lined eyes make a subtle, playful reference to the frog prince, and Wen Wu accentuates the lady’s lips that are at once voluptuous and tempting. A shadow in the background gives this piece a quiet, introspective nature.

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09 Puzzle (2011)

61cm by 45.7cm, Oil on linen

‘Puzzle’ is based on the Brother’s Grimm fable ‘The Riddle’ about a beautiful but proud princess who is looking for a husband. If the suitor asks her a riddle, which she cannot find the answer to, then that man must become her husband; but if she guesses it, and the guess is correct, that man must have his head cut off. Nine suitors are beheaded before a visit from a very clever prince. The central use of black conveys the dark side of the woman. This portrait explores cunning, feminine power and control. Who is the woman behind the veil? The chess pieces in the foreground are ‘Binmayong’ (terracotta army figures for international chess), giving this German fable a distinctly Chinese edge.

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10 They lived happily ever after… (2011)

55cm by 45cm, Oil on linen

They lived happily ever after is a painting that is a message of hope and resolution. In contrast to the introspective, melancholic heroines in Wen Wu’s other canvases, the young woman in this portrait shines with a gentle joy. Her gaze is soft, but holds confidence, and her smile is Wen Wu’s ‘Mona Lisa’. The flowers in the background are common to the artist’s hometown, and the clothing on the young girl is modeled on an item worn by Wen Wu’s aunt. Wen Wu uses rich coral tones and vibrant hues of contrasting pink and blue to create a composition of abundance and plenty. In this portrait, beauty and hope speaks for itself in the face of a woman.

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11 Cinderella (2011)

50.8 x 40.6cm, Oil on linen

In this piece Wen Wu interprets the age - old story of Cinderella with an intimate portrait of a body part historically prized in China: the foot. In the fairytale, the small, delicate foot of Cinderella wins the love of the Prince; similarly, the small bound foot in Chinese history is a mark of beauty. A delicate white flower is nestled between her toes, highlighting the femininity of the woman and suggesting purity. On the other hand, the body lies on a sensuous fabric, giving the subject an inherent eroticism. Wen Wu uses orange and pink hues to give life and vivacity to the form of the woman. Long, sweeping and gentle brushstrokes, along with a delicate blending of green and pink, create a sense of warmth and sensuality. The dark use of light further create a private bedroom atmosphere, and the absence of the rest of the body leave the viewer to guess at the appearance of the rest of the woman.

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12 Wild Swan (2011)

50.8cm by 40.6cm, Oil on linen

In this painting, Wen Wu takes Hans Christian Anderson’s mute princess as her heroine and transforms her into a young, delicate ballerina. According to the tale, it is the princess’ responsibility to lift the curse set upon her eleven brothers that saw her siblings turned into swans. The princess is advised by a fairy to knit and wrap her brothers in garments made out of nettles in order to help them return to human form. However, before she can complete her task, she is accused of being a witch. The princess must now not only save her brothers, but also avoid being burnt at the stake. The painting catches the princess at this moment of utter fatigue and desperation. Her long, swan-like neck emerges from frail, heavy shoulders, as she feels the burden of the mission before her. Her head drops gracefully to the side and her eyes close as she looks inside for the strength and power of mind to continue. The white feather stands out as a symbol of purity, and combines with her naked upper body to outline her innocence.

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13 Little Red Riding Hood (2011)

50.8cm by 40.6cm, Oil on linen

In contrast to some of Wen Wu’s realistic portrayals of scenes, ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ is dreamlike and ethereal. In this interpretation of the tale of the young girl who is led astray by a wolf, the themes of innocence and its loss are depicted in the figure’s childlike braids and whimsical face. The girl’s open mouth creates a breath, like an inhalation. The artist’s use of expressive, dynamic brushstrokes lends a movement and sense of action and adventure. Translucent washes of colour and an interpretive composition of cherry blossoms further create the illusion of a dream. In this work, Wen Wu explores beauty in vitality - human youthfulness, hope and nature in spring. Wen Wu’s primary use of red serves not only to depict the colour of the original story’s cloak, but also gives reference to the traditional Chinese garments worn by Mao’s Red Guard’s during the Cultural Revolution.

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14 Once upon a time, there was a princess… (2011)

50.8cm by 40.6cm, Oil on linen

This work is a nostalgic, evocative piece. The painting explores the memories of childhood bedtime tales, their timelessness and the timelessness of their beautiful heroines. The lady of the piece has a dark, captivating and beguiling appearance with her long flowing hair and downward-cast glance. The viewer cannot tell if she is smiling or frowning, and this adds an element of mystery and suspense to the piece in keeping with the fairytale tradition; the viewer is placed in the position of the reader as he/she waits to discover whether the ending will be happy or sad. The use of monochromatic background gives the work a mood of a long gone age and highlights the introspective nature of the subject. The artist’s choices of dark colours form a shroud that can be seen as a mirroring of the mentality of the spirit. In this way, the painting demonstrates the way in which Wen Wu adds depth of meaning to the leading ladies of fairytales – new dimensions to highlight the complexity of such multi-faceted women.

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15 Ugly Duckling (2011)

40.6cm by 30.5cm, Oil on linen

This piece questions notions of outer beauty and self-perception. By painting her heroine behind dark glasses, Wen Wu not only suggests that the woman is blind to her beauty, but denies the viewer the opportunity to see her beauty as well. Whilst, at first, the title of the piece seems to clash with the powerful, enchanting woman portrayed, this concealment incites a sense of mystery, as the viewer must speculate whether something more sinister lies beneath. Her hair and makeup are otherwise glamorous, as is her dress, with diamond detailing on the shoulder. The woman must learn to embrace her reflection, and spread her beautiful wings for the better. Wen Wu uses a reduced colour palette of grey and jet black, and a neutral background for a simple yet striking composition.

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16 Nightingale (2011) 40.6cm by 30.5cm, Oil on linen

This piece, in rich shades of royal blue and black, speaks of the beauty behind the tale of the nightingale. In the fable, a king replaces the nightingale with that of an artificial bird. He falls sick, and it is only the true nightingale that returns to cure him with song. Wen Wu compares the essence of the nightingale with the essence of the woman. The use of blue in the plum flower headdress matches that of the bird – they are united. This is portrayed in voice as well, as the bird’s head and beak are level with the woman’s mouth, which is hidden. These headdresses were traditionally worn on stage at the opera, in order to make the performers’ faces look smaller and more delicate. Mystery and secrecy are a recurring motif in Wen Wu’s work, and here, are particularly apparent. The composition of this piece places the lady and nightingale as the central focus, allowing the viewer to meditate on the penetrating, animal-like gaze of the woman, and the striking purity of the nightingale.

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17 Chang e - Moon Goddess (2011)

40.6cm by 30.5cm, Oil on linen

Chang e is arguably the most well-known and loved fable in China. Chang e is the goddess of the moon, who is looked for in the rock’s surface every mid-autumn. Legend has it that she rose to the moon after taking her husband’s potion of immortality. Lonely and alone but keeping the human imagination alive, Chang e is a treasured Goddess. Wen Wu paints a traditional figure of Chang e, with her hair in the traditional style of the story and ribbons that flow ethereally. These ribbons are also inspired by traditional Chinese ribbon dance. Eyes in this work, like in all of Wen Wu’s work, are revealing yet mystifying. Chang e is in a state of sadness, and her face reveals a subtle resignation. This piece in the series is painted with less pigment and a softer focus that helps manifest a celestial, dreamlike scene.

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18 Snow White (2011)

40.6cm by40.6cm, Oil on linen

In the beginning of the fairytale ‘Snow white’, a queen pricks her finger with a needle in the snow, and makes a wish for her daughter to have beautiful pale skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony. This is the inspiration for Wen Wu’s piece in which a fair, hauntingly pretty woman stares at the viewer – her small, vivid red lips contrasting with the cold, harsh backdrop behind her. The parrot in the background adds another dimension to the composition, injecting life, warmth and a burst of vibrant hues. Despite the sparse use of colour on the canvas, where it is present it is a triumph. A common theme in Wen Wu’s work, nature is placed delicately beside the beautiful woman to create a delicate harmony.

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19 Sleeping Beauty (2011) 25.4cm by 35.6cm, Oil on linen

In this romantic portrayal of the sleeping beauty, Wen Wu uses a palette of warm, rich tones to create a language of sensuality, rest, and passion. The sleeping woman has her back to the viewer, making one a voyeur. The woman is sleeping, yet her hair is in perfect shape, as if she has never moved. Wen Wu uses long, fluid brushwork in the background – emotive and dreamlike. Chinese beauty is a theme as usual for Wen Wu’s work and is suggested in the abundant use of red. The flower in the woman’s hair was inspired by the same kind of flower used by the famous American artist Georgia O’Keeffe.

White Trumpet Flower (1932) Georgia O’Keeffe

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20 Thumbelina (2011)

25cm by 20cm, Oil on linen

With scale and subject united in size, this painting tells the tale of a tiny girl born from the flower of a barleycorn: Thumbelina. It makes an interesting comparison piece to ‘Cinderella’, with its emphasis upon the female hand, like the foot. The story tracks the adventure of a girl who must first escape marriage to a toad, then a stag beetle, and then a mole. She is helped to safety by a field mouse and swallow and eventually weds a tiny flower-fairy prince in a field. Wen Wu places her heroine within a delicate white hand, not only to impart her size to the viewer but along with the red dot on her forehead, to convey protection. Inspired by previous depictions of the thousand-armed bodhisattva, Guanyin, the hand similarly curls upwards like a lotus flower. Known most commonly as the Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin makes a fitting parallel to the mouse and swallow in the story, as they likewise reach out to those in need, and ensure a safe voyage towards salvation. Thus, East and West merge in this painting, as Wen Wu not only references the fairytale tradition, but Buddhist legend as well.

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