HONG KONG — Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery opens the first large-scale solo show of Shanghainese painter Chen Yiming in Hong Kong on April 15.Entitled “The World Of Mortals: Dreamland,” this selling exhibition showcases 55 recently executed paintings from two series. The World of Mortals is a suite of early portraits that capture tranquil, contemplative scenes of domestic life evoking the culture and refinement of old Shanghai while making canny references to classical Chinese symbolism.In contrast to the genteel elegance of these portraits is the Dreamland series, in which Chen turns to a variety of mixed media, as well as a more freewheeling abstract idiom, to inject a fresh perspective into the once-tired genre of nostalgic landscapes. Here, too, the palette is demonstrably softened and even somber, reflecting a mellowing of his once vibrant impulsiveness, but also a newly acquired warmth.For Clare Cosman, gallery director of Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, this exhibition offers a rare insight into the wide reach and repertoire of a master painter whose fans may only have known him for a particular style of realistic portraiture. “This exhibition illustrates Chen’s versatility as an artist, juxtaposing a variety of techniques, styles and media, as well as a poetic and nostalgic vision of China that resides at the core of all his work.”Chen Yi Ming’s “The World Of Mortals: Dreamland” runs April 15—29, 2015 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery, 5/F One Pacific Place, Admiralty.Follow @ARTINFOHongKong
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