Art Basel Hong Kong 2014: Letters From a Distance - Peng Wei

Recognizing Art Basel’s leadership in contemporary art, Ora-Ora believes this is an important opportunity to help connect international collectors and enthusiasts with the fundamental elements of ink, a medium that does not exist in the West. Presenting Letters from a Distance, a solo exhibition by renowned Chinese contemporary ink artist Peng Wei, we invite the world to experience qualities of timelessness and vitality, shown through Peng’s artworks, while witnessing the capacity and permanence of contemporary ink. 

In Letters from a Distance, Peng Wei will incorporate three different series of her artworks, transforming Art Basel’s space into a literary expedition for the audience. Known for her immense detail and precise artistry in her shan shui (“landscape”) paintings, Peng uses “tradition” as medium rather than a standard. In Peng’s “Handmade Book” series, she features one of China’s most ancient and enduring customs of bookbinding and scroll painting. However, unlike her fellow literati who painted shan shui with the desire to capture nature, Peng’s fascination is the object of the ancient books and scrolls themselves. As a result, Peng captures the essence of these classical objects as an entirety, transforming each scroll and book into an artwork itself and not just the paintings within. Choosing not to focus on the restrictive nature and traditions of shan shui painting, Peng instead revives tradition, creating a balance between the past and present within her artworks.