Ink Painting Scrolls At The Opposite House

 

(Beijing, January 19, 2011) – In celebration of the 2011 Chinese New Year, RedBox Studio presents a specially commissioned installation at The Opposite House by one of the world’s preeminent Chinese ink painters, Qin Feng. Qin currently lives between Boston and Beijing. His paintings have been widely exhibited internationally and are represented in some of the most noteworthy public collections in the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art, and the Ford Foundation.

The 12 hanging scrolls of “Day After Day” (2010), each 26 feet long, feature bold and energetic red and black brushstrokes composed of Chinese ink painted with a large flat Western brush on custom-made paper. Modest and understated, Qin describes the creative process behind his striking work as a “symbolic adaptation of very simple black and red lines, sometimes overlapping, sometimes in parallel, to represent the twelve months in a year. The lines are meant to illustrate the ways in which life and society diverge through a variety of conflicts and contradictions, such as love and strife, desire and reality, but inevitably re-emerge together in harmony."

The synthesis of traditional ink painting and contemporary language is a clear reflection of Qin’s own background as an early participant in the Chinese contemporary art movement and a professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in China.  Qin’s multi-cultural upbringing in Xinjiang inspired his fascination with the written language. He incorporates Chinese, Uighur, Arabic and Russian marks into his paintings and instills them with a compelling sense of abstraction and unrestrained energy, ultimately expressing his interpretation of an evolving medium.

“The 12 large scrolls of abstract calligraphy is a visually stunning piece—minimal, bold and esoteric,” says Anthony Ross, general manager of The Opposite House.

 

RedBox Studio

RedBox Studio, established in 2005, is a Beijing-based art advisory specializing in the promotion of contemporary art in China. Composed of experienced, bilingual professionals with an extensive knowledge of contemporary Chinese art, the studio works with artists, private collectors and institutions to facilitate acquisitions, organize exhibitions, initiate art programs, and design and publish art publications. The studio works closely with clients to provide a bespoke experience and in-depth education about the arts in China, while providing access to its international network of artists, galleries and institutions. The purpose of the studio’s activities and initiatives is to serve as a bridge for cultural exchange and to foster art appreciation for contemporary Chinese art.

Founders Katherine Don and George Chang, both former New York gallery directors, have been actively involved in the promotion of contemporary art for over ten years in Beijing and New York. Past curatorial projects include Peng Wei’s painting installation at The Opposite House, in 2010 and introductions of artists to the West that included Xu Lei, Zhu Wei, Ji Dachun, and Qiu Xiaofei. They recently curated the first international exhibition of the Columbia University Neiman Print Studies Center collection at the Today Art Museum, Beijing, which included works by artists Kara Walker, Kiki Smith and William Kentridge.

About Swire Hotels

Swire Hotels has been created to manage intriguing urban hotels in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the United Kingdom, providing a characterful experience for travelers who seek individuality, style and personalized service.

The Opposite House, Beijing, opened in 2008 and was followed by The Upper House, above Pacific Place, Hong Kong, in October 2009.

Swire Hotels opened a 345-room lifestyle business hotel called EAST, Hong Kong in Hong Kong’s Island East, on January 25, 2010. EAST, Beijing with 369 rooms, located within INDIGO in Jiangtai, will open in 2012.

Swire Hotels has launched a new collection of locally inspired and stylish hotels in the heart of great British towns and cities called Chapter Hotels. The first hotel in the collection, The Montpellier Chapter, opened on the  November 29, 2010 in Cheltenham. The second Chapter hotel will open in Exeter in 2012.

About The Opposite House

The Opposite House is located in Sanlitun Village—a vibrant new open-plan shopping, dining and entertainment destination developed by Swire Properties. The hotel’s 99 guest studios include nine spacious suites and a penthouse duplex with a 2600 square foot roof terrace. More than half of all the studios are over 750 square feet and all are strikingly simple with natural wooden floors and subtle touches of Chinese décor.

About Sanlitun Village

Sanlitun Village, located at the junction of the Worker’s Stadium North Road and Sanlitun Road in Chaoyang District, Beijing, comprising two sites with a total site area of approximately over 566,000 sq ft, and a total floor area of over approximately 1.47 million sq ft* spreading over 19 buildings, including a 99-room intriguing urban hotel, The Opposite House.

Built around the bustling hutongs of Sanlitun, taking inspiration from the courtyards and  alleyways of Beijing's past and mixing it with its more worldly cosmopolitan present, the development will include over 200 shops, plus cafes, restaurants and bars, an eight-screen MEGABOX cinema, a unique cultural entertainment space and parking for more than 800 cars. For more details, please go to our official website: www.sanlitunvillage.com

The retail portions of Sanlitun Village are jointly owned by Swire Properties and Gateway China Fund I, with Swire Properties holding an 80% stake and Gateway China Fund I taking the remaining 20%, while the hotel is wholly-owned by Swire Properties.

* Gross floor area excludes car park areas