Leung Kui-ting

signed KUI-TING, inscribed, and dated 2007

Overall in very good condition. Framed size: 175.5 x 185.5 cm; 69 1/8 x 73 in.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Born in Guangzhou, Leung Kui Ting moved to Hong Kong in 1948. He studied graphic design with Wucius Wong (see LOT 514) and painting with modern ink master and revolutionist, Lui Shoukwan. Leung also pursued an academic career at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University from 1974 to 1990 through teaching wood block printing, graphic design, colour theory, and three-dimensional design. He is currently the Director of the Hong Kong Chingying Institute of Visual Arts, Honorary Advisor to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and Advisor of Visual Arts to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council.

As a member of Hong Kong’s revolutionary One Art Group, which sought to promote the New Ink painting movement, Leung experimented with printmaking, sculpture, and oil painting in an effort to break away from conventional methods. Heavily influenced by his background in design, Leung naturally focuses on the structural elements and composition of his works. In 1979 he returned to concentrate on Chinese ink painting, and often combined his traditional landscapes with abstract forms and hard-edge planes, which became increasingly geometric. His return to traditional practices is also seen in his brushstrokes that have progressed into dotted lines, which bring to mind of the dotted landscapes from Song dynasty painter, Mi Fu (1051-1107 CE). Since 2006, Leung has created two series of works - Words from the Stones (LOT 534) and Zan Zak Zen, which are devoted to the depiction of scholar’s rocks with the purpose of self-realization. As per Leung, “Stones embody obscure and fragmented interpretations about life and cultural chaos; they tell stories without words. I look into their structural and textural compositions and appropriate fragmented quotation into my visual imagery - signs, meaning and forms. The essence of the stone is a symbol of the literati’s spiritual cultivation, and quest towards perfection of the self.”¹

¹Geometry of the Spirit: 50 Years of Leung Kui Ting, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, 2014, p. 61