劉丹 耽藝石

b. 1953

The rock remembers, 2003



ink on paper, framed



signed, marked with one seal of the artist

The work is in very good condition.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Whether of stones, poppy flowers, or classically-inspired landscapes, Liu Dan's works embody an exceptional beauty, one balanced between sold, calculated composition and elegant, free-hand gestures. In his paintings of rocks, which are based on actual stones accurately rendered, Liu is inspired by the works of Northern Song dynasty masters and his goal is the “objective representation of the subject matter” that somehow goes beyond a ‘true’ representation of reality, to a quintessential form, isolated on the picture plane.

Liu’s treatment of the subject is elegant, spiritual and constructive, capturing the minutest details of its surface, to the point that the stone itself almost seems like a landscape. He describes rocks as the ‘stem cells’ of landscape, a starting place with infinite possibilities for development, as well as the basis for Chinese people's understanding of space and time. When he portrays particular rocks he adheres to the form before him. By contrast, his landscape paintings seem to unfold organically in an almost inevitable progression that resonates with the artist's ‘stem cell’ concept. As we examine his rock or landscape paintings, seeking to grasp the details of the vast cosmos within, we find them elusive: the gentle touch of the brush is so reserved that not only does it resist revealing the artist's hand, it also stops short of precisely delimiting the rocky form.