WEI LIGANG | Thatched Cottage Beside the Water Lined with Phoenix-Tail Fern Moistened in the Mist

signed WEI LIGANG in pencil and dated 2016

Michael Goedhuis Ltd.

Unexamined out of its frame this work is in very good and original condition. The sheet is laid down verso to the backing board and undulates slightly. All surface regularities are in keeping with the artist's choice of medium. Extremely close inspection reveals two minute media accretions to the center of the right hand edge of the left hand panel. No restoration is apparent when examined under ultraviolet light.
"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."

Wei Ligang's active explorations in Chinese calligraphy and painting, drawing upon a long history of Chinese arts and culture, places him at the forefront of contemporary ink painting. Simultaneously trained in Mathematics and calligraphy, Wei creates a cohesive amalgamation of the two, approaching calligraphy with an intellectual rigour that results in conceptual depth in his compositions and experimentations with mixed media. His abstract form of calligraphy deconstructs and re-forms the characters while maintaining a deep traditional root. Elegant black lines peregrinate fluidly on a brilliant gold foreground, displaying the impulsive gestures of abstract expression and at the same time preserving the archaic grid system of Chinese writing in a pictorial form. The bold application of colour, rarely used in traditional Chinese calligraphy, provides a stark contrast against the ink, representing the artist’s unconventional style and take on the incorporation of new media.