Gallery Where launched artist Chen Fang's solo exhibition "Centuries of Ups and Downs" on May 21, 2023. The show marks the first comprehensive presentation of Chen Fang's lacquer art spanning over five years. Over the past decade, Chen Fang has been continuously researching and refining lacquer art, experimenting more possibilities of lacquer. She attempts to break the common perception of lacquer as decorative, challenging viewers to break free from their habitual sensory experiences while seeing objects. The natural and tough material properties of lacquer have influenced Chen Fang with a different perception of the material world, resulting in her works exhibiting a quality imbued with enduring significance.
Lacquer, also known as "raw lacquer," is a natural viscous sap collected from the bark of lacquer trees, which oxidizes to a brown or black color upon exposure to air. By using lacquer as an adhesive, hemp cloth is layered and applied on the base, then dried in the shade and polished repeatedly, creating a surface quality that is quite indestructible. Since ancient times, traditional lacquer objects have mainly served in the imperial court's rituals and daily life. Therefore, lacquer surfaces need to be polished repeatedly until they exhibit a nearly mirror-like smooth gloss, evoking a sense of extreme beauty. This iconic glossy texture has continued to influence contemporary lacquer artists, radiating throughout East Asia. However, the expressive power of lacquer is not limited to this.
By controlling the humidity, temperature, color, and form of lacquer, Chen Fang's exploration of lacquer's expressiveness, combined with her sensory experiences derived from the natural world, distinguishes her painting works from the traditional landscape paintings or illustrative summarizations commonly associated with lacquer art. She creates monochromatic paintings that lie between abstraction and representation, using the delicate yet solid texture of lacquer. The resilient texture and deep colors of lacquer, along with the nature-inspired subjects, give her works a timeless beauty as if time is frozen within them.
For three-dimensional sculptures, Chen Fang typically uses the "off-mold" technique, namely the original mold is removed after the lacquer has dried in the shade, leaving only the layers of lacquer and cloth. Chen Fang's lacquer sculptures have a solid structure and deep texture, giving them a substantial appearance. However, after the off-molding process, even large sculptures appear surprisingly lightweight, creating sensory conflicts between visual and tactile perceptions, breaking through preconceived notions.
As a creative medium or decorative coating, lacquer has experienced thousands of years of rise and fall. Through continuous experimentation and self-transcendence, Chen Fang has taken the art of lacquer to new heights.
Chen Fang (b. 1991), graduated from Nanjing University of the Arts, currently works and lives in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi. Over the past decade, Chen Fang has been continuously researching and refining lacquer art, experimenting more possibilities of lacquer. She attempts to break the common perception of lacquer as decorative, challenging viewers to break free from their habitual sensory experiences while seeing objects. The natural and tough material properties of lacquer have influenced Chen Fang with a different perception of the material world, resulting in her works exhibiting a quality imbued with enduring significance.
Her major exhibitions include: Centuries of Ups and Downs, Gallery Where, Beijing (2023); Pure White Dirt, Gallery Where, Beijing (2022); Art in Plainness, Gallery 617, Jingdezhen (2021); Lacquer in Daily Life, Random, Hangzhou (2019); Water & Wood - Lacquer Art Exhibition, Mumo, Shanghai (2019); Leaf - Chen Fang's Lacquer Art Exhibition, Heguang Ceramics, Nanjing (2016)...