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Zen in Ink

The Artistic Realm of Kwok Hon-sum

Mr. TANG Hoi-chiu

Adjunct Professor of Academy of Visual Arts,

Hong Kong Baptist University

The development of ink painting in Hong Kong can be traced back to around the early half of the twentieth century. Many painters moved to Hong Kong because of political and economic turmoil in mainland China. These include traditional school of Guangdong painters such as Li Yanshan, Li Feng-gong, Deng Fen, Huang Boye, Liang Boyu ; masters from the Lingnan school such as Chao Shaoan , Yang Shanshen, Szeto Kei，Zhou Yifeng, Li Fuhong; as well as other famous artists like Ding Yanyong, Lui Canming and his son, Lui Shou-kwan Zhou Gongli and others. They resided and continued their artistic endeavours in Hong Kong, taught at art colleges and or conducted private tuition to students and laying the cornerstone of ink painting in Hong Kong. As a matter of fact, in addition to inheriting the past, ink painting in Hong Kong does take up the pioneer and creative role of extending the frontier of ink painting. Since the fifties , Lui Shou-kwan (1919-1975) moved onto semi-abstract and abstract works; he then formulated his unique "Zen " series in the sixties and seventies. Under his inspiration, numerous innovative ink painters kicked off the "New Ink Movement " . Famous Taiwanese painter Liu Guosong (Liu Kuo-sung) (1932b) arrived at Hong Kong in 1971 and taught at Department of Fine Arts, New Asia College and Department of Extramural Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and later served as the Head of the Department of Fine Arts. Liu had advocated reform in the theories and introduction of new techniques in Chinese painting since his previous stay in Taiwan. During his twenty years of art education involvement in Hong Kong, he was committed to the innovative development of modern concepts and techniques in ink painting and devoted to art education ; which marked a peak period in his artistic career. He inspired many students and set a new path in art. Together with his students, the "Hong Kong Modern Ink Painting Society" was co-founded. Through the thirty-nine years since its formation, the Society is fully dedicated to boost the development of modern ink painting by organizing various exhibitions and activities, and fostered cultural exchanges between Hong Kong, Mainland China and Taiwan are promoted with significant contributions. Liu returned to Taiwan in the nineties, but was still concerned about his students' activities and the affairs of the Society. He also continues to promote modern ink painting on the international arena. When major exhibitions and events in Hong Kong are held by his students or the Society, he would always try to participate and to host the event in person, showing his support. His students, including Chan Shing-kau, Chan Kwan-lap, Lee Chun-yi, Kwok Hon-sum, Yeung Kwok-fan, Lau Kam-chee, Leung Tung-choi etc., all open up different possibilities in their artistic paths with distinctive stylistic expressions. Amongst them is Kwok Hon-sum (1947—2003) who is exceptionally talented and highly creative. If not because of his untimely death at such an early age regrettably, he would have attained a higher achievement and would make greater contributions to expand the boundary of modern ink, like his fellow artists.

Kwok Hon-sum was born in Xinhui of Guangdong Province, China. He moved to Hong Kong in 1958 and at teenage, he had already built up strong interest in painting. His talent in painting was shown in the1966 "Painting of the Hong Kong Younger Generation" organized by the Urban Council, which he won the first prize in the category of Chinese painting. As a secondary school student, he learnt traditional Chinese painting from Liang Boyu and followed calligrapher Ou Jiangong to consolidate his artistic skills. In 1968, he was admitted to the Department of Fine Arts, the National Taiwan Normal University, to undertake a series of more comprehensive artistic training, which included Chinese painting, calligraphy, design, print making etc. Kwok was awarded with numerous prizes and of course, taking the opportunity of his stay in Taiwan, he visited the National Palace Museum in Taipei to further explore the essence and treasures in Chinese calligraphy and painting by the ancient masters. It was logical that Kwok was also influenced and inspired by the landscape painting of contemporary masters in Taiwan such as Zhang Daqian, Jiang Zhaoshen, Pu Ru, Huang Junbi, He Huaishuo etc. During his summer vacation, he returned to Hong Kong to follow the famous Lingnan School master Yang Shanshen to practice painting. He had once deferred his study in 1970 but resumed his training in 1976 under Liu Guosong , who founded a new curriculum of " Diploma Course in Modern Ink Painting " at Department of Extramural Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In addition to Liu ’s teaching, Kwok was benefited from Chinese art history and contemporary art and groundbreaking theories and innovative techniques of ink lectured by Professor Chuang Shen, Jin Dongfang, Wang Ting-zhi (Tam Shek-wing) and Tao Ho etc. During the 1970s, there was a gradual increase in the number of painting associations in Hong Kong, such as the once active ”One Art Group”. Kwok's paintings in his early years reflected a glimpse of influence from his contemporary Taiwan and Hong Kong artists. In 1978, he completed the "Diploma Course in Modern Ink Painting " and embarked on his brief yet proactive and unique journey in art.

" Pine against the Running Waterfalls " (1969) (Fig. 1) is a work in traditional style during Kwok’s stay in Taiwan. Two pines on rock at the foreground echo well with the waterfall running down the cliff at the background. The brush depicting the pines and the textured strokes as shown to illustrate the rockery is reminiscent of the spirits of landscape painting of the Southern Song Dynasty. Yet the mood is refreshing, recalling those waterfall landscape by Huang Junbi. "The Majestic Cliff " (1977) (Fig. 2) and "The Mystic Temptations of Cloud and Snow" (1977) (Fig. 3) are the works completed after his pursuit of study with Liu Guosong‘s "Diploma Course in Modern Ink Painting ". The rock composition resembles collage and the colors are freely applied with vibrancy, drawing reference from Liu’s early landscape painting. Kwok had once deeply indulged in landscape portraying mountain sceneries with waterfalls, surging waves and dynamic vibrance of wind and clouds, which seem to convey the artist’s inner sentiments. "Colors of Spring Field" (1970) (Figure 4) depicts the mountain landscape through textured strokes and dyed tint in ink and azurite. Verticality of the cascade is expressed like a hanging string, hinting that the artist’s background is likely from the design profession, or perhaps he is being inspired by Kan Tai-keung or Chui Tze-hung. " Splashing of Thunders on Jade" (1970) (Fig ?), "Torrent" (1980) (Fig?) and "Rapid Flowing Waterfall" (1983) (Fig?) illustrate the splendor of waterfall with a touch of realism. Spatial disposition, movement of light and shadows are dramatically manipulated. "Sea Waves" (1980) (Fig. 5) and "Sea Tides" (1983) (Fig. 6) depict the forces of nature through the blowing wind and the changing clouds. The surging movement of the angry sea is expressed with an outburst of energy in great tension. Dark ink, azurite and malachite green are mostly deployed to render these paintings, as if to dissipate some overwhelming emotions under a gloomy atmosphere hidden in the heart of the artist. According to recollections by his wife, Kwok was rather depressed when he created these works. Through his urge of breakthrough, he attempted to vent his feelings and to release himself.

Men landed on the moon in 1969. Numerous pictures showing stunning views of the moon, the earth planet and the space were transmitted that impressed everyone. Inspired by these scenes of fantasy, Liu Guosong created his new series of painting of the universe by depicting themes about the sun, the earth, the moon and the space. A variety of painting techniques such as rubbing, paper tearing, ink stains, spray dyeing and collage etc. were combined with free strokes and bold brush works, with an attempt to elevate contemporary ink painting to an unprecedented level of skills and conceptual vocabulary. Kwok, after studying painting with Liu, was also inspired. He introduced the notion of universe and the Chinese concept "yin and yang are forces complementing each other, Man and Heaven are united in harmony" in his works. Dense ink was contrasted with shades of the void in "Beyond the Horizon" (1985) (fig ?) to unveil a mysterious and supernatural mood of the earth planet. In "Yin and Yang - The Two Modes" (1986) (fig ?) , distinctive and rich tones of red, blue were infused with light gradations of ink, invoking the lively and dynamic forces of the heaven and the earth. The centre is superimposed with a round-shaped golden leaf, which symbolically suggests the Chinese theoretical universe of “spherical heaven and square earth” and the imagery of “yin yang” forces. The predominant tones of vivid crimson in the "Red Rising Sun" (1986) (fig ?) may be inspired by the rising sun image from Liu Guosong’s works of the universe. The upper part of the painting was collaged with a square shape golden leaf, which again expressed the idea of “spherical heaven and square earth”. Bold sweeping strokes forms layers of mountains and rivers, as if the blazing heat of the sun gives birth to the all beings and the World. Kwok had once worked for an antique craft shop along Hollywood Road in the Sheung Wan district of Hong Kong. He was fascinated with the gilded and painted golden statues of Buddhist and Taoist deities. From then onwards, his paintings are often marked by a gilded token of gold which serves as a unique icon of of his artistic style.

Liu Guosong recalled that in 1986, some thangka and Buddhist prayer banners brought from Tibet aroused Kwok’s strong interest. Liu thus passed a few pieces of these gifts to Kwok. Since then, Kwok’s paintings evolved into a new style of focusing on religious themes of Buddhist statues, scriptures and lotus. He did not formally convert to Buddhism or the Tibetan Sect, but was deeply moved by the idea of generosity and mercy, karma reincarnation, revelation of one’s true self, pass beyond life and death, every person could become Buddha and reincarnations for the next life which fully coincided with his pursuit of seclusion and ethereal tranquility. He loved to listen to Indian, Mongolian, Nepalese music and had also visited the Buddhist monasteries, caves and niches in India, Nepal, Tibet and Dunhuang. Inspirations from the Buddhist and the Tibetan Tantric arts were incorporated into his ink painting, giving an outstanding statement of unique identity. "Mandala" (1987) (fig?) Is one of his works which represents this significant turning point of his painting style. A “Mandela” is presented by a structured diagram with a round altar, which embodies internal reflections and meditation and is also a microcosm of the cosmos metaphysically, which suggest an endless state of life. "Mandala" of Tibetan Buddhism is constructed for the worship of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas such as Vairocana, Baozhuang Tathagata, Bodhisattvas Maitreya, Manjushri, Samantabhadra and Avalokitesvara ; it also serves as Tantric tools for spiritual cultivation and meditation. Kwok employed intensive black ink tones and gilded gold to outline the” Mandala" composition in the thangka. The inner space houses various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas while the upper space is laid with strongly contrasting strokes in red, black and gilded gold in abstract. The form is full of religious symbols, as if the mystic secrets of universe and the illuminated path of life is contemplated by an enlightened heart. In the "The Bright Mirror is also Not a Stand" (1991) (Fig?), Kwok adopted the form and shape of moon in Liu Guosong’s "universe" paintings to express the concept of transparency, luminosity and purity as illustrated in the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism , Hui Neng’s verse,

“Bodhi is originally without any tree, The bright mirror is also not a stand;

Originally there is not a single thing,

Where could any dust be attracted?”

Here a state of perfection with no more worries is attained upon self- reflection. "Six consciousness" (1991) (fig?) Is a large-scale six-screen paintings rarely found in his works. "Six Consciousness" is a Buddhist term referring to six kinds of human sensory features, including eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind as the source of all perception. Kwok used black, blue, yellow, red, pale blue and white to symbolize the six senses, which features the actual feelings and sensations by a unique creative, and original touch. The stroke of bright red at the upper end of the painting may have represented the Taoism’s philosophy of "one gives two, two give three, three give everything", that all phenomenal beings are derived from here. "Rain of Dharma (the Law)" (2000) (fig? ) Is Kwok Hon-sum ’s masterpiece of the millennium. Lotus stands as an iconic symbol of Buddhism, embodying the paradigm of flawless, purity, transcendence and selflessness. Lotus leave highlighted the Immaculately white lotus blossom on the upper half of the painting. The small shrines in the centre of the painting subtly echo the lotus theme, suggesting the notion that "There is a world within a flower, a tathagata (an honorific title of a Buddha) within a leaf. ” Hence, " the form is nonexistence, and nonexistence is the form.” Background color was rendered with appropriate shades of ink and colors, and the upper part of composition is marked with a horizontally dash which became an icon of Kwok. The whole picture is vividly misty in outlook; the mood is transcended purity. We can appreciate Kwok’s competence in maneuvering the composition of painting and how he mastered the application of ink and colors with intricacy.

The same aura is also perceived in, "All Virtues and Merits are achieved in Dharma (the law)" (2002) (Fig?), a work before his death. The whole picture is rendered in layers of dark ink, only leaving a vertical strip in the center. Bottom is left blank except an image of Buddhist shrine sitting on a patch of dark green symbolizing a piece of lotus leave, where a manuscript from the ‘Sūtra on the Buddha of Infinite Life” is cited,

"All law of merits travel in ten directions to facilitate the attainment of Buddhism, to reach the paramita (the other shore). May enlightenment being blessed equally among all mankind in this infinite and non-measurable world."

The above sayings is well put, as in the following year, Kwok Hon-sum bid farewell to the material world, and is travelling gracefully in the stream of merits, reaching the other shore. Notwithstanding his short life, his indelible artistic achievements has already shielded a spectrum of eternal light and left a remarkable footprint on the boundless realms of modern ink painting.