Hsiao Chin - INFINITE UNIVERSE: Sotheby’s S|2 Hong Kong Gallery

Sotheby’s is honoured to present the largest solo exhibition of Hsiao Chin in Hong Kong, “Hsiao Chin – Infinite Universe”, with support from the Hsiao Chin Art Foundation, the artist and his gallery representative as well as from private collectors of his works. Running from 10 September to 9 October, the exhibition features 26 works by the modern Asian artist from the 1960s through to the present day, including the debut showing of a complete series of his glass mosaics works. Founder of the “Punto International Art Movement”, Hsiao was a prominent figure in the international post-war art scene, active in both Eastern and Western art circles. Using Eastern aesthetic ideas to create a distinctive style in the field of abstract painting, he garnered recognition from the Western art world.Hsiao Chin, the artist, says, “Following a solo exhibition at the Musée Guimet earlier this year in Paris, I am delighted to be invited by Sotheby’s Hong Kong Gallery to stage the “Infinite Universe” selling exhibition this autumn. I once explained that to be human is a limiting condition when considering one’s place in the universe, and that artists should actively express spirituality for the benefit of mankind. Through various media, I wish to convey to viewers of my artworks my own ceaseless thoughts and insights, to communicate my studies of life, the universe and infinity, so that they too can gain a deeper understanding.”

Hsiao Chin’s paintings from the Movimento Punto period are best represented by his Dancing Lights series, comprising only 19 works. In this series, Hsiao divided his canvases between top-heavy 80-20 proportions, a compositional device allowing viewers to connect with the visual experience of looking up at the sky. He adopted this style throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and it later became the basis for the widely acclaimed The Eternal Garden series.

Post-War Legends: Movimento Punto (1961 – 1966)

In 1961, Hsiao Chin founded Movimento Punto in Milan, a cultural movement aimed at rescuing the post-war art world from an aimlessness he felt was the result of an overabundance of movements. Thirteen exhibitions featuring artists from around the world were held in different European cities throughout 1961 to 1966, stimulating an exchange between East and West. Hsiao’s work from this period reflects the major cultural traits of East and West, in which he created a distinctive mode of philosophical abstract painting and shaped his first mature period. His work clearly expressed his interest in exploring the mysteries of the universe and living energy; while the circular and square symbols seem to echo “heaven is round and earth is square,” an Eastern concept of the universe that underpins many of his artworks.