Novalis Contemporary Art Design Gallery open hours: from Mon to Sat, 12 – 7 pm
***
Novalis Contemporary Art Design Gallery and Art Next are delighted to present Present Tradition, in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Hong Kong. The collaboration came about to see what new conversations and inspirations would be sparked through a cultural exchange between an Italian artist (Alessandro Cardinale, represented by Novalis Contemporary Art Design) and a Hong Kong artist (Angel Hui Hoi Kiu, represented by Art Next). The two artists have been put in dialogue with each other with regards to tradition, especially when tradition is becoming more and more important in navigating the complex identities in present times.
This exhibition aims to remind oneself of the meanings posited in ‘tradition’, and stage a dialogue between ‘tradition’ and the present, where codified meanings in ‘tradition’ have been lost, neglected, or altered by the tides of changing perceptions in society. The name, ‘Present Tradition’, points to both the exploration of tradition in present day, and the dialogue between the present and tradition. Both artists, Alessandro Cardinale and Angel Hui Hoi Kiu were chosen for their exploration of ’tradition’ in the present: Alessandro’s ‘Nu Shu’ series presents a conceptual interpretation of the lost tradition of the Nu Shu language, whilst Angel’s practice subverts and contemporizes tradition through her use of traditional Chinese ink painting techniques in inventive ways.
Alessandro Cardinale’s ‘Nu Shu’ series was directly inspired by the lost tradition of Nu Shu, a traditional script developed in Hunan, China in the Song dynasty, used exclusively by women as a hidden outlet of expression, embroidered on clothes and fans. Alessandro’s haunting images can only be seen from a certain viewpoint, vanishing into incoherence as the viewer moves and changes their perspective. It is fitting interpretation for a lost tradition, the vanishing of the image echoing how one can only catch glimpses of tradition in the present, with the meanings they once embodied vanishing into incoherence. Deeply inspired by traditional Chinese art, Angel Hui engages viewers in an active dialogue between present and tradition. She subverts tradition by reinterpreting Chinese traditional materials and techniques, ‘embroidering’ ornate paper fans with a brush, and painting ostriches in ‘gongbi’. The image of a goldfish embroidered on a plastic bag crosses the boundary between present and tradition by using traditional embroidery technique to illustrate a scene from everyday Hong Kong. We are once again reminded that tradition is not inaccessible, or hard to decipher, but exists in the present, in our everyday lives, one only has to look around them to ‘rediscover’ tradition taken for granted.
About Alessandro Cardinale
Alessandro Cardinale (1977 Padova – Italy) graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. He has been working on developing the theme of light and visual perception. He took part in several art exhibitions promoted by art galleries, public institutions and foundations for contemporary art both in Italy and abroad, among which are: NAMOC National Art Museum of China – Beijing, Factory 798 District – Beijing, Building Bridges Art Foundation – Los Angeles, Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco. In 2012 he won the international section of the 5th Beijing International Art Biennale exhibiting at the National Art Museum of China. His artworks are featured in private and public collections both in Italy and abroad. He lives and works in Venice, Italy.
About Angel Hui Hoi Kiu
Angel Hui Hoi Kiu received her BA (Hons) in Visual Arts from the Hong Kong Baptist University in 2014 and the Master of Arts in Experimental Art with Distinction at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in 2017. She lives and works in between Hong Kong and Beijing.
Hui is awarded a scholarship from China Education Development Foundation in 2016 and 2017 respectively. She attained Excellence Award of Art Next Expo International Artists Award in 2019 and Silver Award of New Art Wave International Artist in 2015 respectively. Also, received Outstanding Award from the 10th ‘L&XF’ China Fashion Illustration Competition in 2011, and was one of the finalists of The Hong Kong Fine Art Prize in 2014. She exhibited at galleries and art spaces in Hong Kong, Macau, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Taiwan, Australia and Paris. In 2016, Hui was invited by Lane Crawford and to create an art window display that expresses her modern interpretation of Chinese traditions and in 2019, to celebrate JCCAC 10th anniversary, JCCAC collaborates with resident artists – Angel Hui and launch a limited-edition souvenir plate set in G.O.D. store. Early 2019, she was invited to exhibit at Rosewood Beijing group show by the Office of the Government of HKSAR in Beijing.
Hui is an emerging artist who is famous for her amazing ink work on tissue paper in recent years. She is fascinated in daily objects and often discovers new meaning in them by twisting traditional art form and appropriating common materials to become part of her artwork.
About Novalis Contemporary Art Design Gallery
Novalis Contemporary Art Design is an Italian gallery based in Hong Kong, dedicated to expanding the creative connections between contemporary art and design. Novalis is the celebration of ideas that turn into objects we are madly in love with, to know the culture of design as a unique moment of the time and the place we live in. The gallery specialises in showcasing a large number of objects designed by Memphis Group, the famous Italian design movement born in 1981 and led by Ettore Sottsass. The group created furniture, fabrics, ceramics, glasses by prestigious designers and architects as Ettore Sottsass, Michele de Lucchi, Michael Graves, George J. Sowden, Marco Zanini, and many others. Aside from design, Novalis represents talented local and international photographers, such as Costanza Gastaldi, Margot Errante, Valentina Loffredo, Chan Dick, and Samantha Li.
Novalis is a mix between an art gallery and a cultural centre, designed to investigate and disseminate the connections between art, design, architecture, and photography, with specific research into the avant-garde and contemporary. Novalis has had the pleasure to participate in art and design loans, and events in major museums around the world.
About Art Next
Established in 2015, Art Next is a unique platform that connects the next generation of talented artists with art professionals and collectors. Based in Hong Kong, Art Next organises exhibitions and fairs that give collectors an opportunity to access top quality works at affordable prices – a much desired alternative for new collectors who appreciate lower entry barriers, as well as experienced collectors who seek fresh talent with market potential.
Art Next’s flagship project, Art Next Expo, is a major international art fair for emerging and independent artists. Unlike a gallery-focused art fair, Art Next Expo is an art fair where visitors can artists directly to understand their creative concepts. Artists benefit from interacting with potential buyers and collaborators, and building their network with gallery owners and curators. Over the past three editions of the Expo, we have featured over 300 talented artists from 20 countries and regions and welcomed over 80,000 visitors. At each edition, a distinguished panel of judges selected outstanding artists as recipients of the “Art Next International Artists Awards”.
In the summer of 2020, Art Next organised “+VE/-VE”, an exhibition of works created by Hong Kong artists during the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhibition showcased over 60 works by more than 40 outstanding artists that were created during the COVID-19 social distancing period, capturing not just the artists’ individual emotions but the common experience of all HK people. The works give us an opportunity to seek support and solace in the power of art.
Art Next also actively organises seminars for collectors, and pop-up exhibitions for our artists.