Fu Qiumeng Fine Art is Pleased to present Subjective Realm: Between Form and Flow, a solo exhibition by Chinese artist Chen Duxi, running from January 4 to February 1, 2025, with an opening reception on January 9, 5–8 PM. Featuring 23 works from Chen’s Chi Yi 持颐 series, this exhibition explores the fluid interplay of motion, stillness, and time through meticulous Gongbi 工笔 techniques (a Chinese traditional painting style that uses fine and controlled lines to define forms) on silk, enhanced by luminous mineral pigments.
Chen Duxi, Contemplate-Detached, I Read A Poem 持颐-超旨, 2024, Mineral color pigment on gold paper 金笺、矿物颜料, 59 x 39 3/8 in (150 x 100 cm)
For Chen, water is both a subject and a metaphor, symbolizing the continuous flow of time, the cycles of life, and the dynamic relationship between observer and observed. His understanding of fluidity extends beyond the physical, translating ephemeral movements into visual rhythms. Through the precise use of brushstroke, a cornerstone of Chinese aesthetics, Chen captures the trajectories of water, sediment, and magma, distilling their motion into elegant, layered compositions.
Chen Duxi, Contemplate-Gentlemen Remain So Tender 持颐-典雅, 2024, Mineral color pigment on silk 绢本、矿物颜料, 27 1/2 x 19 3/4 in (70 x 50 cm)
Chen Duxi, Contemplate-Gentlemen Remain So Tender 持颐-典雅, (Detail)
Each line in Chen’s work embodies both the passage of time and the compression of space, creating an intricate interplay of density and flow. Combined with vivid mineral pigments, his paintings achieve an ethereal balance of motion and stillness, inviting viewers to contemplate the deeper connections between nature, existence, and perception.
