Emily Cheng “Like Gravity” and XU Hongming “Illusive Fields”
Cheng’s enigmatic and vibrant paintings chart the movement of an indefinable yet familiar energy. Through symmetrical geometric “templates for the body,” Cheng explores different ways of existing within one's own human form and its relation to the universe. Her vivacious and mystical style evokes the work of renowned artist Hilma af Klint.
The large-scale artworks in Like Gravity are created with flashe and/or acrylic on canvas. The paintings exude a rich array of bright colors and geometric shapes which combine to create a powerful sense of movement and action within the otherwise static works. Cheng’s artwork reflects her continued fascination with the relationship between the physical and the metaphysical, drawing from a multiplicity of traditions rooted in her American upbringing and Chinese ancestry; her brushstrokes recall characteristics of Chinese figural paintings. Symmetrical, diagrammatic shapes and lines interact with soft areas of color and loose, curvy brushstrokes. Her art becomes a vessel expansive enough to hold both science and faith in its embrace.
Resonating throughout the exhibition is imagery that taps into what Cheng refers to as the “potential of unseen things.” Her paintings, while suggestive of living beings and natural, earth-bound shapes, move the viewer beyond the mortal plane to reflect on the enormity of the universe. The suggestive nature of the art offers a rare freedom to interpret and engage in dialogue with the work in ways unique to the perception and experience of each viewer. In turn, Like Gravity becomes a grounding space for meditation and imagination to flourish.
Press release and images via Qualia Contemporary Art.
