Recollection of Hong Kong (2013-2014)

By Xu Jianguo (also known as Da Diaozi)

Painting completed in Guisi year (2013)

Epilogue written in Jiawu year (2014)

During my first visit ever to Hong Kong in 1991, I went to the Peak to see the cityscape, and pondered the ideas behind the poem by the great poet and pioneer from the Guangxu period of the Qing dynasty, Huang Zunxian: Pointing North to drink at the Yellow Dragon, from the West comes the Heavenly Horse. Wheels of giant vessels soar and create great waves, the cannon salutes fired, like thunders on a sunny day. Where Chinese and the West connect and communicate, goods and wealth gather here from all origins. (I) climb high to take in the view of the ocean, the earth is as ever vast and expansive. For me, that was a deeply profound and inspiring moment. It is my humble wish that these paintings on Hong Kong would serve to complement and highlight some of the essences in Huang’s poetry, and fulfill a dream from one century ago.