Kwong Kwok Wai

Kwong Kwok Wai is a painter who has exhibited in Hong Kong in various pop-up shows as well as extensively online. He has a background in journalism and developed his signature abstract style while...

Kwong Kwok Wai is a painter who has exhibited in Hong Kong in various pop-up shows as well as extensively online. He has a background in journalism and developed his signature abstract style while attending a residency at Vermont Studio Center in the United States. Kwong’s work has been published by various independent publishers such as The Good Life Review and Thought Art magazine. He has authored three novels as a writer as well as published a collection of his short stories. 

The paintings incorporate traditional Western oil paint along with Chinese color pigments to signify a bridging of cultures between East and West. Kwong remains inspired by topographical maps and uses their form and structure as inspiration for his paintings. Coming off as technologically driven, geometric, and colorful, the paintings may resemble small cubes assembled together or machine-like in appearance.

Containing fragmented structure and geometry along with painterly qualities and vivid brush strokes, Kwong attempts to blur the line between color field painting and abstract expressionism. With a sophisticated color palette containing thoroughly muted tones, he is interested in unification of overall tonal composition. Expressive yet contained, these energized paintings try to burst out from the borders of the canvas only to be restrained by geometric smears and cubes. 

Atlas the Other Shore (pictured above) remains unclear as to whether the painting resembles a depiction of the titan Atlas or speaks in metaphorical terms of his influence. Map-like and resembling geology and earth, the painting appears almost as if tearing soil or the inner depiction of a volcano. A highly energetic and stimulating triptych which conveys emotional impulses regarding relationships with the earth, a homeland, or perhaps the aesthetics of painting. 

Kwong Kwok Wai creates fascinating paintings which reflect motion and technological marvel, much like the futurism art movement from the early 20th century, these paintings reflect a seismic change in cultures and application of paint. Through spirited brush strokes and a desire to build a bridge between tradition and experimentation, these dynamic works reflect conceptual relevance in regards to building complex compositions which stimulate through imposing structure yet subdue the senses through muted tones.

Artist website: https://walterkwonghk.wordpress.com