They may be from two different cities and have different styles, but over the past two decades ink painters Yang Xiaoyang and Wong Chau-tung have shared one common passion: to develop the traditional art form among their peers and promote it to a wider audience.
The upcoming "Ink of Two Cities - Shenzhen & Hong Kong Metropolitan Ink Painting Exhibition" is the fruit of a collaboration that dates back to 2006 when Yang from Shenzhen and Hongkonger Wong first organised a cross-border cultural exchange.
"In the art world, painters can further develop and enrich their unique artistic language by learning from each other," says Yang. "A closer relationship between these two cities is hoped to be formed through this exchange. I hope ink painters from Beijing and Shanghai can join us in the near future."
The theme of the current show is cultural diversity and its influence and impact on artists. While Shenzhen, a migrant city, has a diverse Chinese population, Hong Kong has a big international community. Artists from the two cities have very different takes on urban life and that difference creates room for them to exchange ideas artistically.
Ink is traditionally used to paint natural landscapes, and since the 1990s, many mainland artists have been using this medium to depict an urban life that has been affected by the rapid socioeconomic development and reformation of southern China.
