Mr., First Time Ever (detail), 2007. New Now & Design.
Mr.
Mr., First Time Ever, 2007
HK$1,000,000 – 2,000,000
New Now & Design, 26 November
In First Time Ever, a young girl stands by a riverbank at sunset, accompanied by an endearing creature atop her head. Together, they embark on an unknown and adventurous journey. Acting as her trusted travel companion, the girl’s pet elicits a sense of warmth and nostalgia, perhaps even a retrieval of the artist’s personal memories. Surrounded by lush vegetation, distant high-rise buildings, and reflective waters, the visual elements culminate into a vivid snapshot of a riverbank landscape that recalls well known landmarks such as the Kamo River in Kyoto. Contrary to the natural landscape, the urban and suburban environments depicted along the right side of the river exemplify Mr.’s exploration of the beauty, complexity, and isolation of these spaces.
Yuichi Hirako
Yuichi Hirako, Lost in Thought 50, 2019
HK$400,000 – 600,000
New Now & Design, 26 November
Departing from urban and suburban landscapes, we enter the fantastical forest scene of Yuichi Hirako’s Lost in Thought 50. This work evokes a dreamlike dimension where Hirako invites viewers to marvel at the imposing vertical bands of trees that frame the forest clearing. Upon closer observation, these sculpted pillars open to an ethereal sanctuary that reveals the artist’s signature motifs. The artist’s hybrid character “Tree Man” takes a moment of respite as he lazes leisurely among other creatures in the forest. Illustrating the harmony between man and nature, Lost in Thought 50 encourages deep introspection and invites viewers to reconsider their relationships with the natural world and the life that surrounds us.
Jordi Ribes
Jordi Ribes, The Mirror, 2021
HK$150,000 – 250,000
New Now & Design, 26 November
Traversing through wading waters and thick mangroves, the solitary protagonist in Jordi Ribes’ The Mirror is referential to Johannes Vermeer’s renowned Girl with a Pearl Earring. Devoid of facial features, the central figure elicits a sense of mystery and ambiguity as her emotionless face reflects against the surface of the mirror. Looking away from the portal of deep introspection and into the distance, her aimless gaze brings forth a sense of eerie unease as she embarks on a journey to find her bearings. Probing the boundaries between fiction and reality, the contrast between her calm demeanor and an overarching sense of uncertainty mimics the feeling of the start of a grand adventure — nervous yet excited, unsettled yet eager.
Ania Hobson
Ania Hobson, Tunnel, 2022
HK$80,000 – 120,000
New Now & Design, 26 November
Composed of curved lines and contours, Ania Hobson’s Tunnel transports viewers into a vivid cinematic snapshot of an extended road trip. The driving figure checks the side-view mirror with a vigilant gaze, whereas the passenger appears to be sound asleep, unaware of her surroundings yet emanating a foreboding sense of discomfort from her furrowed brows and pursed lips. Hobson sets her figures within the relatable and transient space of a tunnel, suspending the pair in a fleeting in-between as they traverse through one fixed path that is neither completely private nor public, neither here nor there. By abandoning all principals of spatial depth, Hobson presents a tight composition heightened with emotional intensity, leaving viewers with an unexpected sense of anticipation — unaware of where the road leads.
Guy Yanai
Guy Yanai, Normandy, 2020
HK$80,000 – 120,000
New Now & Design, 26 November
Arriving at the tranquil coastline of Normandy, the present work by Guy Yanai depicts sheltered bays interspersed with harbored towns and a stretch of golden sand. Toeing the line between land and sea, Yanai reimagines the peaceful seascape as geometric blocks of bold hues, applied through his meticulous wielding of a palette knife and brush to achieve his signature smooth brushwork. Simplifying his subjects to attain leveled depths of field, the present work erases the distinction between foreground and background, and the overall effect is simultaneously abstract yet figurative. Gazing at the two boats floating in the foreground, one is compelled to hoist the sails and begin the voyage, as the journey transitions from land to sea.
Laurens Legiers
Laurens Legiers, Ships and Blue Lilies, 2022
HK$100,000 – 150,000
New Now & Design, 26 November
Departing from the serene views of Normandy, Laurens Legiers’ Ships and Blue Lilies invites viewers to drift off to the deep sea. This work depicts recurring patterns in Legier’s work — his signature vessels sail across a reflective body of water and two lilies in full bloom seem to float prominently in the foreground. The motifs are rendered in a way that appears soft yet seemingly graphic and they showcase the artist’s unique ability to capture light as well as the soft and smooth edges of his subjects. When observed within close proximity, Ships and Blue Lilies can transport viewers into a dreamlike state of consciousness. As the gentle currents carry the vessels further offshore, the horizon merges the division between sky and sea as the night begins to fade.
Huang Yuxing
Huang Yuxing, Sunrise, 2016
HK$900,000 – 1,500,000
New Now & Design, 26 November
At the break of dawn, Sunrise displays a spirit of cathartic release that is highly characteristic of Huang’s oeuvre. Across the canvas run strips of acidic pink and purple, as oval shapes bleed yellow and green, morphing sometimes into decorative curls and sometimes into the spirals of rippling water. One gets the faint impression of a rising sun refracted and reformed through multiple dimensions. In the symmetry of its undulations, the work settles into a gentle rhythm of contraction and release, as if harnessing the cosmic energy of the star itself. In the transfiguration of water to mist, bubbles, or streams, one finds a metaphor for the coexistence of the eternal and the ephemeral. And in its boundless flow, one finds a symbol for the unyielding passage of time.
Jade Kim
Jade Kim, Aqua, 2022
HK$80,000 – 120,000
New Now & Design, 26 November
Descending below the surface of the sea, Jade Kim’s Aqua taps into one of mankind’s least explored natural wonders. Whimsical and teeming with life, the female protagonist rides atop a narwhal through a thriving marine ecosystem. Inspired by his connection with his wife, Kim created this signature character Min, who shares similar personality traits, hobbies, and social concerns with his beloved spouse. With big, wide eyes, and a child-like appearance, Min is often depicted amid a mesmerizing, otherworldly background of nature or starry night sky, appearing sometimes melancholic and concerned, at other times serene and etheric. By incorporating natural elements such as the sea into his work, the artist conveys his deep sense of love and care for life and the planet we call home.
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