Bringing Life to His Paintings in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has well-established links with all major Western cities, yet it is also the historical gateway from the West to the burgeoning markets of mainland China.

But while China is a potential haven for foreign businesses, it also provides opportunities for contemporary artists who wish to create a presence.

One of those artists is Neal Adams, who lives in Ubud with his Balinese wife and two children, and recently opened his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, “Chasing Light — The Ethereal Realms of Neal Adams,” at the Art Projects Asia Gallery. The exhibit runs through Oct. 27.

“What immediately attracted us to English artist Neal Adams’ work is that it represents precisely the qualities that Art Projects Asia Gallery stands for,” says Ray Vees Goh, cofounder of the contemporary gallery in Hong Kong.

Art Projects Asia Gallery is a new venue that strives to serve private and corporate collectors, as well as big hotels.

“We are driven to represent work that has unique and innovative qualities of content and technique and we wish to create a niche in the market and define ourselves on these aspects,” he added.

Vees Goh said that it was only by chance that he discovered Adams’ work.

“One afternoon, while strolling past a gallery in Ubud, Bali, I was captured by the compositions and reflected light from the gold leafing, textures and luster that Neal’s paintings generate,” Vees Goh said. “The mysterious qualities within his work were irresistible. In Hong Kong, I have never seen any artwork with these qualities of light. I feel it is very unique and therefore I believe it will draw a lot of interest from collectors and art lovers.”

Like numerous foreign artists before him, including Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur, Theo Meier, Lee Man Fong and Arie Smit, Adams was drawn to Bali’s rich culture, enchanting landscapes and spiritual energy.

He found it a perfect creative environment to invent his own technique of fusing traditional gold leaf painting with mixed media. The two icons of nature — trees and light — that have fascinated him since he was a child, categorize his work.

“For contemporary artists often the major challenge remains: how do they survive and grow within the market without sacrificing artistic integrity during their own journey of creative development,” Adams said. “Being in the studio all day and focusing on developing my own distinctive artistic language requires a lot of dedication.

“For a foreign artist to enter and be successful in the Indonesian contemporary art market requires a strategy of continuous good promotions and regular exhibitions to help establish your name.”

Adams was born in London in 1968 and grew up in a creative family. Drawing came naturally to him as a child, he said.

At the age of 14, he started getting private art lessons from James Turner, a professor at the Wimbledon College of Art, near his childhood home.

“As a child, I developed a respect and reverence for nature, and I often went into forests alone with a sketch pad and pencils and immersed myself with the essence of the nature and sketched for hours,” Adams recalled.

The budding artist was fascinated and inspired by the impressionist masters and regularly visited the National Gallery in London to study the works of Cezanne, Rembrandt, Monet and others.

“The world art market is often overlooked in Indonesia, as the market is in its infancy, uneducated and is understandably very localized,” he said. “Art buyers need to accept what they like and not what they are told to like. This is important for the establishment of the market as a whole.”

The Hong Kong exhibition presents 15 mixed-media works that feature gold leafing and abstract textures that were created by his method of combining layers of glazes.

In “Blue Reflections,” Adams combines silver leafing and blue acrylic paint to create abstract images within the receding background, suggesting leaves and the architecture of the tree.

The brilliant red flowers of the tree in the foreground provide a dramatic contrast, and the work is rich in otherworldly atmosphere.

The three installments of “Aspen Gold” are hung together, creating an imposing triptych.

The shades of gold, from light to rich, create a striking depth of field and a majestic backdrop against the light bark tones of the Aspen’s trunk.

The paintings celebrate the physical beauty of nature, which is serenaded by the ethereal spirit of the sacred element of light.

Hong Kong has a diverse and cosmopolitan population with collectors and art lovers from all over the world, as well as the increased attention from China, and it has naturally blossomed into a greater and more influential contemporary art center.

This has been reciprocated by the recent mushrooming of galleries transforming the city, turning it from more of a financial center to an arts hub. It’s continued progression will eventually influence the cultural landscape in Hong Kong.

The city now has more than 80 contemporary fine art galleries and branches of the largest international galleries from the United States and Europe.

There are already five auction houses, including the long-established Christie’s and Sotheby’s, with another three set to open this year.

“This is my first exhibition here in Hong Kong and I see the art scene here as a launching pad to a greater international market, as well as into China,” Adams said. “I am very grateful for this introduction and opportunity and the faith that Art Projects Asia Gallery has given to me.

“It is early days for me, however, it is very interesting to be in Hong Kong and observe this fascinating art realm.

“There is a well-developed art infrastructure here and I am looking forward to seeing how my work is accepted.”