Debuting in Hong Kong this March, Parkview Art Hong Kong is pleased to present "Beijing Abstract", a groundbreaking exhibition that is curated by the esteemed scholar and curator Peng Feng. Showcasing the works of eight prominent Chinese artists including Mao Lizi, Ma Kelu, Ma Shuqing, Yuan Zuo, Tan Ping, Meng Luding, Feng Lianghong and Li Di. The exhibition was developed from Peng's thesis and research on the period. As one of the most influential curators in China today, Peng's research on modernism in China, and background in traditional Chinese aesthetics, has given him insight into the maturation of abstract art in China and its distinctive framework. Together, these artists, who each began in figurative art before turning to abstraction as their sole practice for the past 30 years, form the foundation of the artist group, "Beijing Abstract", pioneering the path for Chinese abstract art in the nation's art historical canon. The exhibition will run from March 26 - May 12, 2018.

"Beijing Abstract" seeks to demonstrate how Chinese abstract art developed in the last three to four decades into a stylistic movement. The works can be viewed within a framework that is independent to developments in the West and even counterparts in East Asia. The abstract art of China was derived from Eastern philosophies and developed during a period of historical introspection, where access to information, from outside of Modern China was limited. Peng argues that abstract art in Europe and the United States can be separated into three generations: Metaphysical Abstraction as inspired by theosophy, Abstract Expressionism that stemmed from theories of the unconscious and Minimalism, which is influenced by theories of Zen Buddhism. On the other hand, abstract art in the East was just beginning. From South Korea came Dansaekwah, while from Japan came the Mono-ha artists and the Gutai Art Association. Concurrently in China, a new kind of abstract art was forming, one which was founded on a different understanding of Zen Buddhism to Minimalism and thus, forming a new type of abstraction.

The artists featured in this exhibition all arrived at their distinct language of abstract art by first breaking free from the tenets of Chinese visual culture. The artists each pursue vastly differently artistic directions, yet they have all experienced the major changes that have taken place within China in recent decades and stayed for extended periods of time abroad, thus the group is not founded on a unified goal, but a shared spirit.