SIL E NT RE VE L ATIO NS

Qu Leilei
The Great Master of Ink

THE WORD HUA MEANS TO PAINT,

OR A PAINTING, IN CHINESE.

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QU LEILEI
SILENT REVELATIONS

Qu Leilei is a talented and influential
contemporary Chinese artist who holds a significant
place in the history of art. He was one of the founding
members of the Stars Group1 (1979), the very first
movement that fought for artistic freedom and launched
the beginning of contemporary Chinese art. Since then,
Qu Leilei has continued to create groundbreaking
artworks, perpetually revealing his ability to master both
Eastern and Western traditions. Globally recognised, his
work has been collected by some of the most prestigious
museums such as The Victoria and Albert Museum, The
Ashmolean Museum, The Japan Modern Art Museum,
The China National Art Museum, Barclays Bank, and
more recently by The British Museum.

As Michael Sullivan, the highly regarded authority
in Chinese art explained, there are three things that
make Qu Leilei so special: firstly his unquestionable
talent, as there is nothing he cannot do. One example
is the human hand, one of the most complicated subjects

to draw. Qu Leilei paints it beautifully, transforming it

into a powerful image carrying deep human feelings of
love2. Secondly, whilst some of the most prominent
contemporary Chinese artists after having created
a specific style that made them successful they keep
repeating it, Qu Leilei cannot be confined to one single
genre as he continues to explore different possibilities
of forms and subjects. From his initial naive work at the
end of the 1970s until today he has experimented with
a diverse range of themes, reaching the highest level of
beauty in his exquisite Hands and Nudes series. Thirdly,
the way Qu Leilei paints his nudes is revolutionary. By
combining Eastern and Western techniques Qu Leilei
reveals how the Chinese medium of ink and brush can
through gentle and deft gradations of lights and shades
generate those tactile and sculptural feelings of Western
art3. With a deep understanding of the human anatomy
Qu Leileis delicate nudes carry a variety of yin and yang
elements such as luminosity and darkness, lightness and
heaviness, fulness and emptiness as well as complexity
and simplicity.

His works maintain an Oriental spirit and
integrate it with the exceptional level of realism that
was once achieved by European Renaissance masters.
But while Western artists employed oil on canvas, Qu
Leileis practice preserves the Chinese tradition of ink on
paper,4 resulting in images aesthetically challenging and
captivating. His capable hand, spirit of observation and
deep commitment to art create nudes with contrasts of
texture and interplays of mass and lines, stillness and
movement; bodies that seem to evoke silent revelations,
bodies that as Michael Sullivan defined are both intriguing
and satisfying5.

As Qu Leileis artistic repertoire incorporates
various styles I could not help myself but select another
few of his stunning sketches and tiny delicate watercolours.
Clearly different from his realistic nudes, these works
show a freehand simplicity and exude a genuine freshness
running through lines and compositions. But no matter
which style we are looking at, Qu Leileis work remains
calm and tranquil. And in the serenity of his images

one can perceive a sense of inner liveliness, what in

Chinese is called Qiyun Shengdong6. Like the ancient
Chinese masters combined a high level of concentration
with freedom in their brushstrokes Qu Leilei through
his contemporary sensibility also creates meticulous
yet spontaneous artworks; artworks whose glorious
execution has achieved international recognition and
continues to leave us speechless in front of its endless,
silent beauty

Dagmar Carnevale Lavezzoli

Contemporary Chinese Art Specialist

1
Please see end of the catalogue in The Stars
Group page.
2
In the Hands Series Qu Leilei reveals his deep
concern for the destiny of humanity as the language of the
human hand transcends all nationalities, social classes, and
religions. His expressive hands can therefore represent
the story of one man, one family, one nation or the entire
world.
3
Michael Sullivan, Qu Leilei - Brush, Ink, Light,
Shadows, Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art, New York,
2008
4
The specific type of paper used by Qu Leilei
is Xuan paper, the most suitable medium to convey the
ancient spirit of Chinese calligraphy and painting.
5
Michael Sullivan, Qu Leilei - Brush, Ink, Light,
Shadows, Littleton & Hennessy Asian Art, New York,
2008
6
Qiyun Shengdong is translated in English as
spiritual resonance and lifelike motion. This is the first
and most important of the six principles formulated by
Chinese art critic Xie He (479-502) in order to judge the
quality and value of Chinese paintings. These principles
deeply influenced artists of later generations.

E XH IBIT ION HIGHL IG H T S

THE WAY, 91 X 122 CM

NUDE 3, 91 X 170 CM

THREE BLACK SKETCHES, 74 X 48 CM EACH

FIVE WATERCOLOURS, 31 X 28 CM EACH

THE WAY
2010
91 X 122 CM
INK ON PAPER

THE FUTURE REMAINS

IN OUR OWN HANDS
2014
91 X 130 CM
INK ON PAPER

STRENGTH
2013
91 X 140 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 1
2008
91 X 170 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 2
2008
91 X 170 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 3
2009
91 X 170 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 4
2010
91 X 170 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 5
2011
91 X 140 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 6
2014
170 X 91 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 7
2014
170 X 91 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 8
2013
170 X 91 CM
INK ON PAPER

NUDE 9
2014
170 X 91 CM
INK ON PAPER

FIGURE 1
2015
74 X 48 CM
INK ON PAPER

FIGURE 2
2014
74 X 48 CM
INK ON PAPER

FIGURE 3
2014
74 X 48 CM
INK ON PAPER

FIGURE 4
2015
74 X 48 CM
INK ON PAPER

STUDY 1
2012
31 X 28 CM
PENCIL AND WATER COLOUR

STUDY 2
2012
31 X 28 CM
PENCIL AND WATER COLOUR

STUDY 3
2012
31 X 28 CM
PENCIL AND WATER COLOUR

STUDY 4
2013
31 X 28 CM
PENCIL AND WATER COLOUR

STUDY 5
2013
31 X 28 CM
PENCIL AND WATER COLOUR

 BIOGRAPHY

QU LEILEI

These have been exhibited both nationally and
internationally at venues including the Venice Biennale,
the Beijing Biennale, the Ashmolean Museum, and the
China National Art Gallery.

His works comprise a blend of classical Chinese
and Western art techniques combined with modern
concepts.

In unison these pieces reflect the artists deep
concern for humanity in particular todays people and the
conditions in which we all live.

His work has been collected by prominent
institutions such as The British Museum, the Victoria
& Albert Museum, The Ashmolean Museum, Chinas
National Gallery, Barclays Bank, amongst others.

Since childhood he has always been a practitioner
of Chinese calligraphy and has published seven books
three of which are concerned with calligraphy.

He lectures in classic and modern Chinese Art,
at the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert, the Royal
Academy of Arts, London University, Sothebys and
Christies.

Qu Leilei was born in 1951 in Hei Long Jiang province

China. He lives and works in London.

Qu Leilei was a founding member of the Stars
Group, the first ever contemporary art movement
to appear in China creating a new challenging artistic
language.

Regarded as one of Chinas leading contemporary
artists, in recent years, he has created four major projects
in form of a combination of paintings and installations:
The First Half of My Life, Here and Now - to Face a New
Century, Everyones Life is An Epic and Brush, Ink, Light,
Shadow.

 GENERAL
2006

Campbell Gallery, South Kensington London, solo show

2005

The 2nd BEIJING BIANNALE, Beijing China

Everyones Life is an Epic One-man Show, The Ashmolean
Museum, Oxford

1973 - today

self educated in Western Art from Renaissance to post modern and traditional Chinese

Painting and Calligraphy

2004

Blunden Oriental, Art on Paper Royal College of Art, London

1977- 1978

Studied human anatomy at Beijing Medical University

2003

Joint Exhibition with Caroline Deane, The Aldeburgh Gallery, Suffolk

1986 -1988

Central School of art London where he studied under Mr Cecil Collins

2002

Galerie Leda Fletcher, Geneva, solo show

1989 - today

freelance artist

2001

The Paragon, The Cape of Good Hope Gallery, Singapore, solo show
49th BIENNALE DI VENZIA Venezia, Italy

2000

Galerie Leda Fletcher, Geneva, solo show

[Art Towards Reconciliation] Guernica Museum,Spain
The Stars 20th Anniversary Exhibition,Tokyo, Japan

1999

Here and Now - to Face a New Century, solo show,

The Trueman Brewery Gallery Londons East End
48th BIENNALE DI VENEZIA Venezia, Italy
Nude, The Redfern Gallery, London, solo show

1998

Chinese Contemporary Art Mountboron Castle, France

[5000+1] Bilbao, Spain

1997

Chinese Contemporary Gallery, London, solo show

Far From Shore Pitshanger Manor and Gallery, London

1996

Contemporary Chinese Art Gallery Asur, Oslo, Norway

Fine Chinese Work of Art Christies, Paris

1951

Born in Hei Long Jiang, China . (1955 Whole family moved to Beijing)

1958 - 1964

Studied traditional Chinese Painting and Calligraphy under Mr Tan Wan Cun

( Mr Tan studied under Qi Bai Shi and Tian Shi Guang )

MAIN EXHIBITIONS

2015

Hand Series and Lei Feng, British Museum, London

Silent Revelations, Hua Gallery, London, solo show

2014

Modern Brush and Ink, Frank Page Gallery, Geneva, solo show

2011

Brush Ink Light Shadow , The National Art Museum of China, Beijing, solo show

2009

Leda Fletcher Gallery, Geneva, solo show

2008

Brush, Ink, Light, Shadow Littleton&Hennessy Asian Art, New York, solo show

2007

Brush Ink Light Shadow , Leda Fletcher Gallery, Shanghai, solo show

1995

Join Exhibition, The Blue Gallery, London

1993

East Going West Tricycle Gallery, London, solo show

1992

Linear Rhythm Calligraphy Exhibition, The Central Gallery

Covent Garden, London, solo show

1991

Barclays Business Centre, Covent Garden, London, solo show

1989

Never Forget Pompidou Centre, Paris

The Stars 10th Anniversary, Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong and Tai Pei

1988

Artists and Places Barclays Business Centre, Covent Garden London

1987

Contemporary Chinese Art Royal Festival Hall, London

1986

1990 - today

Lecturer : Classical and Contemporary Chinese Art


-Mary Ward Centre, London

-Ruskin School of Art, Oxford

-Chinese Brush Painters Society, UK

-SOAS / Christies Institute, London

-Sothebys Institute, London

-Buckinghamshire Education Centre, Gt. Missenden

-The Victoria & Albert Museum, London

-The British Museum, London

-The British Library, London

-Swan Hellenic

-The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

-Royal Academy of Arts, London

PUBLICATIONS
East Meet West Joint Exhibition, Holland Gallery, London
2007

Complete Guide of Chinese Calligraphy CICO Books

2006

Tao of Sketching CICO Books

2004

TaiChi CICO Books

Chinese Calligraphy- Standard Script For Beginners The British Museum Press

2003

Chinese Brush Painting CICO Books

LECTURES

2002

Chinese Calligraphy CICO Books

1999 - today

President, Chinese Brush Painters Society, UK

1996

A Visual Diary by Qu LeiLei LL Books

1985

1980

National Ceramics Exhibition, Beijing, China

The Stars Exhibition 2, Beijing, China

1979

The Stars Exhibition 1, Beijing, China

THE STARS GROUP

Qu Leilei - Wind, 1979, pencil on paper - Stars Group

Stars Groups demonstration, striving for artistic freedom.

Qu Leilei was holding the small yellow sign.

Qu Leilei during the Stars Group period

The 1st Stars Group Exhibition outside the National Art Gallery in Beijing in 1979

QU LEILEI
SILENT REVELATIONS

CURATED BY: DAGMAR

CARNEVALE LAVEZZOLI
DESIGN: NICHON GLERUM

BETWEEN
RELIGION AND
ENTERTAINMENT,
DOCTRINISM AND
MONEY.

HAN
BING

TEXT

SHENG QI

REVERSED DREAMSCAPES

B Y:

DAGMAR

C U R A T E D B Y: D A G M A R

CARNEVALE

LAVEZZOLI

CARNEVALE LAVEZZOLI

DESIGN: NICHON GLERUM

DESIGN: NICHON GLERUM

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