Lui Shou-Kwan

1919–1975, Guangzhou, China

Introduction

Lui Shou-Kwan, recognized as Hong Kong’s pioneer in the New Ink Movement has had a far-reaching influence on contemporary Chinese art. Born in Guangzhou, Lui’s interest in painting was inherited from his father Lui Canming (1892-1963) from early on. His father was a scholar-painter and owner of an antique shop. Lui studied Chinese painting by copying classical works by past masters, such as Bada Shanren (1626-1705, Ming Dynasty), Shitao (1642-1707, Qing Dynasty) and Huang Binhong (1865-1955, under whom he studied for a short period). Lui graduated from the University of Guangzhou with a degree in Economics in1946. He moved to Hong Kong in 1948 and began working for the Hong Kong and Yaumatei Ferry Company as an inspector in 1949. While working on the pier, he was able to observe Hong Kong’s mountains and harbour scenes. These scenes often appear in his semi-abstract landscape works. Afterward, he experimented with Chinese philosophy and symbolism which ultimately lead to the creation of his unique Zen Painting.

In 1954, Lui held his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, followed by numerous exhibitions in the United Kingdom and the United States. In 1962, Lui was invited to be an Honorary Adviser of the newly opened City Museum and Art Gallery (later to be renamed the Hong Kong Museum of Art). Then in 1966, he was approached to become the teacher of Chinese ink painting at the Department of Extra Mural Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and at the University of Hong Kong. In 1971, he received an MBE from the British Government. Sadly, when he was at the height of his artistic career he passed away at the young age of 56.


Alisan Fine Arts first exhibited Lui Shou-Kwan's paintings in 1984 and has subsequently held six solo exhibitions of his work. The latest exhibition occurred at Alisan-New York Gallery from February to April 2024. The gallery has also organised two important historical exhibitions, in 1995 and 2015 respectively, tracing his career and legacy, and the works of his students. The latter exhibition travelled to Guangzhou in 2016 and was as part of “Being and Inking: Documenting Contemporary Ink Art 2001-2016”. In 2023, the Art Institute of Chicago held a significant exhibition for Lui Shou-Kwan.

His artworks are in the collections of Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology, Oxford University; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; de Young Museum, San Francisco; Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; LA County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver; Taipei Museum of History, Taiwan; Art Museum of Chinese University of Hong Kong; Hong Kong Museum of Art; M+, Hong Kong, to name a few.


BIOGRAPHY
1919    Born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
1946    Graduated from the University of Guangzhou with a degree in Economics
Organized Guangdong Flood Charity Fund Chinese Painting 
Exhibition in Guangzhou, China
Worked as an inspector in the Finance Department of the Municipal Government of Guangzhou, China
1948    Moved to Hong Kong
1949    Joined the Hong Kong and Yaumatei Ferry Company, working as an inspector
1952    Contributed articles on art and reviews on art exhibitions to local newspapers
1956    Established Hong Kong Chinese Art Club with Li Yanshan (1898-1961), Zhao Shao’ang (1905-1998) and others, and elected as permanent honorary adviser
Published A Study of Chinese Painting
1957    Became a member of Society of Hong Kong Artists
Formed Seven Artists Club with Ding Yangyong (1902-1978), Li Xipeng, Li Yanshan, Huang Bore (1901-1968), Yang Shanshen (1913-2004), and Zhao Shao’ang
1958    Founded New Art Studio to teach painting
Organized adult art classes at the Chung Shan Middle School, Hong Kong
1959    Invited by Modern Literature and Art Association to be its honorary advisor
1960    Wrote an article about the Korean Artists Group Exhibition in Hong Kong that was subsequently published by a Korean newspaper
1962    Honorary advisor to City Hall Museum and Art Gallery 
1966    Resigned from Hong Kong and Yaumatei Ferry Company
Taught Chinese ink painting at the Department of Architecture, University of Hong Kong, on a regular part-time basis
Taught ink painting courses at Department of Extra Mural Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong
1968    His students from the Extra Mural Courses formed the In Tao Art Association and presented its first group exhibition
1971    Another group of his students from the Extra Mural Courses organised the exhibition titled Painting in the Chinese Tradition and later formed One Art Group
Awarded MBE by the British Government for his contribution to the arts
1972    Published Lectures on Ink Painting
1975    Passed away in Hong Kong on 26 September, aged 56 years old
2005    His students published The Manuscripts of Lui Shou-Kwan

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2024 
 2023 
  • Ink Play: Paintings by Lui Shou-Kwan, Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA
2021-2022  
 2019  
 2018-19  

  • Lui Shou-Kwan Centenary Exhibition, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

2018  
  • A Tribute to Lui Shou-Kwan, Ink Society, Ink Asia, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

  • In Search of Zen: The Art of Lui Shou-Kwan, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

2013

2011 

2002

  • Lui Shou-Kwan: New Ink Painting Retrospective Exhibition, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong 

1988 

1985

  • Hong Kong in Ink Moods: Landscape Paintings by Lui Shou-Kwan, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

1984 

1982

  • Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK
  • Satori Gallery, San Francisco, USA

1980

  • Gallery Eighties, Toronto, Canada

1977

  • Talbot Rice Arts Centre, Edinburgh, UK

1976

  • The World of Lui Shou-Kwan Retrospective Exhibition, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

1974

  • Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

1973

  • Covent Garden Gallery, London, UK

1971

  • CJL Gallery, Hong Kong

1970

  • Hugh Moss Gallery, London, UK
  • County College of Morris, Randolph, New Jersey, USA

1969

  • Museum and Art Gallery, Newport, UK
  • South London Art Gallery, London, UK
  • Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside, UK

1968

  • Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea, UK
  • Portsmouth City Art Gallery, Southsea, UK

1967

  • Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK
  • Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, UK
  • Sally Jackson Gallery, Hong Kong 

1966

  • Fermoy Art Gallery, Lynn, UK

1965

  • Museum and Art Gallery, Hastings, UK
  • National Library, Manila, Philippines

1964

  • City Hall Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong
  • Sino-American Cultural & Economic Association, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Luz Gallery, Manila, Philippines
  • Roland, Browse & Delbanco Gallery, London, UK
  • Municipal Art Gallery, London, UK
  • City Art Gallery, Bristol, UK
  • City of Nottingham Gallery, Nottingham, UK
  • Bangor Art Gallery, Bangor, North Wales, UK
  • New Metropole Arts Centre, Folkestone, Kent, UK

1963   

  • Sino-American Cultural and Economic Association, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Atherton Gallery, California, USA
  • Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, London, UK
  • Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, Edinburgh, UK
  • Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, Kensington, UK
  • Museum and Art Gallery, Letchworth, UK
  • Haigh Hall, Wigan, UK
  • Municipal Art Gallery, Kidderminster, UK
  • Municipal Art Gallery, Rochdale, UK
  • Municipal Art Gallery, Wolverhampton, UK
  • Municipal Art Gallery, Gateshead, UK
  • Guildford House, Guildford, UK
  • Torre Abbey, Torquay, UK
  • Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, UK
  • Rumbold Gallery, Midhurst, UK

1962   

  • Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
  • Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
  • Public Art Gallery, Dewsbury; Brighouse, UK
  • Gray Art Gallery, West Hartlepool, UK

1961   

  • Parkinson Court, University of Leeds, UK
  • Mansard Gallery, UK
  • Hope Hall, Liverpool, UK
  • Atherton Gallery, Menlo Park, California, USA

1960   

  • Stanford Research Institute, California, USA
  • AF Gallery, Philadelphia, USA

1959   

  • Atherton Gallery, Menlo Park, California, USA
  • Sino-American Cultural and Economic Association, Taipei, Taiwan

1957   

  • British Council Library, Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong Pacific Club, Hong Kong

1954   

  • Hong Kong Hotel, Hong Kong
  • Mandarin Hotel, Hong Kong

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024   

2023-2024     

  • Embark．Hang: Central Art Museum Opening Exhibition, Central Art Museum, Hangzhou, China

2023

2022   

2021-2022   

  • Hong Kong: Here and Beyond, Main Hall Gallery, M+, Hong Kong
  • Individuals, Networks, Expressions, South Galleries, M+, Hong Kong

2021   

  • Ink Dreams: Selections from the Fondation INK Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA

  • Not a Fashion Store!, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

2020

2019

2018

2017   

2016   

2015   

2014 

  • Two Masters, Two Generations, and One Vision for Modern Chinese Painting: Paintings by Gao Jianfu (1879-1951) and Lui Shou-Kwan (1919-1975) in Chinese University of Hong Kong and University of Oxford, Art Museum of Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 

2013 

2010   

  • Legacy & Creations: Ink Art vs Ink Art, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China

2009 

2008 

2007 

2004 

2000-2001  

1997 

1996 

  • Group Exhibition on Chinese Ink Art, Museum of East Asian Art, Cologne, Germany
  • Post-1949 Chinese Painting, British Museum, London, UK

1995 

1985 

  • Shui Mo: The New Spirit of Chinese Tradition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1983 

  • Recent Developments in 20th Century Chinese Painting, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1982 

  • Hong Kong Artists, Hui Arts, Minneapolis, USA
  • Recent Developments in 20th Century Chinese Painting, Hugh Moss Gallery, London, UK

1980 

  • Hong Kong Artists, Gallery Eighties, Toronto, Canada

1977 

  • One Art Group Exhibition, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong

1975 

  • 2nd Exhibition of Contemporary Hong Kong Artists, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong Contemporary Ink Painting Exhibition, National Museum of Taiwan History, Tainan, Taiwan

1974 

  • 1st Exhibition of Contemporary Hong Kong Artists, Hong Kong Arts Festival, Hong Kong

1973 

  • Five Hong Kong Artists, Mavis Chapman Gallery, Sydney, Australia

1972 

  • Hong Kong Artists Exhibition, Pacificulture Museum, Pasadena, California, USA
  • Hong Kong Artists Exhibition, Evansville Museum, Indiana, USA

1971 

  • Art Now Hong Kong, Hong Kong City Museum & Art Gallery, Hong Kong; Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, London; Commonwealth Institute Art Gallery, Edinburgh; City Art Gallery, Bristol; City Art Gallery, Manchester, UK
  • Contemporary Chinese Artists, Lee Nordness Galleries, New York, USA

1970 

  • Four Hong Kong Artists, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
  • Triennial Art Exhibition, Delhi, India 
  • Contemporary Trends, Expo Museum of Expo ‘70, Osaka, Japan
  • Open Exhibition, Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield, UK

1969 

  • Contemporary Hong Kong Art Exhibition, City Hall Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong
  • 5th Group Exhibition of Bingshen She, Hong Kong

1968 

  • Oriental Themes, Grosvenor Gallery, London, UK
  • A Selection from the Museum's Collection of 20th Century Watercolour, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK

1967 

  • Modern Chinese Painting, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh, UK

1965 

  • Modern Art of the Republic of China, Rome Museum of Art, Rome, Italy
  • São Paulo Biennale, Brazil
  • Treasures from Commonwealth, Royal Academy of Art, London, UK
  • Drian Gallery, London, UK

1964 

  • 3rd Hong Kong International Salon of Paintings, Modern Literature and Art Association, Hong Kong

1963 

  • Drawings of Distinction, Bear Lane Gallery, Oxford, UK

1962 

  • Hong Kong Art Today, Opening Exhibition of City Hall Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong
  • 2nd Hong Kong International Salon of Paintings, Modern Literature and Art Association, Hong Kong
  • 1st Saigon Biennale Art Exhibition, Saigon, Vietnam
  • Society for Education through Art, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, UK

1960 

  • 1st Hong Kong International Salon of Paintings, Modern Literature and Art Association, Hong Kong
  • 2nd Group Exhibition by the Society of Hong Kong Artists, Hong Kong

1959 

  • Joint Exhibition with Students, Saint John’s Cathedral Exhibition Hall, Hong Kong

1958 

  • Exhibition of Traditional Japanese Painting by Japanese Government, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan

1957 

  • 1st Group Exhibition by the Society of Hong Kong Artists, Hong Kong
  • Group Exhibition of Seven Artists Club, Saint John’s Cathedral Exhibition Hall, Hong Kong

1947 

  • National Art Exhibition, China

 

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK
Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK
City Art Gallery, Bristol, UK
Castle Gallery, Nottingham, UK
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA
M. H. de Young Museum, Avery Brundage Foundation, San Francisco, USA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA
Denver Art Museum, Colorado, USA
Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
M+, Hong Kong
Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Art Museum of Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Museum Luis de Camões, Macau