On June 12, the "Plants Have Their Own Essence: Selected Natural History Illustrations by Zeng Xiaolian" exhibition, jointly organized by Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, Ptolemy Museum, and the Hu Xiuying Herbarium of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, will grandly open at the Ptolemy Museum in Kwai Fong. This exhibition not only marks the inaugural show at the Ptolemy Museum's Hong Kong gallery but also represents a visual feast where science and art converge.
Mr. Zeng Xiaolian, an 86-year-old master of botanical art with 68 years of dedication to the field, is revered as "China's Foremaster of Natural History Painting." As a senior scientific artist at the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, his works blend scientific precision with artistic expression, profoundly influencing the development of contemporary Chinese botanical art.
The exhibition features over 50 representative works by Zeng Xiaolian, spanning from intricate ink drawings created for the "Flora of China" in the 1970s to his latest acrylic paintings completed in 2024, comprehensively documenting the evolution of his artistic career. Structured into three thematic chapters, it opens with "Flora and Botanical Line Drawings" demonstrating the precision and craftsmanship of scientific illustration, progresses to "A World of Birds and Blossoms" exploring the poetic vitality of natural history art, and culminates with "A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire" highlighting the social impact of Zeng's science communication through art.
A Vibrant World of Flowers and Birds
Mr. Zeng Xiaolian's artistic repertoire is remarkably diverse, yet he demonstrates particular mastery in depicting plants, birds, and ecological landscapes. Consequently, the "hundred flowers" and "hundred birds" of Yunnan province form the centerpiece of this exhibition. Blossoms burst with life on paper, their delicate petal textures rendered in exquisite detail, while birds perch on branches, their feather sheen shifting subtly with the viewer's perspective. These works seamlessly blend the lyrical aesthetic of traditional Chinese bird-and-flower painting with the scientific rigor of Western natural history illustration, forming Zeng's distinctive artistic signature. A specially designed immersive soundscape, filled with the clear melodies of birdsong, envelops visitors, allowing them to experience nature in its purest form through a synthesis of sight and sound.
A Journey Through Time and Space in Nature
Visitors are invited to embark on a wondrous spatiotemporal journey guided by Mr. Zeng's brush: beneath the Cretaceous sky, where the feathers of ancient birds tremble in the wind; into the tropical rainforests of Xishuangbanna, where the towering Parashorea chinensis rises majestically; down to the microcosmos, where the faint glow of fireflies and the delicate antennae of mayflies become visible; deep into remote mountains, where endangered green peafowls and giant pandas dwell in tranquility; and finally, through the local countryside of Hong Kong, where native plants bloom with unique splendor.
A Glimpse into Hong Kong's Native Flora
This exhibition specially features a collection of botanical ink illustrations from the Hu Xiuying Herbarium of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. These works were created by Mr. Zeng Xiaolian during the 1990s when he collaborated with Dr. Hu Xiuying on illustrations for the "Flora of Hong Kong." Visitors can explore the intricate details of Hong Kong's native plants, discovering the familiar flora of the local landscape from a fresh perspective. It is worth noting that Mr. Zeng's first solo exhibition, "The Union of Science and Art: Zeng Xiaolian's Paintings," was held at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1992, making this current exhibition a meaningful reunion and continuation of his longstanding connection with Hong Kong.
The exhibition is free and open to the public, running until August 10. Throughout this period, the organizers will host a series of expert lectures and public educational activities, offering visitors diverse and enriching perspectives.
As Mr. Zeng Xiaolian once expressed, "I hope that this accessible visual language can help connect hearts and minds." Guided by this very philosophy, the exhibition invites visitors to experience a profound dialogue between the human spirit and the beauty of the natural world.
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