Beneath the Lion Mountain

This is the first series of contemporary Chinese ink painting on paper by Mediha Ting.  Ting became interested in Chinese paintings after seeing series of Contemporary Chinese ink painting exhibitions and attended workshops by Young Artist Development Fountain after returning to Hong Kong in 2012 from London.  After two years of taking courses and self-learning, Ting produced her first series of Chinese ink painting “Beneath the Lion Mountain’.

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Double connotation for Lion Mountain

Choosing Lion Mountain as the subject matter has for reason the rich and polarised connotations it evokes. Due to popular culture of a series of radio programmes, soaps and songs spanning from the 70’s till now but more representable of the 80’s; using stories to portrait the life of grass root people in Hong Kong ; therefore “the spirit of The Lion Mountain” became a proverb describing the very honourable struggle and cooperative spirit which changed Hong Kong from  a sleepy fishing village to a cosmopolitan city. 

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Furthermore, from the Lion Mountain looking down can see the full view of Hong Kong and Kowloon side simultaneously. During the ‘umbrella movement” two years ago, the Lion Mountain espoused a very different connotation; the student /protesters kept bypassing the police guard and hang giant yellow banners with slogan on the steep face of the mountain; representing the fight of the umbrella movement.  Hence, there are very different connotations to the symbol of the Hong Kong spirit nowadays.

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Different Layers for this paintings

Cityscape from on top of the Lion Mountain when viewed close up are almost unrecognisable because it is made out entirely from drips. Chinese ink dripping on paper marks the shadow part of the city and the light part of the city are made by wax dripped on paper and removed;  it causes the paper to be more transparent and allows the light to go through; hence a lighter colour.

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Remarkably there are no lines in the paintings and the view are entirely by colour spread using traditional Chinese ink as well as watercolour and acrylic. Using over intense colours for a very natural scene, Ting once again wishes to make the familiar alien to us as well as creating a sense of unstable feelings; portraying the increasing polarized political views in Hong Kong.

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Light, hope and love

Yet again using Heart sutra writing in slightly transparent shinny purple ink twice on each painting and on the very top of the paintings using a layer of golden colour make it almost look like gold dusk on top.  Ting wants to use Heart Sutra’s healing power as well as the selection of colours of light to bring peace, harmony, light, hope and love to Hong Kong.