Hau Pei Jen: Bold Horizons in Ink and Color

Hau Pei Jen is an accomplished Chinese watercolor artist. Art historians and critics in China called him inspirational and credit him with providing a new direction for Chinese art. In 1984 people lined up in rain to see his exhibit in Beijing. His subsequent exhibits in China including the 2008 Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen multi-city show garnered him critical acclaims. A 2009 Silicon Valley exhibit caused great excitement among art collectors. In order to understand the magic of Hau's art and why it is so well received by scholars, critics, collectors, and general public alike, Holding traces the use of color in Chinese art and the historical development of splash ink-and-color method, a key element of Hau's style. Examining the evolution of color usage and splash painting in Chinese art, one sees that Hau's art is deeply rooted in traditional techniques. The book proceeds then to illustrate and analyze the unique characteristics of Hau's art using multiple views of artists, both professional and amateur, as well as scholars to establish Hau's innovative approach. Finally, the book presents a step-by-step demonstration of Hau's method, giving a blue print to those inspired to follow his path.