Sidney Nolan and Guan Wei: Passage and Echo
In 1975, as an 18-year-old in Beijing, I encountered the Australian landscape exhibition 鈥�1802鈥�1975.鈥� Sidney Nolan鈥檚 Crimson Ant Colony left an indelible mark鈥攊ts dark red termite mound resembling a hill, set against a mystical blue sky and eucalyptus forest, mesmerised me with Australia鈥檚 unique wilderness.
In 2006, I finally stood in the Northern Territory鈥檚 outback, face-to-face with real giant termite mounds. These rust-red towers, some taller than a person, shimmered under the scorching sun. I immediately sketched them, later channelling this awe into my Mysterious Forest series鈥攁 silent high-five to my younger self.
Over five decades, Nolan鈥檚 art reappeared at key moments. In 1991, at Australia鈥檚 National Gallery, his Ned Kelly series stunned me: the iron-masked folk hero galloping across the bush, his showdowns with police vividly capturing Australia鈥檚 rebellious spirit. Years later, while creating Ned Kelly in China, I placed this Australian outlaw amidst traditional ink landscapes, with termite mounds witnessing this cultural crossroads.
Now 68, I鈥檓 honoured to exhibit alongside Nolan鈥檚 works. Seeing my paintings hang beside his feels like completing a half-century conversation. From a Beijing youth to a white-haired artist, this exhibition is not just my tribute to a master, but proof that true art transcends time and borders, forever stirring hearts.
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In 1975, as an 18-year-old in Beijing, I encountered the Australian landscape exhibition 鈥�1802鈥�1975.鈥� Sidney Nolan鈥檚 Crimson Ant Colony left an indelible mark鈥攊ts dark red termite mound resembling a hill, set against a mystical blue sky and eucalyptus forest, mesmerised me with Australia鈥檚 unique wilderness.
In 2006, I finally stood in the Northern Territory鈥檚 outback, face-to-face with real giant termite mounds. These rust-red towers, some taller than a person, shimmered under the scorching sun. I immediately sketched them, later channelling this awe into my Mysterious Forest series鈥攁 silent high-five to my younger self.
Over five decades, Nolan鈥檚 art reappeared at key moments. In 1991, at Australia鈥檚 National Gallery, his Ned Kelly series stunned me: the iron-masked folk hero galloping across the bush, his showdowns with police vividly capturing Australia鈥檚 rebellious spirit. Years later, while creating Ned Kelly in China, I placed this Australian outlaw amidst traditional ink landscapes, with termite mounds witnessing this cultural crossroads.
Now 68, I鈥檓 honoured to exhibit alongside Nolan鈥檚 works. Seeing my paintings hang beside his feels like completing a half-century conversation. From a Beijing youth to a white-haired artist, this exhibition is not just my tribute to a master, but proof that true art transcends time and borders, forever stirring hearts.
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