Hsiao-Mei Lin: A Moment in Time

About

Hsiao-Mei Lin is an artist fascinated by the universe and its creation. She is moved to paint in wonder at the beauty of the earth around us, and to show her appreciation of the world in a fresh and dynamic way. Works such as ‘Conception' show the intensity and passion present in Hsiao-Mei's painting. She is an artist who has always had a deeply original and striking style that combines the discipline and precision of Chinese calligraphy with the freedom and textures of Western abstract traditions. At the Royal Academy Schools, she won accolades and scholarships recognising the individuality of her painting technique, and we see these qualities more strongly than ever in the current exhibition. Recently married and expecting her first child, her work has matured as it reflects her thoughts, experiences and environment in this particular ‘Moment in Time'. Many of the paintings in this show demonstrate the importance of water to Hsiao-Mei's practice. As a keen scuba diver, she enjoys exploring the enhanced colours, textures and patterns under the sea, both literally and imaginatively. She likes to create the effect of movement of water in her paintings: appealing to all our senses. A work such as ‘Space, space, zoom' portrays both micro and macro worlds: the precision of the floating forms in the foreground highlights the vast cavernous quality of the ‘water world' behind. ‘Blue prism' calls to mind the infinite space of the universe, and the wider questions that preoccupy Hsiao-Mei , such as ‘Who put the stars in the sky?' and ‘How can you begin to imagine what it is like in heaven?' By portraying elements such as water and air in paint, Hsiao-Mei's paintings seem alive. You can always look at them and see something new. Although they are two-dimensional they speak to our emotions as well as to all our senses. Their energy makes us feel thankful and excited about the splendour of our world and show the magic that marks of a brush on a surface can create when you get it right.