'Moment in time' exhibition - pdf catalogue - Adam Gallery

HSIAO-MEI LIN: Moments in Time
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 at 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. 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. There is always
something new to be explored. Although they are visually engaging they speak to our emotions as well as to
all our senses. Their energy shows her awe in the splendour of our world and the magic that marks of a brush
on a surface can create when one gets it right.
Space, Space, Zoom oil on canvas 132 x 165 cm