Wu Yuntie(b.1978) Archaeology on Mars ink and colour on paper executed in 2011 180x60 cm (70 7/8 x 23 5/8 in) EXHIBITED The Upper Regions - Wu Yuntie Painting Exhibition, An Art Gallery, Shanghai, 11 February to 23 March, 2012
Wu Yuntie is one of the most creative and outstanding artists among the new generation of ink painting artists. He specializes in applying the technique in abstractionism and ink into the realistic brushwork paintings. Objects like city architects, modern people, monsters or fantasy flying machines, could be in comic style, are some of the elements that can always be found in his works. His works are vague yet full of imagination, absurd yet having a sense of loneliness.
Archaeology on Mars is a work that combines the traditional landscape with modern machinery figures by applying traditional and contemporary techniques and theme. Wu used the flow of the traditional water and ink to create the background for the rocket while a composition inspired by the style of the landscape painting of the Song Dynasty to create the machine’s structure, sections and layers. Influenced by the post 1970s’ comic language and black humour, Wu has converted his despair into an imaginary parable via his artworks, and also criticized the world’s cruelty and absurdity.