Suspended 2023
Zha Ba
22 April - 17 May, 2022
Beijing
Zha Ba
22 April - 17 May, 2022
Beijing
Tabula Rasa Gallery is delighted to present Suspended 2023 at our Beijing space, an exhibition of recent works by artist Zha Ba and the artist’s first solo show with the gallery.
Zha Ba’s approach to the concept of ‘suspended’ is complex and nuanced. It speaks to a deliberate restraint of the semantic content of an image being rapidly transmitted and delivered, leading to the protraction of the emergence of a specific kind of ‘figure’. His paintings are characterised by a contrast of predominantly bright colours in the foreground and various shades of gray in the background, which results in an elongated visual depth that extends the viewing time. This approach creates a humble and withdrawn attitude, reminiscent of the Confucian idea of ‘self-restraint,’ without hinting the ritualistic elements.
Zha Ba’s work thus presents few discernable clues for interpretation, conveying his deliberate distancing from the forefront of painting techniques and artistic philosophies. As such, he intends for the hues and concepts conveyed through his works to be contemplated and assimilated thoughtfully by the viewer, rather than being hastily seized by his or her attention. As Zha Ba explains, ‘When my painting is meeting with you, I will first take a step back and bow to you. If at such a distance you can still feel me, then you are my audience. Created by colours and compositions, the mysterious-like surface of my paintings is not to avoid communication, but to create enough space of freedom for an authentic conversation between you and me.’
The title of the exhibition, ‘Suspended’, represents an aesthetic decision made by the artist rather than a compromise of external forces or circumstances. Throughout his artistic practices, Zha Ba aspires to create artworks that can be likened to Plato’s ‘Cave’ in the allegory - meticulously crafted over time, its depth and meaning to be uncovered and appreciated through the eyes of the beholder.
About the Artist Zha Ba was born in Anhui in 1975 and currently lives and works in Beijing. He is the founder of the independent space zapbeijing. Not trained in academic painting and continuing to paint for over two decades, Zha Ba views painting as an expression of perception rather than a carrier of semantics. His recent solo exhibitions include Suspended 2023, Tabula Rasa Gallery (Beijing, 2023); Thumbnail, zapbeijing (Beijing, 2021); Till the Light Began to Go, zapbeijing (Beijing, 2017); A Piece of Zha Ba, Times Art Museum (Beijing, 2015), and Suspended, Today Art Museum (Beijing, 2011). His recent group exhibitions include on paper 3, Aranya Library (Beidaihe, 2021); ART021 Contemporary Art Fair (Shanghai, 2020); Art Shenzhen (Shenzhen, 2019); on paper 2, WHITE SPACE (Beijing, 2018); Passive Images, West Bund Art & Design Fair (Shanghai, 2015), and New Art Advocay, NAFI International Art Fair (Nanjing, 2015).
Zha Ba’s approach to the concept of ‘suspended’ is complex and nuanced. It speaks to a deliberate restraint of the semantic content of an image being rapidly transmitted and delivered, leading to the protraction of the emergence of a specific kind of ‘figure’. His paintings are characterised by a contrast of predominantly bright colours in the foreground and various shades of gray in the background, which results in an elongated visual depth that extends the viewing time. This approach creates a humble and withdrawn attitude, reminiscent of the Confucian idea of ‘self-restraint,’ without hinting the ritualistic elements.
Zha Ba’s work thus presents few discernable clues for interpretation, conveying his deliberate distancing from the forefront of painting techniques and artistic philosophies. As such, he intends for the hues and concepts conveyed through his works to be contemplated and assimilated thoughtfully by the viewer, rather than being hastily seized by his or her attention. As Zha Ba explains, ‘When my painting is meeting with you, I will first take a step back and bow to you. If at such a distance you can still feel me, then you are my audience. Created by colours and compositions, the mysterious-like surface of my paintings is not to avoid communication, but to create enough space of freedom for an authentic conversation between you and me.’
The title of the exhibition, ‘Suspended’, represents an aesthetic decision made by the artist rather than a compromise of external forces or circumstances. Throughout his artistic practices, Zha Ba aspires to create artworks that can be likened to Plato’s ‘Cave’ in the allegory - meticulously crafted over time, its depth and meaning to be uncovered and appreciated through the eyes of the beholder.
About the Artist Zha Ba was born in Anhui in 1975 and currently lives and works in Beijing. He is the founder of the independent space zapbeijing. Not trained in academic painting and continuing to paint for over two decades, Zha Ba views painting as an expression of perception rather than a carrier of semantics. His recent solo exhibitions include Suspended 2023, Tabula Rasa Gallery (Beijing, 2023); Thumbnail, zapbeijing (Beijing, 2021); Till the Light Began to Go, zapbeijing (Beijing, 2017); A Piece of Zha Ba, Times Art Museum (Beijing, 2015), and Suspended, Today Art Museum (Beijing, 2011). His recent group exhibitions include on paper 3, Aranya Library (Beidaihe, 2021); ART021 Contemporary Art Fair (Shanghai, 2020); Art Shenzhen (Shenzhen, 2019); on paper 2, WHITE SPACE (Beijing, 2018); Passive Images, West Bund Art & Design Fair (Shanghai, 2015), and New Art Advocay, NAFI International Art Fair (Nanjing, 2015).
Tabula Rasa Gallery (London)
Unit One, 99 East Road,
Hoxton, London
N1 6AQ
Unit One, 99 East Road,
Hoxton, London
N1 6AQ
Tuesday - Saturday 12:00 - 18:00 | Sunday - Monday Closed
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