Artist / Ou Da Wei
Ou Da-wei came to Hong Kong in 1980 to start a new page in his artistic life. He studied calligraphy and seal carving with calligraphy maestro Wu Zifu (1899–1979) in Guangzhou at an early age, while his landscape painting techniques were purely self-taught. Ou is good at all calligraphic scripts, tracing back to the traditions of Han, Jin and Six Dynasties. His seal carving is in vigorous style too. It is precisely because of his years of immersion in calligraphy and seal carving that enables him to appreciate the use of lines and strokes, as well as the fusion of calligraphy in paintings. As he is not bound by any particular schools of painting, he is able to draw on his predecessors and learn from a wide array of styles to create his own distinct style of using dry brushes in landscape paintings. After decades of exploration, Ou has finally achieved unity in the styles of calligraphy, painting, and seal carving, conveying both classic elegance and eccentric boldness. In his paintings, he brings in a sky-high mountain with his own brush and opens a boundless horizon. A close look at his works would reveal his casual strokes and seasoned lines, coupled with varied shades. Blunt sear strokes are often employed, as well as a blended use of “gou” (outlining), “cun” (texturing), “ca”(shading), “ran” (washing) and “dian” (highlighting). Although traces of traditional texturing techniques are spotted in some parts of his paintings, it is in general difficult to identify the types of texture strokes used, as they seem rather arbitrary. From painting to poetry, and from poetry back to painting, one could totally feel the artist’s high spirits and ease in the process of creating the work. In his own words, “No need to disparage these meagre ideas; true essence lies not in quantity.” His art perfectly shows traditional literati’s pursuit of excellence in all four disciplines of poetry, painting, calligraphy, and seal carving.
Personal Achievement
Ou Da Wei was born in Guangzhou in 1947, and Yunfu city is his ancestral home.
Since 1961, Ou Da Wei studied Chinese calligraphy the art of seal carving with the distinguished artist Wu Zi Fu.
He then self-learnt painting and writing poems.
From 1987 onwards, he has held ten individual exhibitions, including a tour exhibition “Ink is Colour”, organized by The Leisure and Cultural Services Department from 2011 to 2013.
In 1989, he was awarded the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award in Calligraphy. In 1998, he received the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award in Seal Engraving and the Hong Kong Art Development Council Award for Artistic Development.
In 2015, he was awarded the Grand Prize of World Calligraphy Biennale of Jeollabuk-do, South Korea.
He was one of the awardees of Secretary for Home Affair’s Commendation Scheme.
His 14 publications include the Selected Seals by Ou Da Wei series as well as the Selected Brushworks series.
He is now an art advisor of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, an adjudicator of Hong Kong Arts Development Council (Visual Arts session), a member of the China Calligraphers Association, and a member of Calligraphers Association of Guangdong Province.
He was an adjudicator of Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition in 2005 and Macau Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition in 1999 and 2012.
In 2019, Hong Kong Sun Museum hosted an exhibition of Ou Da-wei's artwork
He is the Permanent Honourary Chairman of the Chinese art association Mo-She.