“I see painting as the first form of life” - Liu Kuo-sung
Liu Kuo-sung established the “Fifth Moon Group” and launched the modern art
movement which involved the teaching, promotion and modernization of Chinese
painting. He promoted “Life at the Center of the Revolution”, “The Life of a
Revolutionary Pen” and a slogan for “The Establishment of a New 20th Century
Tradition of Chinese Art”. The slogan aimed to give a modern look and spirit to the
ancient Chinese tradition of ink painting so that it could better symbolize Chinese
culture. Liu Kuo-sung’s iconoclasm, revolutionary spirit and scientific precision have
transformed him into an iconic figure among art circles in the Sinosphere. He is
widely known as the father of modern ink painting.
By taking a broader view of his artistic history, we can see that he transcended the
limitations of brush-and-ink to incorporate a variety of techniques such as paper
technology, water rubbing, ink osmosis and steeped ink. The novel visual effects and
artistic styles created by these techniques help the artist broaden the horizon of art
beyond brush-and-ink. His work helped to usher a technological revolution in
Chinese art. Chinese ink painting contains an abstract and spiritual dimension that
fuels the exploration of tradition and innovation. The boundless expanse found in

painting outer space and the resulting expanded-worldview have uncovered new
perspectives and modern meanings in the selection and construction of composition
themes. Liu’s ability to endlessly innovate his artistic style combined with his focus
on natural landscapes and environments expertly reveals the heavenly realm where
nature and man exist in harmony. His art transcends traditional landscape paintings
to bring about a unified perspective of all things in the universe.
“Sunrise at Xing Xiu Hai”. Following his mastery of various artistic techniques and
pioneering of new styles, Liu Kuo-sung stopped pursuing the deliberate abstraction
of art and outer space themes often seen in his earlier works but, rather, he re-
focused his attention on the boundless potential of landscape art - which is neither
one-hundred percent tangible or abstract. The painting shows the initial rise of the
sun as it approaches the horizon. The use of semi-automatic techniques transforms
the water color into a mosaic of flowing, vacuous and ephemeral images. Viewers
have the privilege of breathing in the vibrant pulse running through the heavens and
the earth while stepping through the awe-inspiring wonders of the universe.