Exhibition in Candiac: Sentier des Arts 2020

The artist Po Shin Lau (樓寳善, 楼宝善) had the honor of having been selected for an exhibition of his works of art as part of the 2019-2020 program of the Sentier des arts at the city of Candiac in Quebec. 38 of his works of art were exhibited during winter 2020 in this open-air museum in Parc André-J.-Côté of Candiac.

Upon his arrival in Quebec in 1994, the artist Po Shin fell in love with the fascinating colors of the leaves of the province through the different seasons. Using various techniques, we can see the evolution of the representation of trees through the artist’s works. The first works are more of a soft atmosphere while the following are more expressive through the sometimes bright and dark colors. Attracted by the liveliness of the leaves and trees, from the year 2012, the artist produced several works with magical tendencies which bring a new perspective to his works of art. He explains that he wants to be able to give the feeling that nature is singing. This is the reason why he called this collection: Symphony of Nature.

On Friday September 27, 2019, was the launch of the 2019-2020 program of the Sentier des arts: https://candiac.ca/fr/Nouvelle/480/Lancement_de_la_programmation_2019-2020_du_Sentier_des_arts and https://www.lereflet.qc.ca/candiac-lance-la-programmation-de-son-sentier-des-arts/. The artist Po Shin Lau was there with his family and friends.

The opening of the “Symphony of Nature” exhibition took place on January 19, 2020 at the Maison Hélène-Sentenne.

Through his son Chi Cheung (Francis) Lau, artist Po Shin Lau gave the following speech to introduce himself and present 5 of the works of art on display:

Welcome to the opening of this “Symphony of Nature” exhibition on the Sentier des arts organized by the city of Candiac. I am delighted to be able to show you my paintings in the form of photos on the art trail of this warm park under the decor of the winter cold. It is the first time that I can express my artworks in this form. It’s an event I’ve never experienced before in my 60-year artistic career. 26 years ago, in 1994 on January 11 at 11 o’clock in the evening, I arrived in Montreal with my wife, my 2 children and 8 large suitcases. It was -30 degrees and the city was covered in snow, much like today. This white color of the snow plunged me into uncertainty. Today, this snow is no longer just white, it is decorated by my paintings. It’s like I’m watching my life go by on this path. It’s very warm. The beautiful wilderness and quiet life of Canada attracted me a lot. During the 26 years of life in Quebec, I have created countless paintings. Since I am of Chinese origin and I learned art in France and lived in Hong Kong, these life experiences helped me to master the skills of Asian and Western painting. I am influenced by Western and Asian culture. This is why my artworks often reveal this aspect. In recent years, I’ve lost a bit of mobility, I’m not walking very well. I lost a bit of my sight, I can’t see very well anymore. Sometimes I lose my memory a little. And yes, I am also losing my French, which is why I asked my son to give you this speech for me today. Despite this, there is one thing in my life that I do not seem to lose with advancing age, it is my passion for art. I am just as curious to want to try different art techniques: oil painting, acrylic, Chinese ink, watercolor, etching, bas-relief, pastel and kinetic art. On this occasion, I brought 4 works of art, which are also presented in this exhibition, which I created with different techniques.

Presentation of artworks:

THE LITTLE WHITE HOUSE WITH A POETIC ATMOSPHERE

It is a view of a small white house surrounded by invigorating green foliage in summer. The sensation at the water’s edge makes people live in a comfortable environment without pressure. This work is an oil painting made with a painting knife. It was in 2009 that I made this change to my oil painting technique. I started using a painting knife instead of a brush. This is a big advancement in my skills.

MUSICAL COLORS

It is an abstract and perceptual painting that expresses the beauty of nature that exists everywhere. This work is an oil painting made with the painting knife. It was in the year 2015 that I took this big step in my creative thinking. The image seems to be abstract, but it seems to be possible to feel realism, the poetic conception of a mystical world.

WINTER PATH

It is a Chinese ink painting on Chinese rice paper. In 2017, I suddenly had an interest in creating Chinese ink painting, an art I practiced when I was young, in Shanghai. It’s a snow scene expressing the Canadian winter.

AUTUMN MORNING

In 2019, I had a feeling that my works of art were incomplete. It was then that I realized that I hadn’t created a watercolor painting that often lets vibrant colors show through. With the help of watercolor, it allowed me to express that life in Canada is wonderful, especially in the fall, with beautiful colors.

As an artist, life is lonely and economically poor, but my mind is free and rich in emotions. The satisfaction that the creative process brings me is very pleasant. Through this exhibition, I hope I can allow you to contemplate the magnificent landscapes of Canadian nature with a touch of symphony.

I would like to thank the city of Candiac. And thank you all.

Video of the exhibition and presentation of the 38 artworks exhibited: