Fine work from prolific artist

RECENT paintings by Christopher Ku are being exhibited in the main entrance to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Born in Hong-Kong. He came to Aberdeen to study art, first at the College of Commerce and then at Gray's School of Art.
 

He is now studying for an M.A. at  London's Royal College of Art.
 

In this case, the exhibition title, Recent Paintings, means what it says. From July of last year to last month Ku has managed to produce 25 paintings. As some of the canvasses are 6ft. by 8ft, this has been no small task, and to say that he is a prolific artist is probably an understatement.

There are no titles on the paintings, just dates. Ku lashes on the paint until it is really thick almost three-dimensional in area, creating tactile quality. He applies different textures by using different brush strokes and reworking areas.

Ku's paintings are a fascinating mixture of symbolism, surrealism, realism, combined with a Picasso and Chinese influence which together work exceptionally well in warm colours of green, brown and orange.

The paintings that are most successful are the ones that have all these elements in them but are dominated by the Chinese influence, as In his November, 1988, painting in which masks, miniature trees and paper cut-out patterns appear.
 

It is early days yet for Christopher Ku. As he says, being Chinese and being brought up in a British colony he lacks of a sense of belonging.
 

Probably through this, he perhaps also lacks self-confidence to continue with his own influences. He has great potential and on following the right track will probably achieve great success.

This is an exciting exhibition well worth viewing which closes at the end of the month.
 

-N.McH.