Story | Connie Li Photography | Rémy Martin, Courtesy of Yuxing Huang
Rivers, mountains, bubbles, neon. Such ordinary sights become extraordinary when transformed by artists, through limitless creativity and magical brushstrokes, leading to whimsical realms of the imagination.
The young artist mastering this “magic brush” is Yuxing Huang. Born in Beijing in 1975 and a graduate of the Department of Mural Painting at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Huang is a force to be reckoned with in China’s art scene and even the world, and is a darling of art dealers.
His secrets to success? Some put it down to delicate brushstrokes, vibrant colours and extensive exploration of individuality, nature and life. Huang puts it this way: “My personal artistic style is a kaleidoscopic meld of cultural systems and themes, blending East with West, the ancient with the modern, and my personal experiences with external influences.
This eclectic mosaic of visual experiences defines the essence of my art.” As to the suggestion that his style originates from the traditional Chinese gongbi heavy colour technique, he reflects: “Strictly speaking, my painting style does not adhere to traditional Chinese gongbi techniques. The vibrant fluorescent palette I chose reflects my personal vision and artistic sensibility.”
Artists need their canvases to express their insightful perception of the world, life and art, and their works have to resonate with their audience. In Huang’s celebrated works, he uses familiar elements rich with symbolism to channel emotions, accentuating the feel and impact with psychedelic neon colours.
One can see spirit and charm, and perceive dreams, vibrancy and peacefulness in his paintings. His seven-paned Seven Treasured Pines fetched HK$64.83 million in Christie’s Autumn Auction 2021, and his Heaven and Earth was sold for 20.7 million yuan in China Guardian’s Spring Auction 2023.
Huang’s Seven Treasured Pines fetched HK$64.83 million in a Christie’s auction four years ago.
Huang’s success extends naturally from art and commercial markets to lifestyle. He has been invited by international luxury brands to design classic limited-edition handbags in stunning cross-over collaborations.
As the Year of the Snake rolls in, we are delighted to see rivers, mountains, bubbles and neon colours in a refreshing combination on Rémy Martin’s limited-edition giftboxes, courtesy of Huang, who serves as the distiller’s visual ambassador.
Together, they launched the Remy Martin Snake Chinese New Year Limited Edition giftboxes. Inspired by the brilliant iridescence of snakes, the artist poetically presents Rémy Martin’s natural terroir, EDV and grapes, telling the story that snakes feed off nature and give back to the earth with their dazzling iridescence, winding through mountains and making them glow with life.
Excited by this collaboration, Huang said: “I love reptiles. My longstanding passion for these creatures was deeply nurtured through years of keeping numerous serpents as cherished companions. This has fostered within me an intrinsic connection to these mesmerizing beings.
“This deep-seated affinity for snakes was a pivotal factor that inspired this collaboration. Rémy Martin’s storied history and rich heritage, intertwined with its prominent place in Chinese wine culture, is akin to an enigmatic tapestry waiting to be unravelled, much like the elusive and mysterious nature of the serpent itself.
“I was also inspired by the enchanting legend of a white snake who falls in love with a mortal by the West Lake, a tale that resonates deeply with the theme of enduring beauty. Just as this legend has stood the test of time, so too must a fine glass of cognac.”
Huang’s paintings also reveal that “time” is a perennial theme, and his fascination. “In my artworks, a flowing river symbolizes time, drawing upon the timeless analogy between rivers and the passage of time.”
His 2015 artwork River was described aptly by Christie’s: the seemingly distant, vertical lines resemble a cascading river plunging downward. The water flowing gently in the foreground takes on the shape of bubble-like ellipses. Using smooth, bold lines and prismatic colours, Huang suggests the journey of the river and the infinitude of time. This interpretation of time features regularly in Huang’s works.
River (2015)
It’s a common lament that time flows like water and youth is not here to stay. In Huang’s works, neon colours give time a bright meaning and show up the vibrancy and value that time percolates. Just like the pictures he designed for the Rémy Martin limited-edition giftboxes, the river is laced in gold, the sun rises, the mountains are iridescent and the snake proudly rears its head.
“The sunrise symbolizes the dawn of light and hope, a beacon of all that is pure and good,” Huang says. “The golden, shimmering lake mirrors the passage of time and the accumulation of wealth. The ascending bubbles evoke the timeless elegance of the ‘Three Pools Mirroring the Moon’ Islet in the West Lake, each bubble shaped like the grape from which the exquisite cognac is born.”
Warm well-wishes synonymous with Chinese festive occasions are formed through his brushstrokes. “Time and novelty stand as the twin pillars of artistic creation,” he says. “Works that transcend time while embracing innovation are profoundly inspiring.”
Huang’s philosophy of life centres on the pursuit of diversity and novelty. He says the historical figures he would love to share a glass of cognac with are the sixth Dalai Lama in the Qing Dynasty and poet Tsangyang Gyatso, because he was a passionate and sincere soul.
Himself a passionate and sincere soul, Huang has collaborated with multiple international brands, and he is already looking forward to the next.
He has this advice for contemporary young artists: “Instead of rushing your journey to success, exercise discernment when choosing brands to work with. Seek partners who resonate with your values, for such collaborations will mutually enrich and inspire, igniting a wellspring of greater creativity.
“For this collaboration, I infused my design with a touch of gold, an element that resonates deeply with the brand’s signature palette. The use of gold in painting has been attempted by artists from ancient China and the West, as well as by contemporary creators, and has emerged as a compelling research topic and a newly discovered thread woven through the history of art.”
This is who he is—an artist who strives to build a dialogue between the traditional and the contemporary, and yearns for fresh attempts and exploration of a fresh theme in every work of art and every collaboration.
