Explosante-Fixe: Liu Yangwen Solo Exhibition
Forthcoming exhibition
Overview
"I might subconsciously create a sense of order — there is structure. And yet, as we discussed earlier, the surface is explosive, bursting outward, radial, and quite sharp. But the inner core — the internal energy, the underlying structure — is fundamentally stable." — Liu Yangwen
3812 Gallery is pleased to present "Explosante-Fixe," Liu Yangwen solo exhibition, featuring over 20 works created in the past two years, which explores the profound dialogue between Liu’s artistic language and the musical creations of French composer Pierre Boulez. As the artist’s second solo exhibition with 3812 Gallery, "Explosante-Fixe" will also serve as Liu’s inaugural overseas solo project, touring to the gallery’s new space at The Whiteley London. The exhibition runs from 23 September to 31 October 2025 at 3812 Gallery Hong Kong, with an opening reception held on 23 September from 5 to 8pm. The artist will be present.
"Explosante-Fixe" (French for "Explosive-Fixed") originates from French writer and poet André Breton's seminal work L’amour fou (1937), in which he proclaims, "Convulsive beauty will be erotic-veiled, exploding-fixed, magical-circumstantial, or it will not be at all." The "convulsive beauty" that Breton describes evokes a visceral shock—a momentary response that reconnects opposites and inspires profound feelings, transcending conventional logic. This concept deeply resonates with Boulez, one of the most influential musicians, and was repeatedly incorporated by him into his own musical practice.
Inspired by the "Centenary Celebration Concert of Pierre Boulez: Explosante-Fixe" held at IRCAM (Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music) at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Liu adopted "Explosante-Fixe" as the theme of his touring solo exhibition to pay tribute to Boulez’s music as well as to reflect Liu’s profound reflection.
Through his paintings, Liu engages in a dialogue between dramatic strokes and meticulously constructed compositions, exploring an intricate relationship between chaos and order. The exhibited works continue the artist’s signature themes of floral, portraits, and landscapes, employing more open and relaxed compositions and brushwork that mirror Boulez's exploration of orchestrated disorder in music, creating a compelling conversation between visual art and music.
The "explosive" elements in Liu's works represent raw energy and emotional intensity, while the "fixed" aspects reflect the artist's intentional guidance of this energy toward coherent and meaningful forms. Liu's artistic language converges with Boulez's approach to music composition.
Calvin Hui, Co-founder and Chairman of 3812 Gallery, who also serves as the curator of this exhibition, stated:
"(Liu Yangwen) has fused the essence of the masters' music, the virtue of masterfully composed visual art, and [his] own experience into the very accomplished work that [he is] creating now."
Works
