Ma Ke

Ma Ke’s paintings captivate viewers with the clarity of their expression and their subtle power. His motifs of people in ostensibly adventurous and challenging settings, at times with dangerous set pieces, appear to us like scenes from a theatrical play. Bodies and faces are often dramatized, seeming masklike and exaggerated in their unnatural distortions and expressiveness, which is, paradoxically, what makes them even more readable and striking. Occasionally, one believes to be witnessing a circus act in which the protagonists must perform acrobatic feats using all manner of tricks and gimmicks. Partly, the images’ disquieting air is further heightened by the seemingly artificial light shining down on the goings-on. The portrayals deal with human balancing acts that visualize the purely physical level as well as psychological moments. The figures are busy striving, hoping, and trying to strike a balance with both themselves and their stage partners. The images raise the question of whether they depict creatures facing their challenges apprehensively, boldly, or somewhere in between or individuals suffering from their isolation and yearning for collective support.

Ma Ke’s works are held in private and public collections around the world, including Kunstmuseum Bern, Bern, Switzerland; the Collection of the Duke Franz of Bavaria, Munich; Germany; The Hammer Museum, Chicago, USA; M+ Museum, Hong Kong, China; White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney, Australia. His practice is archived in Asia Art Archive.