ART FEATURES ART FEATURES in 1929, when Chen went to Swatow at Using sharp and angular brushstrokes, CHEN WEN HSI’S HERONS the age of 21 and displayed his works for Chen created bold, elongated bird-like exhibitions in Shanghai (1931 and 1933) figures, which were then simplified into ARTWORK REFERENCES: AVANT-GARDE ARTIST and Guangzhou (1932 and 1936). It was abstract shapes and patterns. In some of not until 1937 that he was acknowledged the artist’s works, the beaks and bodies 1. Sotheby’s Breathless — for his talent and received praises from overlap one another, suggesting dynamism BY HIRANMAYII AWLI MOHANAN Southeast Asian Art Chinese painter, Xu Beihong, at the and movements in the depicted scene. Chen Wen Hsi second Chinese National Art Exhibition in Chen then paired them with carefully Herons Nanjing. He was even elected as one of selected shades of colours to create an Estimate: 80,000 - 180,000 HKD Sold: 214,200 HKD China’s contemporary 10 greatest artists illusion of depth, as the darker colours by an English art magazine in that same naturally assume the background, while 2. Sotheby’s Modern and year. the limelight is shed on the white-hued Contemporary Southeast Asian Art, herons. Chen loved leaving a thin white 1 April 2019, Hong Kong Seeking a new adventure and fortune, space between each heron to intentionally Chen Wen Hsi Herons the artist planned a three-month trip to highlight the interplay of light and shadows, Estimate: 160,000 - 250,000 HKD Nanyang. Then, in 1948, together with his a key aspect that evokes a certain mood Sold: 250,000 HKD paintings, Chen journeyed from China to and time to his paintings. Cholon, Vietnam via an oil tanker, to start 3. Christie’s 20th Century & what became a tour of exhibitions across Chen’s works were truly variegated, Contemporary Art, 26 May 2019, Asia — Hong Kong (1949), Bangkok- melding the different elements of Western Hong Kong Chen Wen Hsi Kuala Lumpur (1949), and Bangkok- styles of art and traditional Chinese Herons in the Reed Singapore (1950). Chen arrived in painting techniques with a Southeast Asian Estimate:150,000 - 250,000 HKD Singapore in 1950 without any intention subject matter. The exploration of space Sold: 275,000 HKD of staying. However, the expiry of his visa is a definite quality that Chen imposed and with the coaxing of fellow artist Liu upon his viewers through his oeuvre Kang, and then Commissioner-General which produced very unique pieces. His Malcolm MacDonald, the artist stayed. ability to create three-dimensional forms At the invitation of its then principal on a two-dimensional plane illustrates his Cheng Anlun, Chen started teaching at proficiency in this style of painting. the Chinese High School in Singapore, where he remained as a teacher until 1968. Learning of Chen’s growing name and talent, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)’s then principal Lim Hak Tai, Herons invited the artist to teach at its hallowed Ink on paper 65 x 68 cm grounds. He taught NAFA until 1959. SOLD RM 61,600 KLAS Art Auction 1 March, 2020 Clearly influenced by Cubism and Fauvism, Chen produced various masterful nown for his avant-garde Heavily influenced by traditional Chinese to Xinhua College of Art where he renditions of the heron — paintings that Chinese-style paintings, Chen paintings and early Cubist works of Pablo studied under the tutelage of renowned encapsulate the artist’s fascination with Wen Hsi was born in 1906 Picasso and Paul Klee, Chen created his artists such as Pan Tianshou. It was also the form and figuration of this particular K bird. This favourite subject of his was in Guangdong, China. He was a own repertoire and identity, which later at Xinhua that he met his fellow peers, highly regarded first-generation became his trademark. In the span of Chen Hen Hao, Chen Chong Swee deeply inspired by the tropical scenery of artist, who was at the forefront of 1923 to 1992, Chen had partaken in and Liu Kang who all later became Singapore, which was perhaps the main the Chinese revolutionary movement 38 one-man exhibitions within Singapore Singapore’s Nanyang pioneer artists and reason for him moving there in 1948. in Singapore during the 1950’s. and internationally, including countries art educationists. With the large array of birds in Southeast Chen was among a group of five such as China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, Asia, Chen found a profound interest in the prominent artists that founded the Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong. heron and had featured this bird in many Nanyang style, a landmark in the In 1929, Chen graduated from Xinhua of his paintings. The heron holds a special art history of Southeast Asia. The In 1926, the artist moved to Shanghai College of Art and returned to his meaning in Chinese culture as it resembles hometown, Baigong. For approximately the word ‘path’ in spoken Mandarin. The artist was also a highly esteemed art to enrol in the Shanghai College of Fine Herons educator who played a significant Arts. Due to growing dissatisfaction with a decade, Chen taught art to students in underlying meaning of the heron paintings Watercolour on paper 43 x 29 cm primary and secondary schools in both could be interpreted as an ever flowing SOLD RM 29,680 role in developing the art community the quality of education at the college, KLAS Art Auction 1 February, 2019 in Singapore. Chen along with a few others transferred Shantou and Jieyang, China. It was also and opportune path. 90 l KL LIFESTYLE KL LIFESTYLE l 91 .