ART AGENDA, S.E.A. - ARTSTAGE 2018 by artagendasea

ART AGENDA, S.E.A.

ARTSTAGE SINGAPORE 2018

COUNTERPOINTS: POST WAR MODERN ASIAN ABSTRACTION : : MODERN INDONESIAN ABSTRACTION: CONNECTING TO THE GLOBAL POST-WAR ARTWORLD

TAIWAN POST-WAR MODERN ABSTRACTION: REVOLUTION & INHERITANCE :

LI CHEN: ABOVE THE CLOUDS

CLASSIC ⁄ CONTEMPORARY AN INDELIBLE CHINESE AESTHETICS

COUNTERPOINTS: POST-WAR MODERN ASIAN ABSTRACTION

MODERN INDONESIAN ABSTRACTION: CONNECTING TO THE GLOBAL POST-WAR ARTWORLD The story of abstract art in Indonesia has often been narrated as a lesser counterpoint to representational art underlined by a nationalist and populist ideology. In fact, it has a more varied and contending history, and is the thread that best connects Indonesian art to 20th century post-war art movements centred on abstraction that proliferated globally. In the post-war and post-colonial environs of Bandung in the 1960s, Mochtar Apin, Ahmad Sadali, Srihadi Soedarsono and others in their generation working out of Bandung led the way in the search for a nonpartisan and universal visual language – they found it in the realm of abstraction where shape, form, colour and line exist in themselves with minimal reference to the external world. Beyond Bandung, artists such as Nashar and Zaini in Jakarta and Fadjar Sidik in Yogyakarta explored abstraction and its related theories in less polemical and formalist environs, arriving at an intuition-led and highly evocative branch of abstraction. Their works emphasized the symbolic value of colours, and be it in forms or titles, they continuously allow an interpretative framework linking abstraction to observed reality. 9 0 0

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MODERN INDONESIAN ABSTRACTION: CONNECTING TO THE GLOBAL POST-WAR ARTWORLD

The Bandung School : Spirituality & Contemplation

In contrast to the realist aesthetics of the artists in Yogyakarta, the artists who form the core of the Bandung School are predominantly concerned with the expression of spirituality, adapted from styles of modern painting prevailing in the West in the immediate years around WWII. Expatriate lecturers "imported" art theories and styles that were adaptively used by the Bandung artists. Amongst the earliest batches of students at the Bandung Institut Teknologi (ITB) were Ahmad Sadali, Mochtar Apin and Popo Iskandar. Influenced by cubism, neoplasticism (De Stijl) and other early 20th century art movements, the works of the core Bandung artists bore distinct similarities in the fragmentation of the picture surface into geometric shapes and a threedimensional perspective, achieved through the nuances of colour.

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MODERN INDONESIAN ABSTRACTION: CONNECTING TO THE GLOBAL POST-WAR ARTWORLD

Traces of Gold : Ahmad Sadali

A sense of modernity around Sadali’s works lies in his application of gold leaf, the sophistication of textures, and the sense of innate spirituality that invoke myriad senses when viewed.

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Ahmad Sadali (1924-1987) Abstract signed and dated (lower left) mixed media on canvas 99 x 99 cm Executed in 1976 Provenance Acquired in 1976 directly from the artist in Bandung Collection of Richard and Judith Pigossi, North Carolina, USA

(1924 – 1987)

─ 99 x 99 cm 1976

1976

。 Richard

Judith Pigossi

Ahmad Sadali (1924-1987) Gunungan (Tree of Life) signed and dated (lower right) mixed media on canvas 200 x 175 cm Executed in 1980 Provenance Acquired in 1980 directly from the artist in Bandung Collection of Richard and Judith Pigossi, North Carolina, USA

(1924 – 1987)

─ 200 x 175 cm 1980

1980 。

Richard

Judith Pigossi

(Bottom right) Ahmad Sadali Gold Remnants on a Beam Against White Background mixed media on canvas 99 x 135 cm Executed in 1986 Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 04 April 2015 Price Realized HK$ 3,920,000 (US$ 505,680) · 99 x 135 cm 1986 (

2015 3,920,000 505,680 )

Ahmad Sadali (1924 -1987) Untitled signed and dated (lower left) mixed media on canvas 66 x 59 cm Executed in 1985

66 x 59 cm 1985

(1924 – 1987)

Ahmad Sadali (1924-1987) Untitled signed and dated (lower right); titled illegibly, signed and dated at the back, affixed with the label of the artist (on the reverse) mixed media on canvas 53 x 41 cm Executed in 1984 Âˇ (1924 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1987) 53 x 41 cm 1984

Ahmad Sadali (1924-1987) Untitled signed and dated (lower right) mixed media on paper 38.5 x 44 cm Executed in 1974

Âˇ 38.5 x 44 cm 1974

(1924 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1987)

Ahmad Sadali (1924-1987) Untitled signed and dated (centre right) mixed media on paper 48 x 30 cm Executed in 1974 Provenance Acquired from Alex Papadimitriou in 1975 in Jakarta Collection of Richard and Judith Pigossi, North Carolina, USA Âˇ

(1924 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1987)

48 x 30 cm 1974 1975 Alex Papadimitriou Richard Judith Pigossi

MODERN INDONESIAN ABSTRACTION: CONNECTING TO THE GLOBAL POST-WAR ARTWORLD

Building New Identity in Abstraction: Mochtar Apin, A D Pirous, Popo Iskandar

A D Pirous (b.1932) Untitled signed and dated (lower right) mixed media on paper 31.5 x 36.5 cm Executed in 1987 (

1932)

31.5 x 36.5 cm 1987

Mochtar Apin (1923-1994) Moon Above Harbor signed and dated (lower right); titled (on the reverse) oil on canvas 80 x 80 cm Painted in 1966 (1923 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1994) 80 x 80 cm 1966

Mochtar Apin (1923-1994) Mechanical Movement signed and dated (lower right); titled (on the reverse) oil on canvas 80 x 100 cm Painted in 1968 (1923 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1994) 80 x 100 cm 1968

Mochtar Apin (1923-1994) Untitled signed and dated (lower right) oil on canvas 29.5 x 39.5 cm Painted in 1985 (1923 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1994) 29.5 x 39.5 cm 1985

Popo Iskandar (1927–2000) Joven Diante Do Espelho (Young Woman before the Mirror) signed and dated (lower right) oil on canvas 100 x 65 cm Painted in 1964 Provenance Christie’s Singapore, 31 March 1996, Lot 110 Private Collection, Indonesia Acquired from the above by the present owner (1927–2000) 100 x 65 cm 1964

110

1996

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Pablo Picasso, Femme Couchée Lisant, 1939 Collection of Musée National Picasso 1960 Fort Worth

Pablo Picasso, Femme Couchée Lisant, 1960 Collection of Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth 1939

Popo Iskandar (1927–2000) Sunset signed and dated (lower right) oil on canvas 92 x 73 cm Painted between 1968-79 (1927–2000) 92 x 73 cm 1968-79

(Bottom Right) Popo Iskandar Seascape oil on canvas 90 x 100 cm Painted in 1973 Sold in 2011 at Larasati Singapore for SGD 30,000

90 x 100 cm 1973

30,000

MODERN INDONESIAN ABSTRACTION: CONNECTING TO THE GLOBAL POST-WAR ARTWORLD

The Narrative of Intuition: Nashar

Nashar's place of significance in 20th century Indonesian art history is cemented by his theory of intuitive painting. He was born in Pariman, West Sumatra in 1928, and is the proverbial suffering romantic artist, not just due to the circumstances of his birth, but also because Nashar reveled in his poverty, living a nomadic romantic bohemian life. His father took him away from his family home in 1936 at the age of 8 to eventually settle in Jakarta where his father ran a bookstore. He then ran away from home to escape an overly controlling father and joined the guerilla forces fighting for freedom of Indonesian from Dutch colonial forces after the Japanese had retreated at the end of World War II. Through fellow West Sumatran artist Zaini, he was introduced to the artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; group, SIM (Seniman Indonesian Muda â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Young Indonesia Artists) where he would create art and participate in its discourse, very much so in a nationalistic context. By 1949, he decided to return to Jakarta and settled in Jakarta as a nomadic artist, living and sleeping at homes of friends and art centres such as Balai Budaya, commited to developing his own approach to art-making. Nashar, like many of his contemporaries from West Sumatra, reflected upon the thoughts and workings of his own mind, questioning the essence of art and of himself as an artist. A collection of his essays was published in 1976 entitled Surat-surat Larut Malam (Late Night Letters). He was not formally trained as an artist, definitely not an academic painter but rather came to painting with fresh lenses.

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Nashar (1928-1994) Rhythm in Orange, Green and Yellow signed and dated (lower right) oil on canvas 64 x 89 cm Painted in 1984

(1928-1994) 64 x 89 cm 1984

Milton Avery, Dark Inlet, 1963 · 1963 Colours play a significant function in Nashar’s works, very much like in the works of the American modern painter, Milton Avery whose works relied on the relations between colours. Nashar knew of Avery’s works and was not ashamed to acknowledge his admiration of the American artist while asserting his own philosophy about art: In painting, I don't have the pretense of being original or whatever. What's important is that I can pour my soul on my canvas. That's all. Milton

Avery

Nashar (1928-1994) Green Rhythm signed and dated (lower left) oil on canvas 64 x 94 cm Painted in 1987

(1928-1994) 64 x 94 cm 1987

Nashar’s overarching theory about art centres on three nons: Non-concept, where the act of painting begins with an empty mind free of agency and direction, with no picture, concept or style in mind, relying instead on the desire of the soul for intuition to flow; Non-object, where the painterly encounter will serve to derive a form or object, without any premeditation; Non-technique, where the artist is committed to his techniques, but allows the act of working and what is necessitated at various points to dictate what technique is applicable. Nashar’s theory encourages the purging of one’s mind for the act of painting, thereby maintaining the purity of an intuitive approach to painting. We can indeed argue whether his paintings were truly born from pure intuition and ‘non-technique’. Creative gestures and artistic processes do not just involve pure intuition or pure reason. They are oftentimes an indescribable concoction of reason, technique, intuition and sense. In that sense, Nashar’s theory strives towards an ideal and we must see take his theory as a cryptic formulation of his intent, not so much of his practice.

Nashar (1928-1994) Romance signed and dated (lower left) oil on canvas 62 x 90 cm Painted in 1986 (1928-1994) 62 x 90 cm 1986

Nashar (1928-1994) Parangtritis V signed and dated (lower right) oil on canvas 65 x 94 cm Painted in 1971 (1928-1994) 65 x 94 cm 1971

Located in Yogyakarta Special Region, Parangtritis Beach has long been famous for its beautiful scenery and for its connection with the mysterious legend of the Queen of the South Sea, "Kanjeng Ratu Kidul". She is the ever youthful and beautiful queen who reigns over seanymphs and spirits.

Nashar (1928-1994) Untitled oil on canvas 66 x 98 cm Painted in 1989 (1928-1994) 66 x 98 cm 1989

MODERN INDONESIAN ABSTRACTION: CONNECTING TO THE GLOBAL POST-WAR ARTWORLD

Seeking Reality In The Cosmos Fadjar Sidik ) #

Fadjar Sidik is one of a small number of Indonesian modern artists who has made a distinctive contribution to the development of abstract art in Indonesia. An educator and an artist, he started experimenting in abstraction in the late 1950s and was fully immersed in developing his own visual vocabulary of abstract forms and composition from the 1960s onwards. By the time he passed away in 2004, he had left behind an extensive oeuvre stretching more than four decades. It is a commendable fact that though he influenced generations of students as an art lecturer, his legacy, albeit one that is yet to be truly appreciated, is that of being one of the very few Indonesian artists of the modern era to locate the realm of his exploration of kenyataan (truth) not in lived reality but in the other cosmos of vital forces guiding life. He began to think about the dichotomies that were created between nature and modern technology, and this led him away from representational art towards abstract art as an arena to seek higher truths in his art. Our view of the world, in the modern era, is informed by our understanding of its expansiveness. In his creations, he took to thinking about broader, more fundamental conceptions of the world. He began to develop his works around an exploration of spatial relationships, akin to how technology allows us to see and experience a kaleidoscope of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cultures. The triangles, squares, circles and sinuous lines he paints are constantly in flux, and in a gradual evolutionary way, these forms allude to the cycle of life. The picture plane is as much a temporal dimension as it is a spatial manifestation.

Fadjar Sidik (1930-2004) Dinamika Keruangan (Space Dynamics) signed and dated (lower left) oil on canvas 105 x 94 cm Painted in 1977

1930 105 x 94 cm 1977

2004

Why do I paint? I think this is a question that does not need much explanation. For as long as mankind has existed for more than 20,000 years, there has been image-making (drawing). And for as long as there is mankind, image-making will not stop. The question that ought to be asked is why I do not paint as I used to do, painting the views of nature, the lives of people and aspects of our culture. Fadjar Sidik in Fadjar Sidik: Dynamic Forms and Space

Joan Miró, Le serpent à coquelicots traîn ant sur un champ de violettes peuplé par des lézards en deuil (The Snake with Poppies Trailing on a Purple Flowers Field Inhabited by Mourning Lizards), 1947. Artwork: © Successió Miró / ADAGP, Paris and DACS London 2016

Fadjar Sidik (1930-2004) Dinamika Matahari (Dynamics of the Sun) signed and dated (lower left) oil on canvas 105 x 75 cm Painted in 1990 1930 105 x 75 cm 1990

2004

Fadjar Sidik (1930-2004) Dinamika Banteng & Burung (Dynamics with Bull and Bird) signed and dated (lower right) oil on canvas 90 x 70 cm Painted in 1990 1930 90 x 70 cm 1990

2004

Fadjar Sidik (1930-2004) Dinamika Ruang Biru (Blue Space Dynamics) signed and dated (center left) oil on canvas 90 x 70 cm Painted in 1990 1930 90 x 70 cm 1990

2004

Fadjar Sidik (1930-2004) Dinamika Ruang (Space Dynamics) signed and dated (lower left) oil on canvas 90 x 70 cm Painted in 1990 1930 90 x 70 cm 1990

2004

Fadjar Sidik (1930-2004) Awang â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Awang (Atmosphere) signed and dated (lower left) oil on canvas 90 x 70 cm Painted in 1991 1930 90 x 70 cm 1991

2004

MODERN INDONESIAN ABSTRACTION: CONNECTING TO THE GLOBAL POST-WAR ARTWORLD

Zaini: Abstraction of Nature

Zaini (1926-1977) Still Life signed and dated (lower right) numbered 1332 and inscribed CP (on the reverse) oil on board 59 x 49 cm Painted in 1952 Provenance From the collection of the Papadimitriou family (1926-1977) 59 x 49 cm 1952 Papadimitriou

Zaini (1926-1977) Festival oil on canvas 95 x 65 cm (1926-1977) 95 x 65 cm

Zaini (1926-1977) Abstract Landscape signed and dated (lower right) watercolor on paper 28 x 39 cm Painted in 1976 (1926-1977) 28 x 39 cm 1976

COUNTERPOINTS: POST-WAR MODERN ASIAN ABSTRACTION

Taiwan Post-War Modern Abstraction: Revolution & Inheritance

Abstraction as advocated and practised by Taiwanese artists of the 20th century modern era forms perhaps the most significant but overlooked chapter in the narrative of modern abstraction’s emergence in post-war Asia. In the immediate decades following the end of World War II, Taiwanese artists pursued a modernist stance and propelled Chinese art into the modern period. The most significant art movements, Ton Fan Art Group and Fifth Moon Art Group were established in 1957. The Modern PrintMaking Association followed a year later. The central figure behind modern abstraction’s rise in Taiwan is Li ChunShan who was educated in art in Tokyo. Modern art concepts promulgated in 1930s Shanghai and Tokyo, due largely to mediators such as Li, who as artist, writer and art educator in Hangzhou and Guangzhou, imbibed modernism and influenced generations simultanously. Moving to Taiwan in 1949, he continued to advocate liberal values, aligning it with the modern movement in art, essentially birthing abstract art as the dominant form of modern art in Taiwan. His students include Hsiao Chin, Ho Kan and Chin Sung who established the Ton Fan Art Group while other students like Chen Ting-Shih founded the Fifth Moon Art Group. In the history of Chinese art, artists associated with these movements broke new ground, forging an abstract visual vocabulary, and cementing their place in the history of Chinese art as pioneers. Their avant-gardist stance arose against a backdrop of the rise of western liberalism, where abstraction, especially of the expressionistic mold, signified freedom, particularly poignant to generations of Taiwanese artists who lived through three decades of Taiwanese martial law. In contrast, the development of modern art in mainland China was stymied by the Cultural Revolution; art was wielded to the service of political purposes. Artists who had left mainland China for Taiwan – fortunately freed from such an environment and searching for liberal values in their works – then became the flagbearers for the modernisation of Chinese art.`

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COUNTERPOINTS: POST-WAR MODERN ASIAN ABSTRACTION

Li Chun-Shan, Li Yuan Jia, Ho Kan, Hsiao Chin and rest of the Ton Fan Art Group, 1956

In 1957, 8 of Li Chun-Shan’s students formed the famous “Ton Fan Art Group” and organized “The First Edition of Ton-Fan Painting Exhibition: A Group Exhibition by artists from China and Spain” the next year. It was the first group exhibition with both Taiwanese and overseas artists.

In 1957, “The First Edition of TonFan Painting Exhibition: A Group Exhibition by artists from China and Spain” is organized by Hsiao Chin. The exhibition took place in Galleria Jardin, Barcelona, Spain.

Galleria Jardin

TAIWAN POST-WAR MODERN ABSTRACTION: REVOLUTION & INHERITANCE

Pioneer in Taiwan Modern Abstraction : Li Chun-Shan

The central figure behind modern abstraction’s rise in Taiwan is Li ChunShan who was educated in art in Tokyo. Modern art concepts promulgated in 1930s Shanghai and Tokyo, due largely to mediators such as Li, who as artist, writer and art educator in Hangzhou and Guangzhou, imbibed modernism and influenced generations simultanously. Moving to Taiwan in 1949, he continued to advocate liberal values, aligning it with the modern movement in art, essentially birthing abstract art as the dominant form of modern art in Taiwan. His students include Hsiao Chin, Ho Kan and Chin Sung who established the Ton Fan Art Group while other students like Chen Ting-Shih founded the Fifth Moon Art Group.

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Li Chun Shan (1912-1984) Untitled acrylic on paper 27 x 39 cm (1947 - 2008 ) 27 x 39 cm

TAIWAN POST-WAR MODERN ABSTRACTION: REVOLUTION & INHERITANCE

One should always try to explore the limited physical space to the maximum and to generate maximum energy in the confines of space, to learn in a material world that transcends the boundaries of time, and in so doing to grasp the deeper meanings of life. — Hsiao Chin, 2015

Seeking Infinity: Hsiao Chin )

The exploration of abstract art based on a core concept of ‘Eastern Spirit’ has guided Hsiao Chin throughout all the major phases of his artistic career. Unceasingly, he has strived to represent the infinite, moving away and beyond lived realities. Born in Shanghai in 1935 with ancestral roots in Guangdong, Hsiao Chin went to Taiwan in 1949 with his uncle and aunt. In 1956, he left for Spain to study painting. Thus began an artistic path that has lasted half a century and counting. As early as the 1950s, Hsiao Chin, as part of the Ton-Fan Art Group, influenced by the history of post-war Western abstraction, looked towards spontaneity in artistic gestures to express states of minds. At the same time, he found within the richness of his Chinese cultural heritage motifs and calligraphic forms that could be transformed as powerful gestural forms. As a consequence, the picture plane has become the most significant conceptual realm for the artist, as it is a powerful neutral space for transformation. As time grew by, and his travels and learnings in the west accumulated, Hsiao Chin became increasingly interested in representing the infinite. He envisioned and represented elements of the cosmos in his minimalistic works, deploying a range of regular forms within a limited colour palette. The forms, invested with spiritual meaning, formed part of his interest to represent the sublime.

Hsiao Chin (b. 1935) Abstract signed, dated and stamped with a seal of the artist (lower left) ink and color on paper 65 x 41 cm Painted in 1959 ( 65 x 41 cm 1959

1935)

(Bottom Right) News report on Hsiao Chin’s contribution to “Ton-Fan Painting Exhibition” in Spain. ─4

Hsiao Chin (b. 1935) Gathering signed (middle right); titled and dated (on the reverse) acrylic on handmade paper 69 x 52 cm Painted in 1995 ( 69 x 52 cm 1995

1935)

Hsiao Chin (b. 1935) Untitled - 8 signed (lower right) Chinese ink on handmade paper 47 x 78 cm Painted in 1998 (

47 x 78 cm 1998

1935)

Taiwan Post-War Modern Abstraction: Revolution & Inheritance

Melody of Geometric Abstraction : Ho Kan

1956, Li Chun-Shen (Left) and his student Ho Kan (Right) 1956

Ho Kan (b. 1932) Untitled signed and dated (lower middle) signed and dated (on the reverse) oil on canvas 50 x 60 cm Painted in 1979 ( â&#x201D;&#x20AC; 50 x 60 cm 1979

1932)

Josef Albers, Homage to the Square The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

TAIWAN POST-WAR MODERN ABSTRACTION: REVOLUTION & INHERITANCE

The Voice of Silence : Chen Ting-Shih (1913 – 2002)

Born in 1913 in Changle, Fujian, China, Chen Ting-Shih had been deaf since childhood, resulting in an even more acute and delicate visual sense. Known as the finest printmaker of his generation, he was a key member of the Modern Printmaking Association and the Fifth Moon Art Group. The wellestablished foundation of study that Chen had imbued his works with a Oriental aesthetic while grounded in the tenets of western modern art. He believed that ’artmaking does not bear an ultimate destination, and the choice of processes lead one to explore.’ His most significant aesthetic choice is his use of cane fiberboard in printmaking, producing works that are both delicate and characterized the uniqueness of their texture. Executed in 1981, Day and Night #70 is one of Chen’s most significant work. Masterfully welding the essence of eastern and western aesthetics, the layered colours and forms that allude to the nature of the cosmos which is always in flux make reference to the the geometric forms and philosophy of Alexander Calder’s works. In the application of succint but powerful individual colours of red, blue, yellow, black, Chen pursues an abstraction of details that shares in De Stijl’s inclination towards the minimal and the essential. The imperfection of the cane fiberboards causing rifts and broken areas of colours create individually unique pieces, but more so than that, they seem to be a metaphor for the ill-fortuned life of Chen Ting-Shih who lost his mother and sense of hearing at an early age, and was alienated from his family coming to Taiwan. These misfortunes in his life are seemingly alluded to in the fissures of colours in the artwork. Emanating light seems to pierce through these fissures, an expression of hope in darkness. Printed on the cover of late art historian Michael Sullivan’s The Meeting of Eastern and Western Art, Day and Night #70 signifies the achievements of his efforts to bridge conceptual and philosophic differences western and eastern art.

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Piet Mondrian, Composition No. II with Red and Blue, 1929. Museum of Modern Art , New York. Photo: Â© The Museum of Modern Art, New York/Scala, Florence.

Chen Ting-Shih (1913-2002) Day and Night #70 signed, dated, titled and with one seal of the artist cane fiberboard relief print on paper (quadriptych) Each: 120 x 60 cm Overall: 120 x 240 cm edition 3 of 50 Executed in 1981 1913-2002 #70

1981

: 120 x 60 cm 120 x 240 cm 3 50

“Day and Night #70” as the cover piece of the landmark publication “The Meeting of Eastern and Western Art” by art historian Michael Sullivan.

Chen Ting-Shih (1913-2002) Day and Night #16 titled, signed and dated (upper middle) cane fiberboard relief print on paper 90.5 x 90.5 cm edition 10 of 20 Executed in 1972

1913-2002 #16 90.5 x 90.5 cm 10 20 1972

Chen Ting-Shih (1913-2002) Stellar Symmetry, 1972 #2 titled (lower left); signed and dated (lower right) cane fiberboard relief print on paper 91.5 x 91.5 cm edition 1 of 20 Executed in 1972

1913-2002 , 1972#2

91.5 x 91.5 cm 1 20 1972

TAIWAN POST-WAR MODERN ABSTRACTION: REVOLUTION & INHERITANCE

Chin Sung

A Talented Provocateur ã&#x20AC;&#x2039;

Chin Sung was born in Anhui in 1932 but came with the Kuomintang government to Taiwan in 1949. Synthesizing western abstraction and infusing his works with a unmistakable Chinese aesthetics, he was a principal driver behind the modern abstract movement in Taiwan.At the 1960 São Paulo Biennale, Chin Sung ’s print came in for mention due to their outstanding quality. However, in the same year, political expediency forced his way back to Taiwan and he found himself displaced at the center of the artworld at that time. Qin Song's The Sea of Youth reveals the bold beauty of calligraphic lines and masterful handling of ink and awash. Void is Substance, painted in 1969, was a work that marked Chin Sung ’s fleeing from the imposition of martial law in Taiwan for the United States where he continued to seek out truths about art, hunmanity and life through abstraction. His Untitled 1982 work, where he deployed contemporaneous vivid colours and lines, with his signature strong bold lines, reexamines traditional ink painting and attempts to understand and reconcile the relationship between people and nature.

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Chin Sung (1932-2007) Sea of the Youth signed and dated (lower left); titled, signed and dated (on the reverse) ink and color on paper 55 x 39.5 cm Painted in 1961 1932-2007 55 x 39.5 cm 1961

Chin Sung (1932-2007) Void is Substance titled, signed and dated (at the bottom) acrylic on paper 39 x 26 cm Painted in 1969 1932-2007 39 x 26 cm 1969

Chin Sung (1932-2007) Untitled signed and dated (middle right) acrylic on paper 41.5 x 56 cm Painted in 1982 1932-2007 41.5 x 56 cm 1982

TAIWAN POST-WAR MODERN ABSTRACTION: REVOLUTION & INHERITANCE

Marks of Time : The Spiritual World of Yang Chihung

As with Western modern art, Yang Chihung’s work has evolved from representational to abstract art. In 1979, when he moved from Taiwan to New York, the New Image Painting movement was just taking off, as a result of which Yang started to create expressive paintings infused with romantic and symbolic elements. These pieces bore a certain similarity to the neo expressionist “trans-avant-garde art” of Italian artists Enzo Cucchi, Sandro Chia and Francesco Clemente in the 1970s, both using collections of cultural and natural fragments to showcase the artist’s reflections on history and art. If we take a broad view of the works produced by Yang in this period there is a clear tension between personal sentiment and history, which is to say that his life experience and intellectual reflections on history effectively created a disorientation of time and space. Yang used his grasp of Chinese calligraphy as a source for the brushwork informing his abstract art and maintained the inner stability of artistic appeal until the Wild Cursive Calligraphy series in 2008. “The creative concept of stream of consciousness is like a sharp two-sided knife. On the one hand it cuts away the rigid fetters imposed on ink painting by traditional texturing methodology, on the other it also cuts asunder the aesthetics of the materialist conception of history that so stifles western painting.” In this sense, Yang disassociates himself from the fixed formula of traditional Chinese ink art, but also the reproducible shapes of western realist painting. Instead, he attempts to showcase an inner imagination and vision on a real world foundation, which enables him to seek out an abstract equilibrium between Chinese subjectivism and Western objectivism based on “external learning from naturalism and internal comprehension.” Yin Shuangxi, Professor of China Central Academy of Fine Arts

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TAIWAN POST-WAR MODERN ABSTRACTION: REVOLUTION & INHERITANCE

Yang Chihung ’s “New Trends in Modern Art” and its Influence

I received little learning in ancient Chinese culture so my creative work takes sustenance from ‘life.’ I focus on the reality of the here and now in which I live — Yang Chihung

In 1987, Yang Chihung ’s “New Trends in Modern Art” was published by Artist Publishing in Taipei. This was a product of Yang ’s art related on reading and writing after giving up his part time jobs to focus on art full time in 1981. This was an important publication that influences many Chinese artists both in New York and Mainland China as China continued to open. Renowned Mainland Chinese painter Chen Danqing has said:“When I first arrived I brought the narrow outlook of Mainland Chinese painting with me into the post modern cultural jungle of New York and was soon bewildered and frustrated, which was when my good friend Chihung gave me direction and guidance. My knowledge of the new painting in Europe and the US in the 1980s came from the writing of Yang Chihung. After reading those articles I looked up his other work and that gave me a better understanding of him as a person, which brought me great joy. As with many students my age from China I suffered from the rupture of the Cultural Revolution and on leaving the country found things difficult to understand and deal with. That is why I have always been so grateful to those Taiwanese painters in the US, especially Chihung. ”

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Yang Chihung (b. 1947) The Journey of Ice Breaking acrylic on canvas 130 x 162 cm Painted in 2016 1947 130 x 162 cm 2016

Yang Chihung (b. 1947) Upswing acrylic on canvas 128 x 190 cm Painted in 2016 1947 128 x 190 cm 2016

LI CHEN: ABOVE THE CLOUDS

Li Chen (b. 1963) Reverberance bronze 51.5 x 30 x 85 cm edition of 6 Executed in 2015 1963 51.5 x 30 x 85 cm 6 2015

“Reverberance” belongs to Li Chen’s Spiritual Journey Through the Great Ether series, the series that features the artist’s yarning for inner freedom. The term “reverberance” can be interpreted as propagation of emotions. The body of this particular sculpture, as opposed to the round and smooth surface, is curvy like waves of water, with gold gradients to indicate the color of pure whisky, which Li Chen is fond of. The name “whisky” in classical Gaelic is uisge beatha, meaning “Water of Life”, a comparison that shows the essence of wine is as pure as human spirit. In Li Chen’s quest for spiritual freedom, the half-drunken state of ecstasy is the closest to one being unbounded by reality, similar to the unfettered attitude of this work. In “To the tune of Xijiangyue (moon over the west river)” written by Chinese poet Xin Qiji from the Song Dynasty, the subject, in his drunkenness, mistakenly recognized a pine tree as his friend and asked “How do you like it this way?” Even so, he insisted not to be helped when walking. In the journey of life, freedom inevitably comes with loneliness.

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Li Chen (b.1963) Nothing in the Heart bronze 80 x 60 x 84 cm edition of 8 Executed in 2005 1963 80 x 60 x 84 cm 8 2005

Nothin g in the Heart is in relation to Clear Soul of 2002, and continuation of Noumenon Of Contrast of 2004; these three works are filled with transcendental senses of clarity, purity, and innocence. Clear Soul is figuratively speaking for a place without worries which could only be attained if people keep a mind as pure as that of a new born baby before they are able to become careless and lie down on the crystal clear water. The Noumenon Of Contrast responds to it as an echo, calling forth the dual forgetfulness which permits one to escape the limits of material r eality and corporeality as anchors to the frightful soul, revealing the endless sea of consciousness as ever closer to our humanism. The unadulterated mind in Nothing in the Heart was inspired by Li Chen’s personal experience. Having traveled through the Central Cross-Island Highway in Taiwan, Li Chen witnessed the magnificent scenes of Tienhsiang and Taroko, and bathed in cold or hot spring in torrential valleys; the artist was profoundly impressed by the precipitous terrain as cliff on both sides connected at the bottom to form a deep gorge. He raised his head to see the majestic mountain peaks amidst clouds, withdrew his eyes to gaze at the shimmering undercurrent, while a heavy mist turned surroundings into a bottomless abyss, just like where our heart is kept hidden. The person from the artwork traverses between the faintly discernible mist and cloud of Taroko, oblivious of oneself, with hands and toes dip into chilly water. The artist has successfully revealed a refreshing touch of cool water, and full aesthetic expression through resonating tranquil sleep with glistening light. In terms of this inimitable sculptural achievement, Li Chen has managed to capture the flow of water in its utter absence, and reflection, the solid and liquid in mutual contrast, as the perfect synergistic harmony of the noumemon of reality and phenomenon of virtuality.

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Li Chen (b. 1963) Avalokitesvara bronze 18 x 20 x 79 cm edition of 30 Executed in 1994 1963 18 x 20 x 79 cm 30 1994

Li Chen (b. 1963) Fire Master bronze 39 x 27 x 88.5 cm Edition of 8 Executed in 2010 1963 39 x 27 x 88.5 cm 8 2010

Fire Master is a work within Li Chen’s The Beacon series. On works in the series, the artist himself comments: “Behind the Beacon is a ceremonial process; its essence lies in ‘Yinze’—the full or diminishing glory of the sun and the moon.” The character of this sculpture is comfortably leaning against the cloud; his expression shows calmness and serenity, a picture of an enlightened master playing with fire in front of his chest. The shape of the character's mouth resembles that of a water chestnut, revealing Li Chen’s tendency for humour and playfulness. Suiren, a figure in Chinese legend, is associated with fire, which is a fundamental aspect of civilisation once mankind learnt to handle it. The flame at the center of the sculpture may therefore symbolize the origin of life: warm, mysterious, yet also very fragile that needs to be treated with great care. Fire is a necessity in our lives and symbolises spir itual guidance too. The interaction of people and fire is replete with warmth, security, knowledge and happiness and as such the significance of fire for mankind is unbroken. The dancing flames of the sculpture seem infused with spirituality and vitality, an atmosphere that is infused with an endless cycle of life.

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Li Chen (b. 1963) Entering the World bronze 23.5 x 23.5 x 50 cm edition of 30 Executed in 2007 1963 23.5 x 23.5 x 50 cm 30 2007

“Entering the World” (2007) explores the meaning of life, asking such questions as “Why are we here?” and “Why do we die?” Li Chen uses Buddha to allude to the fact that reincarnation is cosmic physics, that the variables of life and death that play such an important role in our lives and all worldly phenomena are determined by fate. In contrast to the serious and gentle disposition of the Bodhisattva, Li Chen purposefully highlights the importance of “entering the world and existing.” Although life continues throughout the universe, birth has its own unique value, which is why an innocent child represents the highest plane of human pursuit. In this work, the child is also golden in color, emphasizing the beauty of that perfect state of being. As the playful baby waves its arms and legs around in the embrace of the solemn Bodhisattva, the two present an intriguing contrast of “fate” and “the entering to the world.”

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Li Chen (b. 1963) Entering the World bronze 23.5 x 23.5 x 50 cm edition of 30 Executed in 2007 1963 23.5 x 23.5 x 50 cm 30 2007

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CLASSIC ⁄ CONTEMPORARY AN INDELIBLE CHINESE AESTHETICS

Chua Ek Kay and Tan Oe Pang belong to a generation of contemporary ink artists from Singapore born and raised in the post-war years who experienced the rapid economic and geographical transformation of Singapore all through the 1960s-1980s. Chua Ek Kay is best known for his Lotus Pond Series and Shophouse Series. In the Lotus Pond Series, Chua Ek Kay renders the impression and essence of the lotus flowers with quick, truncated calligraphic strokes-essentially becoming a Chinese ink painting. In Shophouse Series, the artist captures the nostalgic beauty of Singapore and infusing it with a meditative, impressionistic quality. Lauded for his daring use of ink and exaggerated compositions, Tan Oe Pang has established himself as one of the most innovative practitioners in contemporary ink painting today. Trained under the tutelage of influential ink artist, Fan Chang Tien, Tan quickly went on to develop his own artistic voice in a pursuit to revolutionise traditions in art making. Known for the portrayal of urban subjects using Chinese ink, Tan’s trademark ‘ ’ (hai pai) style reveals his unique expression in the medium.

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Chua Ek Kay (1947 - 2008 ) Lotus Pond Series : Morning Reflection stamped with a seal of the artist (lower right) ink and colour pigment on paper 132 x 66.5 cm Painted in 2005 (1947 - 2008 ) 132 x 66.5 cm 2005

Capturing essence and atmosphere simultanously, Chua Ek Kayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lotus Pond Series: Morning Reflection and The Eternity of our Singapore are two spir ited and adroitly executed renditions of the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s twin definitive painting subject matters in the modern freehand ( ) style. Emotion evoked, memory stirred and imagination aroused, Chua Ek Kay places a distinctive personal stamp on contemporary ink art.

Chua Ek Kay (1947-2008) The Eternity of our Singapore stamped with a seal of the artist (lower right) ink and colour pigment on paper 56 x 53 cm

(1947 - 2008 ) 56 x 53 cm

Tan Oe Pang (b. 1947) The Force of the Cosmos stamped with a seal of the artist (upper left), signed in Chinese and stamped with a seal of the artist (lower right) ink and colour pigment on paper 53 x 234 cm Painted in 2001 ( 53 x 234 cm 2001

1947)

Tan Oe Pangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Force of the Cosmos is a highly distinctive, almost idiosyncractic articulation of cosmic energies in flux, giving visualisation to notions of birth, passing and rebirth. Yet in essence, the contemporary gestures of playful, bold brushstrokes and application of unusual vivid colours is an assured and beguiling tribute to the expressionistic tendency of classical Chinese ink painting.