Influence of the Shanghai School of Painting - Asia Art Collective by Asia Art Collective

Influence of the Shanghai School of Painting in Singapore 海派传承于狮城

10 January 2015 - 28 January 2015 The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore

Wu Changshuo 吴昌硕 (1844–1927)

Exhibition Opening: 10 January 2015 3pm, East Garden Foyer gallery Level 1, The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square, S049178

Wang Geyi 王个簃 (1897–1988)

Wang Yiting 王一亭 (1867–1938)

Zhu Wenyun 诸闻韵 (1895–1939)

Fan Chang Tien 范昌乾 (1907–1987)

Influence of the Shanghai School of Painting in Singapore Date: 10 January 2015 (Saturday) 3pm Exhibition opening ceremony by Guest-of-Honour Mr Choo Thiam Siew CEO of Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre 3:30pm Tea Reception 4pm-4:50pm Discussion Forum ‘Influence of the Shanghai School of Painting in Singapore’ Venue: East Garden Foyer and Heritage galleries Level 1, The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square Singapore 049178 Kindly RSVP your attendance via email: info@asiaartcollective.com or call us at: 6733 2155 The exhibition will run daily from 11am to 8pm at The Fullerton Hotel East Garden Foyer and Heritage galleries from 10 - 28 January 2015.

《海派传承于狮城》展览开幕仪式日期：

2015年1月10日（星期六）下午3点开幕仪式与茶点招待开幕嘉宾：朱添寿先生新加坡华族文化中心总裁下午4点至4点50分《海派传承于狮城》论坛

地点：浮尔顿酒店一楼展厅(East Garden Foyer Gallery)

The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square Singapore 049178 请您RSVP回复确认出席至邮件：info@asiaartcollective.com 或电话：6733 2155 《海派传承于狮城》展览将从2015年1月10日至1月28日举行，每日从早上11点至晚上8点开放。

Foreword Asia Art Collective proudly presents “Influence of the Shanghai School of painting in Singapore”. This extensive exhibition covers the grandmaster of the new Shanghai School (Haipai) Wu Changshuo, to the Haipai masters Wang Geyi, Wang Yiting and Fan Chang Tien, the emigrant artist who carried the tradition to Singapore; and finally the Singaporean disciples of the Shanghai School: Ling Cher Eng (1940-1995), Nai Swee Leng, Lim Kay Hiong, Chua Ek Kay (1947-2008), Tan Oe Pang, Lee Soo Chee, Wong Pik Wan, Tan Siow Aik, Low Eng and others. This showcase will allow art lovers in Singapore to understand more about the tradition of Chinese ink painting as seen in the Shanghai School tradition, and the methodology and spirit of the paintings. The Shanghai School (known as Haipai, or Haishanghuapai), is an art movement in modern Chinese history, with a large number of adherents and an extensive following and influence. The Shanghai School transformed the age-old Literati tradition of Chinese painting and calligraphy by adding to it its own characteristics and flavour of the times, creating an art style which is both expressive and yet retaining of certain regional characteristics.

A picture taken at Fan Chang Tien’s residence, on the occasion of Wang Geyi’s visit in Singapore, 1985. When Wang saw works by Fan’s students, he remarked that the Wu Changshuo ‘discipleship’ had been very successful in Singapore, and he credited this success to Fan’s teachings. Top row, left to right: Chuan Keng Boon, Teresa Yao, Tan Siow Aik, Chua Ek Kay, Fan Chang Tien, Wang Gong Zhu, Fu Yao Ming, Mdm Heng Siew Leng. Bottom row, left to right: Lee Soo Chee, Wong Yean-yean, Wong Pik Wan, Wang Geyi. 1

Wu Changshuo (1844-1927) was an outstanding Chinese modern master of the Haipai movement, and was considered along with Qi Baishi, Huang Binhong and Pan Tianshou, as one of the “Four great traditional masters of the twentieth century”. At 22, he passed the imperial exams to become an official, studied verse and calligraphy, and started painting when he was around 30 years of age. From the subject matter, to the pictorial composition, selection of ink and colours, down to the calligraphy and inscriptions, Wu Changshuo’s works bear the result of much careful thought and reflection, bearing the idea and spirit of the work deeply in his heart before putting it down on paper. Many of his works contain poetic verses, embedding the meaning and the artist’s thoughts in the picture. This perfect integration of verse, painting and calligraphy was a great influence to his contemporaries and followers, with his most promising and favoured student being Wang Geyi. Wang Geyi (1896-1988) started out as a young disciple of Wu Changshuo, later becoming his favourite pupil in Wu’s later years. The style of Wang Geyi possesses characteristics of his master’s style: a bold, deliberate awkwardness, large in spirit and character. But beyond these, his style also developed further than his master, seen in his especially fine paintings of birds and flowers; bold and unrestrained, flowing naturally but forcefully, and yet retaining freshness and clarity of expression. In the 1920s, Wang Geyi taught art in Shanghai, with Fan Chang Tien as one of his innumerable students. Wang Yiting (1867-1938), a legend of the Shanghai School, was a devout Buddhist and a famous householder in Shanghai. A proficient artist as well as a successful businessman-banker, Wang Yiting furthered the reputation of the Shanghai School through his own art and his business dealings, further increasing the stature of the movement to its golden age. The influence of Wu Changshuo can be seen in Wang Yiting’s works, as Wang greatly admired Wu’s talents in painting, calligraphy and poetry. Fan Chang Tien (1907-1987), who hails from Jieying prefecture, Guangdong province of China, studied under the Shanghai masters Wang Geyi, Wang Yiting, Pan Tianshou, Zhu Wenyun and others. At the time when Fan entered the Shanghai Changming Academy of Art in 1929, Wang Yiting was serving as the academy’s Honorary Principal, and Wang Geyi as the head of the Chinese painting department. When Fan came to Singapore in the 1950s, he continued the tradition of the Shanghai School, further elaborating the style in his excellent work, the themes of landscape, birds and flowers, and especially the bamboo and orchid–which earned him the reputation as the “Bamboo King” (Zhuwang) in Southeast Asia. It can be said that Fan Chang Tien is truly a successor of the Shanghai School. Many students sought tutelage under him, including Tan Siow Aik, Ling Cher Eng, Nai Swee Leng, Lim Kay Hiong and Tan Oe Pang in the 1960s; Lee Soo Chee, Huang Biyun, Chua Ek Kay, Low Eng and Chen Kezhan in the 1970s. With the many students under Fan’s mentorship and guidance, and the flourishing and individual styles which they have developed, it can truly be said that Fan Chang Tien has carried on the tradition and contributed greatly to both the tradition of the Shanghai School of painting and the practice of Chinese ink painting in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The true tradition of the Shanghai School as passed down unreservedly by Fan Chang Tien to his students, and how these students have taken the tradition and given it due diligence, hardwork and adding to it their individual characteristics, and from the new students under them–all these have ensured that the discipleship and tradition of the Shanghai School continues to live on, generation after generation, demonstrating the continuity and self-renewing tradition of Chinese painting.

Asia Art Collective

前言海派传承于狮城 Asia Art Collective 隆重呈现《海派传承于狮城》展览，展出有新海派大宗师吴昌硕、海派大师王个簃、王一亭、海派传承园丁范昌乾、及海派狮城弟子林子影（1940-1995）、赖瑞龙、林家雄、蔡逸溪（1947-2008）、陈有炳、李淑芝、黄碧云

、陈绍易、刘恽等作品。目的是让狮城艺术爱好者更了解中华水墨海派传

承与绘画技法及绘画精神。海派即海上画派，是中国近代美术史上最具影响力的画派，阵容浩大，名家众多，他们将传统文人画的笔墨情趣变革具有时代气息和精神内涵的艺术创造，形成一股区域性的美术潮流。吴昌硕（1844-1927年），中国近代海派杰出大师，与齐白石、黄宾虹、潘天寿合称“二十世纪传统四大家”。吴昌硕22岁考中秀才，学习诗词文字，30多岁开始习画。吴昌硕作品从绘画题材、构图布局、笔墨设色、落款铃印无不经过仔细推敲，成竹在胸，“笔到意随”。许多作品还留下诗句来衬托画的内容，寄托他的思想感情，所以吴昌硕诗书画印的完美结合堪称一绝，对近代画坛影响极大。吴昌硕最得意弟子是王个移。王个簃（1896- 1988年）青年时拜吴昌硕为师，成为吴昌硕晚年得意门生。王个移的绘画风格一如其师，具有重、拙、大的特点，而又有所发展，尤精花鸟，奔放如行云流水，亦清新有致。二十年代王个移执教于上海艺专，弟子无数，范昌乾乃是弟子之一。王一亭（1867-1938年），海派传奇人物，他一生虔信佛教，为上海著名居士。他首先是一位书画家，又是一位大商人，他正是拥有如此的艺术才力、经济实力和活动能力，才使第二代海派书画具备了相当的底蕴、勃发的能量和雄迈的气魄，他是第一位把海派书画做到鼎盛的灵魂人物。王一亭钦佩吴昌硕诗文、书画之才艺并与之学习，通过王一亭作品可看出吴昌硕对王一亭的绘画影响很大。范昌乾（1907-1987年），广东揭阳人，1929年进入上海昌明艺术专科，师从王个簃、王一亭、潘天寿、诸闻韵等大师。当时学校名誉校长是王一亭，王个移为国画系主任。五十年代中范昌乾辗转来到新加坡，他继承了海派名师们的传统功力并加以发挥，精于山水、写意花鸟画，尤其兰竹画的最具特色，号称东南亚“竹王”之美名。范昌乾可谓海派写意画传统继承者。在新加坡当时有好多学生上门拜师学艺。60年代学生有陈绍易、林子影、赖瑞龙、林家雄、陈有炳等，70年代有李淑芝、黄碧云、蔡逸溪、刘恽、陈克湛等，正可谓桃李满天下,范昌乾在海派延续脉络上做出重大贡献。范昌乾把海派的绘画技法不加保留地传授给他的弟子们，他的弟子得到真传，如今都在新加坡画坛上都赫赫有名，这些弟子又在海派绘画基础上加以创新，各具特色，形成自己的风格。弟子们勤学苦练又在教学上下苦功夫，又教出一批批海派弟子，海派风格就这样一代一代地在新加坡传承下去。 Asia Art Collective

吴昌硕 WU CHANGSHUO (1844-1927)

Grandmaster of the Shanghai School of painting, considered as one of the “Four great traditional masters of the twentieth century”. Wu Changshuo (1844-1927) Apricot Blossoms, undated

王个簃 WANG GEYI (1897-1988)

Disciple of Wu Changshuo. Wang Geyi absorbed his master’s style, refining it further with his own characteristics. He was the teacher of Fan Chang Tien.

Wang Geyi (1897-1988) Wisteria, 1976

王一亭 WANG YITING (1867-1938)

Disciple of Wu Changshuo. An artist as well as a successful businessman-banker, Wang Yiting furthered the reputation of the Shanghai School. He served as Honorary Principal of the Shanghai Changming Academy of Art, at the time when Fan Chang Tien was studying there.

诸闻韵 ZHU WENYUN (1895-1939)

Disciple of Wu Changshuo. Zhu Wenyun was a professor at the Shanghai Art College, and head of the Chinese ink painting department.

Wang Yiting (1867-1938) Monk, 1924

Zhu Wenyun (1895-1939) Bamboo and rock, 1930

范昌乾 FAN CHANG TIEN (1907-1987)

范昌乾 FAN CHANG TIEN (1907-1987) Durians, Mangosteens and Rambutans 1970 Ink and colour on paper 84 x 35 cm

范昌乾 FAN CHANG TIEN (1907-1987) Sparrows and Plum Blossoms 1978 Ink and colour on paper 102 x 49.5 cm 6

(I)

(II)

(III)

(IV)

范昌乾 FAN CHANG TIEN (1907-1987) Landscape (I-IV) 1984 Ink and colour on paper 82.5 x 50.5 cm

Literature: Published in Fan Chang Tien (1907 - 1987) 范昌乾画册 on the occasion of Fan Chang Tien Retrospective Exhibition in 1989, National Museum, Singapore 7

林子影 LING CHER ENG (1940-1995) Blossoms, Bamboo and Rock 1993 Ink and colour on paper 136 x 68.5 cm

林子影 LING CHER ENG (1940-1995)

赖瑞龙 NAI SWEE LENG (b.1946) Winter Penguins 2012 Ink and colour on paper 68 x 68 cm

赖瑞龙 NAI SWEE LENG (b.1946)

陈绍易 TAN SIOW AIK (b.1948)

陈绍易 TAN SIOW AIK (b.1948) Landscape 2005 Ink and colour on paper 138.5 x 68 cm

陈绍易 TAN SIOW AIK (b.1948) Bumper Harvest 2011 Ink and colour on paper 90 x 71 cm

林家雄 LIM KAY HIONG (b.1947)

林家雄 LIM KAY HIONG (b.1947) Cat playing with thread 2013 Ink and colour on paper 68 x 68 cm

林家雄 LIM KAY HIONG (b.1947) A Basket of Treasures 2011 Ink and colour on paper 68 x 68 cm

陈有炳 TAN OE PANG (b.1947) Buddha and Lotus undated Ink and colour on paper 69 x 36 cm

陈有炳 TAN OE PANG (b.1947)

李淑芝 LEE SOO CHEE (b.1940) Landscape 2014 Ink and colour on paper 67.5 x 44 cm

李淑芝 LEE SOO CHEE (b.1940) Landscape 2014 Ink and colour on paper 138.5 x 69.5 cm

李淑芝 LEE SOO CHEE (b.1940)

刘恽 LOW ENG (b.1947)

刘恽 LOW ENG (b.1947) Lotus and fishes 1991 Ink and colour on paper 96 x 44.5 cm

蔡逸溪 CHUA EK KAY (1947-2008)

蔡逸溪 CHUA EK KAY (1947-2008) Landscape 1981 Ink and colour on paper 135 x 34 cm 15

黄碧云 WONG PIK WAN (b.1935) Lotus undated Ink and colour on paper 60 x 75 cm

黄碧云 WONG PIK WAN (b.1935)

Influence of the Shanghai School of Painting in Singapore 10 January 2015 - 28 January 2015 At The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore presented by:

Beneficiary

Asia Art Collective is an art gallery and consultancy specialised in representing emerging and established Singaporean and Chinese artists. We provide a range of art-related services including artwork commissioning and artwork dealing, sourcing and brokerage services for private and public collectors. We welcome both new and experienced collectors to discuss with us on your collecting interests and appraisal needs. Opening Hours: 11am - 7pm daily Gallery address: 19 Tanglin Road, #03-42 Tanglin Shopping Centre, Singapore 247909 Tel: 6733 2155 Email: info@asiaartcollective.com