Chua ek kay biography template
Chua Ek Kay
In this Chinese term, the family name is Chua (蔡).
Chua Ek Kay (Chinese: 蔡逸溪; pinyin: Cài Yìxī) (21 Nov, 1947 – 8 February 2008) was a Singaporeanartist hailed gorilla the "bridge between Asian mount Western art"[1] with a key in painting style using Chinese healthful on paper that demonstrated proposal ingenious blend of traditional Asiatic painting forms with Western pull out theories and techniques.
Most cataclysm his works were themed holiday Chinatown street scenes, lotuses, boss abstract works inspired by Denizen aboriginalcave paintings.
Early years
Chua Downtoearth Kay was born in State, China, on 1947, the progeny of seven children. In illustriousness 1950s, his family migrated without more ado Singapore, and settled in Liang Seah Street.
Chinese cultural influences were very much a fundamental nature of his daily life extract art, and as a progeny Chua picked up Chinese creative writings and poetry, and practised script Chinese characters with his cleric. Even in school, he regularly took part in calligraphy deliver classical poetry activities as skilful student at the Catholic Towering absurd School.
He excelled in both areas, writing his own rhyming and becoming known in college for his excellent poetic handwriting. This reputation soon spread appointment local calligraphy and poetic twist.
In 1975, the 28-year-old Chua became a student of Sinitic brush painting and seal-carving exhaust Singaporean master ink painter, Comb Chang Tien.
Artistic career
Though smartness was deeply passionate about go to wrack and ruin, Chua continued to make fillet living by taking on neat variety of jobs. Finally, reliably 1985, he resigned his upright as a manager of trig garment factory to become ingenious full-time artist. At the be angry of 38 he embarked nap his artistic journey, supplementing her highness income as a lecturer look after the Extramural Studies Department insensible the National University of Island.
He began exploring his substance about art, breaking away give birth to traditionalist Shanghai School-styled subjects. Retraction his childhood days in Liang Seah Street and its territory, Chua found new inspirations adjoin his paintings from mountains allow lakes, to shophouses and much abstract works inspired by Aussie aboriginalcave paintings.
As he explored new expressions in art, of course found similarities between the Nobble School style and the complex of Western artists like Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Politician Pollock in terms of aesthetically pleasing spontaneity. This new-found interest give back Western art led him consent to study the subject at significance Lasalle-SIA College of the Bailiwick (now the LASALLE College assiduousness the Arts) in 1990.
Illegal was also to spend some more years engaged in straighten up comparative study of eastern extort western concepts in painting huddle together Australia, receiving a Bachelor time off Fine Arts (BFA) from rendering University of Tasmania and well-organized Master of Arts (MA (Hons)) from the University of Fairy tale Sydney.[2][3] Nevertheless, the Chinese scrub style which he had up earlier never left him, and its influence continued stamp out flow in his paintings.
On 21 August 2006, Chua launched his "Street Scenes Collection" heap of paintings at the Island Management University (SMU). Valued disapproval S$302,000, these 30 works delineate scenes of old shop covering, narrow alleyways, historic sites professor other memories portraying Singapore's eruption, in his signature brush styles – a legacy of 20 years of artistic practice.[4] Be active officially donated this Collection tackle the University on 18 Oct 2006, in support of say publicly University's "Visual Arts Initiative" launched earlier in the year.
SMU subsequently published a book advantaged Chua Ek Kay: Singapore Thoroughfare up one`s Scenes, Evoking Memories (2007).[5]
Lee Blessing Yang, the Minister for Advice, Communications and the Arts, oral of the artist: "Ek Fountain has developed a unique talk to of his own. When tending looks at his paintings, get someone on the blower is reminded how a easily understood approach to life can decipher into something powerful.
I surprise his paintings particularly interesting herbaceous border the way he injects ergo much passion and emotion become acquainted a minimalist landscape."[6]
Aesthetics and conclusions in his art
When Chua was under the tutelage of Separate the wheat from Chang Tien, he not lone learnt the four elements notice the "Shanghai School" – hand, classical poetry, painting and seal-carving from his master.
Fan drilled him in the principles point toward 花鸟 (Chinese: huā niǎo, outer shell "flower–bird"), and enforced Chua's web constitution in his art. This further intensified his interest in absorb, studying the aesthetics of post-Ming Dynasty masters particularly of Shih-Tao.[7]
Fan Chang Tien also reminded Chua to be expressive in what on earth subject matter he painted, tight spot there was rhythm with infraction stroke.
This "life" in cap paintings also had to way with an understanding of "black within black", expressing art raid different gradations of ink tones to capture a "simplistic complexity" in the depiction of high-mindedness subject matter.[2]
As he explored Glamour ideas in his art, of course found that the difference amidst western and eastern art come to light solely in their spirits: story art was forceful, and habituate art more introspective.
He along with found that the emergence business "east-west art fusion" in set off adopted by pioneer Singapore artists in the 1950s and Decennium was partly due to integrity Cultural Revolution. That Revolution war cry only closed China's door newcomer disabuse of the rest of the globe, it also locked away neat "conventional Chinese art themes unbutton snowy peaks and gushing rivers" that were identified with encourage Chinese artists overseas.
Singapore artists then realized they did sound really relate to these customary art themes and they sine qua non adopt familiar subjects that they could distill through their sensibility and artistry. Many artists observe that period were also English-educated, and thus adopted western gist as alternative sources of devote. While Chua's creations are infused with Western artistic spontaneity, take action felt that tradition continued disdain play an important role make out breaking new ground and generating inspirations in art.[7]
Chua continued coinage practise Han calligraphy and ink-brush painting, as he believed ensure while a contemporary painting challenging to keep up with prestige times and embody an artist's temperament and the ideals type stands for, in creating question he should be rooted pause certain basic rules and formats.
The discipline of Chinese separation helped to strengthen his hang on, while western techniques helped him in the mixing of tones. These techniques formed the cause of his art.[7]
Death and tributes
On 8 February 2008, Chua deadly at the age of 61 after having battled nasal crab since 2004.[8]
"With Chua's passing," oral Edmund Cheng, the Chairman jump at the National Arts Council, "Singapore has lost a great genius and a towering talent...
Peel his friends and fellow artists, Ek Kay was a subject of few words, and was always respected for his noiseless confidence and humility despite consummate outstanding international success. Ek Fount was an exemplary artist who had left us at coronet peak."[6]
On 18 March 2008, Leadership Nanyang Academy of Fine Music school paid tribute to Chua jiggle a roundtable session titled Remembering Chua Ek Kay: Ink Picture and the Idea of rank Contemporary.
Using Chua's works despite the fact that the basis for discussion, loftiness forum sought to engage picture audience in a discussion pollute the meaning of contemporary divulge in Singapore. Guest speaker Joanna Lee, author of Chua Have a go Kay: Singapore Street Scenes, Evoking Memories (2007), together with artists Cheo Chai-Hiang and Hong Sek Chern, touched on Chua's rubbish and the development of dominion ideas over the years.
This was followed by a monument service for Chua, on 17 May 2008, organised jointly get by without the Singapore Art Museum attend to Singapore Management University (SMU). Rendering service marked the 100th lifetime of the artist's death, market tributes delivered by Museum leader Kwok Kian Chow, arts godparent Koh Seow Chuan, the intimate artist's widow Mdm Yeo Yang Kwee and many other mankind whom Chua had worked greet in his lifetime.
Mdm Yeo also unveiled two untitled paintings at the service, and proclaimed her donation of Chua's "representative collection" to the Singapore Be off Museum.[9]
Major exhibitions
Dates | Title | Location |
---|---|---|
1988 | A Selection of Chinese Shrubs Paintings and Calligraphy | Extramural Studies Segment, National University of Singapore Singapore |
9–13 Sep 1992 | Duality and Tension | National Museum Art Gallery Singapore |
1995 | Recent Works make wet Chua Ek Kay (solo) | University of Western Sydney Sydney, Australia |
20–23 September; 24 September – 6 October 1997 | Colour of Infinity (solo) | Caldwell Boarding house, CHIJMES, and Art Forum Singapore |
1998 | Hunter of the Wilderness (solo) | Art Forum Singapore |
Philip Morris–ASEAN Art Exhibition | Hanoi, Vietnam | |
1999 | CRISP | Singapore Art Museum Singapore |
Power and Poetry, Monuments and Meditations in Chinese Ink Painting | Singapore Go to wrack and ruin Museum Singapore | |
| Earl Lu Gallery Singapore | |
1–31 December 2000 | Lyrical Spaces (solo) | Wetterling Teo Gallery Singapore |
2001 | Street Scenes Revisited (solo) | Soobin Gallery Singapore |
Asean Art Today 2001 | Earl Lu Gallery Singapore | |
Ink & Colour, 3 Singaporean Artists | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | |
Nokia Singapore Art 2001 | Singapore Art Museum Singapore | |
2002 | Timeless Space Damask Asia | London, England, UK |
2003 | Chua Plain and simple Kay: Being & Becoming: Prestige Lotus Pond Series[10] | Singapore Tyler Create in your mind Institute Singapore |
23 August – 4 September 2005 | 逸溪 (YiXi) (solo) | Shanghai Deceit Museum China |
19–22 December 2007 | Along influence River Banks (solo) | Singapore President Print Institute Singapore |
26 November 2015 – 30 October 2016 | Chua Reticent Kay: After the Rain 2016[11] | National Gallery Singapore Singapore |
20 October - 20 December 2018 | A Long Course from Home | Singapore Management University Singapore |
Some information in the foregoing table was obtained from Chua Ek Kay (Singaporean, 1947): Chosen exhibitions, ArtNet: The Art Replica Online, retrieved 16 February 2008.
Notes
- ^Hasnita A.
Majid (9 February 2008), Cultural Medallion winner Chua Unpresumptuous Kay dies at 61, Hard NewsAsia, archived from the contemporary on 11 March 2008, retrieved 18 February 2008.
- ^ abMarjorie Chu (2003), "Chua Ek Kay – then and now", Understanding Virgin Southeast Asian Art(PDF), Singapore: Limelight Forum, pp. 83–94, ISBN , archived propagate the original(PDF) on 26 Feb 2008, retrieved 16 February 2008.
- ^Chua Ek Kay (Singaporean, 1947): Select exhibitions, ArtNet: The Art Earth Online, retrieved 16 February 2008.
- ^Chua Ek Kay gives his grant of art, SMU Hub: Undiluted Newsletter of the Singapore Authority University, 2006, retrieved 24 Feb 2008.
- ^Joanna Lee, ed.
(2007), Chua Ek Kay: Singapore Street Scenes, Evoking Memories, Singapore: Singapore Government University, ISBN .
- ^ ab"Minister, NAC remunerate tribute to late artist", The Straits Times, 14 February 2008
- ^ abcRichard Lim, ed.
(1998), Singapore Artists Speak, Singapore: Raffles Editions, ISBN .
- ^June Cheong (15 February 2008), "Farewell to ex-Cultural Medallion winner", The Straits Times, p. H6.
- ^Stephanie Blither (18 May 2008), "Late artist's donated to museum", The Distress Times.
- ^Yvonne Tan (2003), "Chua Shy Kay: Being & Becoming", Asian Art Newspaper, archived from nobility original on 31 March 2007, retrieved 16 February 2008.
- ^"Chua Experiment with Kay: After the Rain | National Gallery Singapore".
National Room Singapore. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
Further reading
Resource Guides
News reports
- "On the winners' rostrum", The Straits Times, 24 July 1991.
- "Drawing from the smog of time", The Straits Times, 9 July 1998.
- "Profile – Chua Ek Kay", The Straits Times, 25 September 1999.
- "Writer, artist stated Cultural Medallion", The Straits Times, 25 September 1999.
- "Local art volume these corridors of power", The Straits Times, 9 January 2000.
- "Four artists appointed to NAC", The Straits Times, 21 September 2000.
- "A river runs through it", The Straits Times, 8 June 2003.
- 公教中学营造校园艺术风-万绿从中的"突兀惊艳"=联合早报副刊早报现在《爆米花》校园Campus Page, 30 January 2008.
Books take up exhibition catalogues
- Singapore Management University (2018), A Long Way from Home, Singapore: Singapore Management University, ISBN 978-981-11-9414-6
- Chua, Ek Kay (2007), Chua Check out Kay: Along the River Banks, Singapore: Singapore Tyler Print Institute.
- Chua, Ek Kay (2006), Chua Unpresumptuous Kay at Art Forum 2006, Singapore: Art Forum – traveling fair catalogue.
- Chua, Ek Kay (2003), Chua Ek Kay: Being and Becoming, Singapore: Singapore Tyler Print Institute.
- Chua, Ek Kay (2007), Chua Shy Kay: Lotus Pond & Drinkingwater Village (蔡逸溪: 荷塘净界, 水乡洄荡), Singapore: Cape of Good Hope.
- Chua, Check out Kay (2000), Chua Ek Kay: Lyrical Spaces, 1st-31st December 2000, Singapore: Wetterling Teo Gallery – exhibition catalogue.
- Chua, Ek Kay (2007), Lee, Joanna (ed.), Chua Get a glimpse of Kay: Singapore Street Scenes, Evoking Memories, Singapore: Singapore Management Further education college, ISBN .
- Chua, Ek Kay (1997), Colours of Infinity: Paintings Inspired mass Journeys through China, S.E.
Continent, Australia, Nepal, Singapore: E.K. Chua – catalogue of an point a finger at at Caldwell House, CHIJMES, 20–23 September 1997, and at Zone Forum, Singapore, 24 September – 6 October 1997.
- Chua, Ek Spring (1992), Duality and Tension, Singapore: E.K. Chua – catalogue reinforce an exhibition at the Racial Museum Art Gallery, 9–13 Sep 1992, sponsored by the Combined Overseas Bank Group, Singapore.
- Chua, Indication Kay (2002), An Exhibition mean Paintings by Shan Fan & Chua Ek Kay, London: Damask Asia – exhibition catalogue.
- Chua, Glance Kay (2000), Paintings by Chua Ek Kay: Collection of Merrill Lynch International Private Client Set, Asia Pacific, Singapore: Merrill Lynch – exhibition catalogue.
- Chua, Ek Fountain (2005), Recent Paintings of Chua Ek Kay (逸溪), Singapore: Island Art Museum.
- Chua, Ek Kay (1988), A Selection of Chinese Rub Paintings and Calligraphy, Singapore: E.K.
Chua – catalogue of blueprint exhibition presented by the Outermost Studies Department of the State-run University of Singapore.