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Lot Essay
Born in Hangzhou, China, Chu Teh-chun left for Paris in 1955 to further explore the discourse of abstract art. After years of immersing himself in the Parisian art scene, his painting style gradually shifted from figurative to abstraction, and his visual vocabulary expanded into a highly individualized language. His virtuosic painterly skills enabled him to express the potentiality of the oil medium, the alacrity of calligraphy, and the immateriality in Chinese ink painting. Completed in 1972, Untitled (Lot 2) is a consummate abstract work that embodies this soul of the Chinese culture.
Since the 1970s Chu Teh-chun had progressively evolved away from the structure of Chinese mountain-water painting. His new technique is at times vigorous and bold, other times delicate and fine. The brushstrokes draw the viewer into the picture with the rhythm of calligraphy. The intensity reaches a crescendo when torrents of colour collide in the centre of the canvas. The sophisticated layering of paint and rhythmic flow in the composition creates fluidity and harmony. As the gestures in the foreground echo the shapes in the negative space in the painting, the spirit emanates from the form of the entire composition. With such vigorous movement, Chu Teh-chun's painting captivates and transcends the viewer beyond the materiality of the canvas into the sublime.
In the painting Untitled, the drama between the translucent washes and the dynamic dry brush strokes creates a vast and fluid space that allows the viewer to be lost between powerful emotions and abstract subconscious thoughts. This perfect marriage between spirituality and technique blossoms in the painting. The serenity of the East collides with the magnificence of Western abstraction. Its energy reaches a criticality that the outer glamour implodes on itself creating visual impact. Born out of this supernova is the vibrant energy that is the signature visual language of Chu Teh-chun.
Since the 1970s Chu Teh-chun had progressively evolved away from the structure of Chinese mountain-water painting. His new technique is at times vigorous and bold, other times delicate and fine. The brushstrokes draw the viewer into the picture with the rhythm of calligraphy. The intensity reaches a crescendo when torrents of colour collide in the centre of the canvas. The sophisticated layering of paint and rhythmic flow in the composition creates fluidity and harmony. As the gestures in the foreground echo the shapes in the negative space in the painting, the spirit emanates from the form of the entire composition. With such vigorous movement, Chu Teh-chun's painting captivates and transcends the viewer beyond the materiality of the canvas into the sublime.
In the painting Untitled, the drama between the translucent washes and the dynamic dry brush strokes creates a vast and fluid space that allows the viewer to be lost between powerful emotions and abstract subconscious thoughts. This perfect marriage between spirituality and technique blossoms in the painting. The serenity of the East collides with the magnificence of Western abstraction. Its energy reaches a criticality that the outer glamour implodes on itself creating visual impact. Born out of this supernova is the vibrant energy that is the signature visual language of Chu Teh-chun.