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Lot Essay
In the pursuit of an endless refinement of skill, Singaporean artist Cheong Soo Pieng produced some of his most elegant and compelling works towards the later part of his artistic career. By then an established artist who was receiving commissions from private and public collections as well as invitations to show his work in exhibitions overseas, Cheong was able to confidently and fully realize his iconic stylization of the Southeast Asian female figure. Intended for exhibition in Taiwan, Dancers in Bali comes from a series of works intended to introduce to an external viewer the beauty, grace, and unique qualities of the peoples of Southeast Asia made relatable through the distinctive Nanyang school that assimilated the very best of Western and Eastern artistic styles.
Cheong was born in Xiamen, China in 1917, and received formal art education in traditional Chinese ink painting at the Xiamen Academy of Fine Arts. He later attended the Xin Hua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai where he was exposed to modern Western artistic styles such as Abstraction, Cubism and Surrealism. It was not until his arrival in Singapore in 1946 that Cheong began to freely experiment and develop his distinctive artistic identity that would continue to be evident across his foray into various modes of artistic expression.
In 1952, Cheong and his contemporaries Chen Wen Hsi, Liu Kang, and Chen Chong Swee travelled to Bali where they endeavored to discover the source of inspiration for the European painter-travelers that came before them. Following in the footsteps of artists such as Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur De Merprès and Rudolf Bonnet, the intrepid group of ethnic Chinese artists developed the Nanyang school of painting that sought to incorporate various techniques and styles in order to fully capture the rich variety of life and culture in Southeast Asia. Their efforts marked a departure from Euro-centric representations of Southeast Asia, and paved the way for a new vision of the region characterized by strong colour, fluid lines, and a deep empathy for the lived experience of their subjects. Of this initial group of pioneers, it was Cheong Soo Pieng who would go on to produce some of the most innovative and iconic works that establish him as the most important artists of his generation.
In Dancers in Bali, Cheong celebrates the harmonious communal relationships found in Southeast Asia through the compositional balance of the painting. The three figures are arranged in a dynamic relationship with one another as they turn towards each other as if in private conferment. The variation in their skin tones and differing intricacy of dress reference the racial and cultural distinctions found within Southeast Asia brought together here by Cheong to coexist seamlessly within a lush tropical landscape. Compared to other works from this period, the figures are depicted in a close perspective that allows for a detailed examination of their smooth complexions and delicate facial features drawn in assured calligraphic strokes. Whilst the majority of Cheong’s compositions in this later period tend to have his figures set within the same plane as the background, Dancers in Bali brings his figures confidently into the foreground.
Cheong’s works from the late 1970s to the early 1980s emanate a stillness and peace stemming from the harmony of his composition, his subtle and complementary palette, and the exquisite finesse of his brush. Dancers in Bali extols these characteristics as the foliage towards the left of the painting reveal a rawness and irregularity that complement the smooth unbroken lines that compose the female figures. The varying density of strokes in the background also suggest a blurring of perspective as the greenery shifts in and out of focus against the sharp clarity and vivacity of the figures.
The incredibly thin and fine weave of the canvas used in this artwork also sets it apart as one of the works intended for exhibition overseas in Taiwan, and has been documented in other works from this period. The light but hardy material enabled Cheong to produce works that appeared incredibly smooth and refined, similar to his works executed in silk but much less fragile and prone to damage during the transportation of the artwork overseas. This was Cheong at the height of his artistic career – having an unparalleled knowledge of the best materials through which to realize his artistic vision and imagination to the best physical effect. Cheong remained up till the end of his life, a tireless master of his craft, and Bali Dancers is a testament to the sensitivity and skill with which he used to render the ideal subjects and scenes in his mind into timeless encapsulations of the spirit of Southeast Asia.
Cheong was born in Xiamen, China in 1917, and received formal art education in traditional Chinese ink painting at the Xiamen Academy of Fine Arts. He later attended the Xin Hua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai where he was exposed to modern Western artistic styles such as Abstraction, Cubism and Surrealism. It was not until his arrival in Singapore in 1946 that Cheong began to freely experiment and develop his distinctive artistic identity that would continue to be evident across his foray into various modes of artistic expression.
In 1952, Cheong and his contemporaries Chen Wen Hsi, Liu Kang, and Chen Chong Swee travelled to Bali where they endeavored to discover the source of inspiration for the European painter-travelers that came before them. Following in the footsteps of artists such as Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur De Merprès and Rudolf Bonnet, the intrepid group of ethnic Chinese artists developed the Nanyang school of painting that sought to incorporate various techniques and styles in order to fully capture the rich variety of life and culture in Southeast Asia. Their efforts marked a departure from Euro-centric representations of Southeast Asia, and paved the way for a new vision of the region characterized by strong colour, fluid lines, and a deep empathy for the lived experience of their subjects. Of this initial group of pioneers, it was Cheong Soo Pieng who would go on to produce some of the most innovative and iconic works that establish him as the most important artists of his generation.
In Dancers in Bali, Cheong celebrates the harmonious communal relationships found in Southeast Asia through the compositional balance of the painting. The three figures are arranged in a dynamic relationship with one another as they turn towards each other as if in private conferment. The variation in their skin tones and differing intricacy of dress reference the racial and cultural distinctions found within Southeast Asia brought together here by Cheong to coexist seamlessly within a lush tropical landscape. Compared to other works from this period, the figures are depicted in a close perspective that allows for a detailed examination of their smooth complexions and delicate facial features drawn in assured calligraphic strokes. Whilst the majority of Cheong’s compositions in this later period tend to have his figures set within the same plane as the background, Dancers in Bali brings his figures confidently into the foreground.
Cheong’s works from the late 1970s to the early 1980s emanate a stillness and peace stemming from the harmony of his composition, his subtle and complementary palette, and the exquisite finesse of his brush. Dancers in Bali extols these characteristics as the foliage towards the left of the painting reveal a rawness and irregularity that complement the smooth unbroken lines that compose the female figures. The varying density of strokes in the background also suggest a blurring of perspective as the greenery shifts in and out of focus against the sharp clarity and vivacity of the figures.
The incredibly thin and fine weave of the canvas used in this artwork also sets it apart as one of the works intended for exhibition overseas in Taiwan, and has been documented in other works from this period. The light but hardy material enabled Cheong to produce works that appeared incredibly smooth and refined, similar to his works executed in silk but much less fragile and prone to damage during the transportation of the artwork overseas. This was Cheong at the height of his artistic career – having an unparalleled knowledge of the best materials through which to realize his artistic vision and imagination to the best physical effect. Cheong remained up till the end of his life, a tireless master of his craft, and Bali Dancers is a testament to the sensitivity and skill with which he used to render the ideal subjects and scenes in his mind into timeless encapsulations of the spirit of Southeast Asia.