Acrylic and ink on canvas

109 × 107 cm. 42 7/8 × 42 1/8 in.

Signed in English and Chinese, dated and located on upper right; signed and titled in English, and dated on the reverse

LITERATURE
1997, Chao Chung-Hsiang, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong, p. 6, plate no.5
EXHIBITED
17 Nov – 6 Dec 1997, The Art of Enlightened Pleasure, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

PROVENANCE
19 Oct 1997, Sotheby's Taipei Autumn Auction, Lot 127
Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
Private Collection, Asia
4 Apr 2011, Sotheby's Hong Kong Spring Auction, Lot 684
Acquired by present private important Asian collector from the above

Love in Shining Light, Paint in Ridescent Ink
Chao Chung-Hsiang's Artistic Conception Crossing East and West

Born in Henan Province in 1910, Chao Chung-Hsiang studied at Hangzhou National College of Art in 1935. He studied under master painter Lin Fengmian together with Zao Wou-Ki, Chu Teh-Chung, Wu Guanzhong and Shiy De-Jinn. Deeply influenced by his idea of “Integrate Chinese and Western art and create art of the times”, Chao Chun-Hsiang also established the ambition for the innovation of modern Chinese painting. In 1956, he received financial support from the Spanish government for further study. In 1958, he moved to America for more than 30 years. Inspired by American Abstract Expressionism, he boldly combined the rice paper and ink from the east and acrylic colour from the west to make a break-through to the tradition. At the same time, he also conveyed Oriental philosophy through simple and modern philosophy such as Yin and Yang and hexagram, creating a unique artistic vocabulary of Chinese and Western culture.

Recreation of Form and Meaning: The Appearance of Unique Canvas

Looking back at the end of the 1950s, at the time, New York was experiencing a vigorous wave of abstract expressionism, which had a great influence on Chao Chung-Hsiang, who had lived in the United States since 1958. After witnessing the success of his friend, Franz Kline, in drawing inspiration from Chinese calligraphy, he studied the traditional ink and took the essence of Chinese and Western art, then he combined them to invent a new style of abstract painting. In 1963, after his talent was recognized, Chao Chung-Hsiang was invited by the Guggenheim Museum of art in New York to participate in the international exhibition of abstract painting. The same year also resembles a new stage of his creation from early abstract creation to the combining form and meaning that interact with each other. Also, he integrated fluorescent acrylic into Chinese rice paper and ink to create a surprising effect. He held solo exhibitions in the Cantor Arts Center of Stanford University, the Contemporary Gallery in New York and Nila Gallery in Kansas.

In 1968, he was selected as the only eastern artist in the joint exhibition of “World Famous Modern Painters”. He exhibited together with Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and other famous artists, demonstrating his high recognized status.
Most of Chao Chung-Hsiang's works are based on rice paper, but the auction item this time, Masculine and Feminine, is a rare one that is on canvas. This artwork combined acrylic and ink colour and retained the layered features of ink through exquisite brushwork. Being unique in his life-long creation as well, this artwork can be regarded as an unparalleled example of the integration of the east and the west. These two works were first created in 1968 when his career took off. Later, in 1989, he revised them by brush and completed this artwork on cloth. It gathered his achievements over the past 20 years.

New Rhyme of East And West, A Rainbow Spectrum of Ink and Colour

The blending of ink and colour is an important part of Chao Chung-Hsiang's idea about the inner connection between form and colour, east and west. Masculine and Feminine introduces «Spectrum», a form of geometric colour expression derived from cubism. Taking the natural principle that rainbows are formed by light refraction, not only indicates the colourful characteristics of acrylic but also forms a strong visual connection with ink. Here, the rainbow turns into a mottled love nest built by both the male and female bird, symbolizing the brilliance of love witnessed by colourful scenery. Based on the seemingly rational Western configuration, the artwork expresses a strong emotion burst out from the soul and reappears the unique aesthetics of the combination of east and west.

At the top of the picture, one can see the acrylic ink splashing techniques developed by Chao Chung-Hsiang in his later years. Just as a spot of golden light, it guides the dripping style by filled brush. This technique, inspired by abstract expressionism and citing the Chinese ink splashing, is Chao Chung-Hsiang's most praised performing feature. In the sun-like yellow halo, the gorgeous orange acrylic colour flows slowly and stays on the black bamboo, following the outline of bamboo leaves. The colour reflects the love among the birds. Besides, the painting takes “bamboo” as the object of description. The spatial contrast from light to mellow fully presents the exquisite brush from light to thick. On this Western-style canvas, it illustrates the eastern level of multi-layer rendering with varied dryness and usage of ink. The simple birds are painted in clear and light ink, resembling the style of Zhu Da. The bright red beak contrasts with rainbow light, leaving a strong visual mark. The rhyme of ink surges out the vocabulary of life, leaving an unforgettable memory.

Yin and Yang, Love and Nature

“Love and nature” is the core of Chao Chung-Hsiang's creation. Although his paintings involve many symbols of eastern literati paintings, the eastern philological ideology behind has exceeded the tradition. In the artwork Masculine and Feminine, the theme of which is birds and bamboos, the artist starts from a pair of opposite concepts of Yin and Yang to depict the expression and mood when male and female birds look at each other. The depiction is like the binary shape of Tai Chi where the rising composition of spectral rainbow deepens the meaning of reincarnation and the free spirit of brushwork adds to the charm that transcends humanity and moves towards heaven. As a bird lover since childhood and a person who stayed abroad for more than half of his life, Chao Chung-Hsiang reposes his memory for his home country and parents on his works. With warm acrylic colours, he depicts the great love of heaven and earth. It is also his best wish for the family reunion and love between the couple. Over the past 20 years, he has found a way to integrate Chinese and Western art with his boundless feelings. In the world of ink painting, he blooms brilliantly once again!

Price estimate:
HKD: 1,200,000 – 1,800,000
USD: 154,700 – 232,100

Auction Result:
HKD: --