Page 72 - The Pioneers, November 26, 2016 Hong Kong

Lot 2508

I listen to the universe, to the people, to the East and to the West among nature, [that is where] I got
my inspirations and poetic forms from. The creation process is purely self-initiated, as what Chinese
Taoist philosophy believes, 'To let out the graceful air from within.'

- Chu Teh-Chun

Learning calligraphy at an early age under his father’s time from 1990 to 1999. Visually compelling, this is
tutelage, Chu Teh-Chun had deep understandings of an unparalleled work in the artist’s oeuvre. Unlike
traditional calligraphy and ink painting. His admission the earlier works of the series, in which emphasis on
to the National Academy of Arts in Hangzhou, then ink and landscape composition are stressed, Vertige
headed by the acclaimed artist, Lin Feng-Men, in 1935, Neigeux charted new height by opting for a more
is what inspired his ambition of adopting the best abstract and pure form of expression. Departing from
from both Chinese and Western paintings. It is only figurative depiction, the interconnections between
after his travel in France in 1955 that he started to each brushstroke, dot and line replace the physical
explore the visual language of oil painting, changing space, rendering a momentous field of energy. Instead
his style from one that is figurative to abstract. Chu of a descriptive brushstroke, dots and lines are used
then became the first to successfully imbued the to advocate depth, resulting in a vivid reenactment
monumental landscape aesthetics of the Song dynasty of the nature, showing the high level of maturity
and calligraphy brushworks into oil painting, he also Chu attained in his exploration and innovation in the
brought revolutionary changes to the literati aesthetics organic abstract forms.
of Chinese art history. Throughout his illustrious
career, the most poetic, idiosyncratic and symbolic Wu Guanzhong’s Cypresses done in 1983 is a fine
works are undoubtedly his series on snow-white example of using the spontaneity of dots to push
landscape. figurative landscape towards the abstract, and
ingenuously reconstructed physical space through
On his way back to France from Switzerland in 1985, the connections between dots and lines. The
Chu was deeply moved by the hailstorm he witnessed abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock’s method
on the Swiss Alps, the following years saw the of drip painting, which repeatedly splash paint on
completion of a series of sublime snow scene. Vertige the canvas, resembles in form the method of Wu
Neigeux (Lot 2508) is a celebration of the beauty of and Chu. However, the spontaneous writing idea on
landscape in snow. Imbued with the rich energy of the which Pollock based on, is a mechanical expression
nature, this monumental work was done in ten years’ of the physical energy. Chu, in his pursuit of natural