Cheong Soo Pieng, Nature, 1968
Oil and gouache on paper laid on canvas
55.5 x 77 cm (visible), 80 x 101 x 7 cm (framed)
Condition: Very good
*Work is framed in Tru Vue Optium Museum acrylic
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Born in Xiamen, China, Cheong Soo Pieng (Singaporean, 1917–1983) was a trailblazing artist whose innovative approach reshaped traditional Chinese painting. He studied Chinese ink painting at the Xiamen Academy of Fine Arts and expanded his repertoire at the Xin Hua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai, where he embraced Western artistic concepts. By the time he migrated to Singapore in 1946, Cheong had mastered both Chinese and Western painting traditions. In Singapore, he found artistic freedom, inspiring him to break traditional boundaries and explore uncharted creative territories.
A pivotal moment in Cheong's career came during his European tour, under the patronage of Singaporean filmmaking magnate Loke Wan Tho. This journey, which included exhibitions in London, Dublin, Berlin, and Munich, exposed Cheong to Europe’s dynamic art scene in the early 1960s. Immersed in the works of luminaries such as Paul Klee, Matisse, and Kandinsky, he was inspired to experiment with abstraction and modernism while maintaining his Chinese artistic roots. This transformative experience influenced him to fuse Eastern and Western elements, resulting in a distinct style that pushed the boundaries of modern art in Asia.
Post-Europe, Cheong reflected more interest in experimental formats and in the modernist interplay between abstraction and representation. In Nature (1968), using moulded, round shapes, Cheong superbly creates the visual impression of cell-like structures across a horizontal perspective. The pictorial balance suggests Cheong's classical training, as do the muted colors which evoke Chinese wash painting. However, the geometry of the composition is primarily modern and keenly progressive, reinforcing Cheong's role as an artistic pioneer. By amalgamating Chinese art concepts with a Western approach, the artist bridged worlds through the painting. Nature (1968) is an embodiment of Cheong Soo Pieng’s personal journey and artistic liberation while abroad.
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Exhibited:
“Soo Pieng”, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries 1 & 2, Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, Singapore, 2 February - 3 March 2013
Visible from 1:54-1:55 of video in https://iseaa.nafa.edu.sg/workshops-and-events/past-exhibitions/soo-pieng
(Photographed in January 2025)
Oil and gouache on paper laid on canvas
55.5 x 77 cm (visible), 80 x 101 x 7 cm (framed)
Condition: Very good
*Work is framed in Tru Vue Optium Museum acrylic
-
Born in Xiamen, China, Cheong Soo Pieng (Singaporean, 1917–1983) was a trailblazing artist whose innovative approach reshaped traditional Chinese painting. He studied Chinese ink painting at the Xiamen Academy of Fine Arts and expanded his repertoire at the Xin Hua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai, where he embraced Western artistic concepts. By the time he migrated to Singapore in 1946, Cheong had mastered both Chinese and Western painting traditions. In Singapore, he found artistic freedom, inspiring him to break traditional boundaries and explore uncharted creative territories.
A pivotal moment in Cheong's career came during his European tour, under the patronage of Singaporean filmmaking magnate Loke Wan Tho. This journey, which included exhibitions in London, Dublin, Berlin, and Munich, exposed Cheong to Europe’s dynamic art scene in the early 1960s. Immersed in the works of luminaries such as Paul Klee, Matisse, and Kandinsky, he was inspired to experiment with abstraction and modernism while maintaining his Chinese artistic roots. This transformative experience influenced him to fuse Eastern and Western elements, resulting in a distinct style that pushed the boundaries of modern art in Asia.
Post-Europe, Cheong reflected more interest in experimental formats and in the modernist interplay between abstraction and representation. In Nature (1968), using moulded, round shapes, Cheong superbly creates the visual impression of cell-like structures across a horizontal perspective. The pictorial balance suggests Cheong's classical training, as do the muted colors which evoke Chinese wash painting. However, the geometry of the composition is primarily modern and keenly progressive, reinforcing Cheong's role as an artistic pioneer. By amalgamating Chinese art concepts with a Western approach, the artist bridged worlds through the painting. Nature (1968) is an embodiment of Cheong Soo Pieng’s personal journey and artistic liberation while abroad.
-
Exhibited:
“Soo Pieng”, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries 1 & 2, Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, Singapore, 2 February - 3 March 2013
Visible from 1:54-1:55 of video in https://iseaa.nafa.edu.sg/workshops-and-events/past-exhibitions/soo-pieng
(Photographed in January 2025)
Oil and gouache on paper laid on canvas
55.5 x 77 cm (visible), 80 x 101 x 7 cm (framed)
Condition: Very good
*Work is framed in Tru Vue Optium Museum acrylic
-
Born in Xiamen, China, Cheong Soo Pieng (Singaporean, 1917–1983) was a trailblazing artist whose innovative approach reshaped traditional Chinese painting. He studied Chinese ink painting at the Xiamen Academy of Fine Arts and expanded his repertoire at the Xin Hua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai, where he embraced Western artistic concepts. By the time he migrated to Singapore in 1946, Cheong had mastered both Chinese and Western painting traditions. In Singapore, he found artistic freedom, inspiring him to break traditional boundaries and explore uncharted creative territories.
A pivotal moment in Cheong's career came during his European tour, under the patronage of Singaporean filmmaking magnate Loke Wan Tho. This journey, which included exhibitions in London, Dublin, Berlin, and Munich, exposed Cheong to Europe’s dynamic art scene in the early 1960s. Immersed in the works of luminaries such as Paul Klee, Matisse, and Kandinsky, he was inspired to experiment with abstraction and modernism while maintaining his Chinese artistic roots. This transformative experience influenced him to fuse Eastern and Western elements, resulting in a distinct style that pushed the boundaries of modern art in Asia.
Post-Europe, Cheong reflected more interest in experimental formats and in the modernist interplay between abstraction and representation. In Nature (1968), using moulded, round shapes, Cheong superbly creates the visual impression of cell-like structures across a horizontal perspective. The pictorial balance suggests Cheong's classical training, as do the muted colors which evoke Chinese wash painting. However, the geometry of the composition is primarily modern and keenly progressive, reinforcing Cheong's role as an artistic pioneer. By amalgamating Chinese art concepts with a Western approach, the artist bridged worlds through the painting. Nature (1968) is an embodiment of Cheong Soo Pieng’s personal journey and artistic liberation while abroad.
-
Exhibited:
“Soo Pieng”, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries 1 & 2, Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, Singapore, 2 February - 3 March 2013
Visible from 1:54-1:55 of video in https://iseaa.nafa.edu.sg/workshops-and-events/past-exhibitions/soo-pieng
(Photographed in January 2025)