East and West come together in the works of
Chen Wen Hsi (1906-1991), a major Singapore
artist who mastered the techniques of
Chinese ink as well as Western oil painting,
and who worked, over the course of his
career, in a range of artistic styles, including
Fauvism and Cubism. Drawn to nature and
animals, he painted landscapes, figures, birds
and beasts, but—being the broad-spirited,
open-minded creator he was—he also produced
still-life studies and abstract compositions.
For Chen, there was "much to learn
from the West, especially on composition,
harmony, balance, construction of lines—features
which could advantageously supplement
the traditional Chinese art." This retrospective,
to mark what would have been Chen's 100th
birthday, shows major works from the different
periods of his artistic production, highlighting
his evolution as an artist and his influence on
Singapore's art community since.

Singapore Art Museum
Convergences: Chen Wen Hsi Centennial
Exhibition
December 1, 2006 through April 8, 2007
71 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189555
T: +65 6332 3222