When I was studying for my master’s degree, I spent a lot of time looking at the late Chen Wen Hsi’s (1906-1991) work and I’ve been so captivated by his style and approach. I loved his abstractions and the way he used very brief strokes and shapes to express movement and stillness. He was skilled in Chinese ink and brush. His methods were based largely on Chinese philosophical approach towards the arts; he captures nature in such a way to draw our attention to the invisible—the essence and the energy underlying their physical bodies. They are also symbolic, reflecting the universal laws of nature.    

Just take a look at Cranes (1965). These large birds are usually characterized by their outstretched necks. But here, he captured such an unusual perspective of them. At first glance, I see two very stark bold shapes against the pale white of the rice paper. They are quick and strong, yet light and airy. Then a second later, I notice the heads of the two birds pointing in opposite directions. Just as quickly, I lose sight of them as my eye gets drawn to the rough strokes and thin lines.

Herein lies the beauty of this painting—it moves comfortably between the natural and the abstract. We can appreciate it for the majestic birds it represents, then just as quickly enjoy it purely for the dynamic form and symbolic beauty.

Here’s another one of his Cranes. This is rendered in thick oil paint. Their bodies have been completely abstracted, leaving only traces of their physical presence, their sharp beaks, their elongated anatomy, their gathering, their movements. The surface is richly textured. One can almost hear their scattering over the water. We get lost in this sea of shapes and our eyes drift along the sharp edges of these floating forms. They are like paper cuts now, lightly hovering on the surface of the water and then disappearing and sinking into the deep.

His abstractions have a way of leading and expanding our imagination. He starts with the unassuming crane and lures us into a series of subtle sensations and ideas.

Chen Wen Hsi was born in Guangdong, China. He migrated to Singapore in 1949 and taught at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore for many years. Besides the crane, he depicted a wonderful array of animals like gibbons, goldfishes and chickens. Visit www.chenwenhsi.com to view his works.

Image 1: Crane 1965, Collection: Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah, USM, Penang. Photo by author. (According to the records, this was done in watercolour, not sure if this is a mistake but it looks very much like Chinese ink. Many Nanyang artists also sometimes use both watercolour and Chinese ink in one painting).

Image 2: Abstract Cranes, c. 1960s, Oil on canvas. Collection: National Heritage Board, Singapore. Photo: Google Arts and Culture.