Georgette Chen notes

Georgette Chen Bio: Born in 1906, studied in Paris, worked between China, France, SG. Influenced by: - Surroundings - Works have both Eastern and Western influence due to her constantly changing environment - Western painting style, using oil paint medium and concepts like vanishing point and three-dimensional perspective - Eastern compositions of people, landscapes, still-life. Common and unpretentious, capturing the everyday. - People - Post impressionists - Cezanne: Similar in linear brushstrokes (prominent) and using daubs of colour to create a richness in tone. Inspired by his landscapes (L’estaque) and still life (Still life with cherries). Similar skewed perspective in Chen’s still life (Phoenix eyes) - Van Gogh: Similar in using thick paint and brushstrokes [Painterly manner] that follow form (Still life with cut apple and orange VS Irises) and in using comp colours - Created & Subject matters: - Portraits - Self portraits - Portraits of Eugene Chen (posthumous too) - Portraits of surrounding common people (young girl, lady) reflecting Eastern culture through dressing and appearance - Still life - Common items - Painted exactly what she saw - Reflected SE Asian life - Landscapes - Chinese/SEA surrounding - Worked with sensitivity towards subjects, drawing from environment

Key themes: - Portraying the essence of her environment through meticulous colour, composition and brushwork Elements of work: 1. About strokes - Short choppy brushstrokes (reminiscent of Impressionists and Post Impressionists like Cezanne) - Express texture and tactile quality of subject matter - Emphasize 3-Dnality 2. About colour - Strong and subtle used to emphasize and bring to the back - Often neutral backgrounds (cream, brown) compared to warm/cool subject matters (red, blue) - Mixes tones to balance image - Light and dark tones used to create an illusion of space - Dark tones to contrast from background - Colour palette suggests environment eg. (Warm, bright colours w/ subtle BG in Moon Festival Table creates homely and convivial environment) 3. About composition a. Common imagery i. SEAsian elements that show cultural context of her work ii. Familiar to audience (down to earth), relatable b. Good composition skills i. Carefully place to show spatial definition for fore-, back-, mid-ground ii. Structural approach to composition and form iii. Deliberate arrangement of objects while retaining a natural, homely look showed discipline and comprehension of painting conventions (learned in Paris probably)

Example works Still life (Moon Festival table) (c. 1965) ● quality of lightness and pleasure (literally in the hanging objects and metaphorically in the festival items) ● conscious efforts put into choice of objects, their composition and colour scheme ● formal and yet unpretentious ● red, green common colours among items VS yellow BG ● colourful exuberance ● atmosphere of spiritedness of occasion ● simple joy in common items Cityscape of Beijing (c. 1950) ● Intricately sculpted bridges shows attention to detail ● Open air with clouds and a calm lake > naturalism ● Fluid curving lines and cool palette ● Reflected in the water is a simplification of the grand palace (Adding realism)

Self portrait (c. 1930) ● Thick paint applied in daubs (esp when compared to second self portrait c. 1946) ● Muted tones ● Sombre tone, stare with hooded eyes showing coldness