Singapore Pioneer Artist

Liu Kang(1911 - 2004)

Early life

• Born in Fujian, China in 1911• Spent early years in Malaysia• 1920s-30s: Studied in Shanghai and Paris

Liu Kang - Autumn Colours, 1930, oil on canvas, 37 x 44 cm

Liu Kang - Autumn Colours, 1930, oil on canvas, 37 x 44 cm

• Visible, expressive brushstrokes• Rich vibrant colours• Expressive power of colour

Liu Kang - Farmer's House, 1930, oil on canvas, 44 x 52 cm

Liu Kang - Farmer's House, 1930, oil on canvas, 44 x 52 cm

• Visible, expressive brushstrokes• Rich vibrant colours• Some flattening of space

Liu Kang - Breakfast, 1932, oil on canvas, 44.5 x 53 cm

Liu Kang - Breakfast, 1932, oil on canvas, 44.5 x 53 cm

• Simplification of forms• Large flat areas of colour• Distortion of perspective

Influences

• Shanghai– Liu Haisu

• Paris– Impressionists– Vincent van Gogh– Paul Gauguin– Paul Cezanne– Henri Matisse

Shanghai: Liu Haisu

• 1896-1994• Painter and educator• Did both Chinese painting and oil painting• Integrating Chinese and Western techniques

– e.g. teaching life drawing, figure drawing

Liu Haisu - Eagle, 1939, ink on paper

Liu Haisu - Sunflowers, 1930, oil on canvas Liu Haisu – Still life, oil on canvas

Liu Haisu – 梅园雪图 , 1956, oil on canvas

Liu Haisu – 云海翻腾贯彩虹 , oil on canvas

Paris: Impressionists

• 19th century• Outdoor painting and scenes of modern life• Interest in effects of light and colour• Interest in transient atmospheric conditions• Visible brushstrokes• Colours sometimes applied side-by-side unmixed – the

eye does the mixing

Claude Monet – Impression, Sunrise, 1872, oil on canvas

Claude Monet – Rouen Cathedral, Facade and the Tour d'Albane. Grey Weather, 1894, oil on canvas

Claude Monet – Wheatstacks (End of summer), 1890-91, oil on canvas

Pierre-Auguste Renoir – The Swing, 1876, oil on canvas

Paris: Vincent van Gogh

• 1853-90, Dutch• Post-Impressionist• Expressive brushstrokes• Expressive use of colour

Vincent van Gogh - Self-portrait with bandaged ear, 1889, oil on canvas

Vincent van Gogh - The Night Café, 1888, oil on canvas

Vincent van Gogh - The Starry Night, 1889, oil on canvas

Vincent van Gogh – Bedroom at Arles, 1888, oil on canvas

Vincent van Gogh - Entrance of a restaurant in Asnieres, 1887, oil on canvas

Paris: Paul Gauguin

• 1848-1903, French• Post-Impressionist• Expressive, sometimes unnatural colours• Use of outlines• Symbolic subject matter• Went to Tahiti to escape corruption of European

civilization

• “How do you see these trees? They are yellow. So, put in yellow; this shadow, rather blue, paint it with pure ultramarine; these red leaves? Put in vermilion.”

Paul Gauguin – The Yellow Christ, 1889, oil on canvas

Paul Gauguin – Self-portrait with halo, 1889, oil on canvas

Paul Gauguin – Spirit of the Dead Watching (Manao tupapau), 1892, oil on canvas

Paris: Paul Cezanne

• 1839-1906, French• Post-Impressionist• Expressing form and volume in new way• Reduction to basic forms – cylinders, cubes, etc.• Capturing essence of subject• Multiple perspectives, distortion• An influence on Cubism

Paul Cezanne - Mont Sainte-Victoire, 1904, oil on canvas

Paul Cezanne - Still Life, Drapery, Pitcher, and Fruit Bowl, 1893–1894, oil on canvas

Paul Cezanne - Still Life with Cherub, 1895, oil on canvas

Paris: Henri Matisse

• 1869-1954, French• Fauvist• Painterly brushstrokes, thick outlines• Very strong, harsh colours

Henri Matisse - Red Room (Harmony in Red), 1908, oil on canvas

Henri Matisse – Portrait of Madame Matisse (The Green Line), 1905, oil on canvas

Henri Matisse – The Joy of Life, 1905-06, oil on canvas

Liu Kang - Autumn Colours, 1930, oil on canvas, 37 x 44 cm

Liu Kang - Farmer's House, 1930, oil on canvas, 44 x 52 cm

Liu Kang - Breakfast, 1932, oil on canvas, 44.5 x 53 cm

The 1952 Bali fieldtrip andthe Nanyang Style

• Together with Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng

• Searching for a visual expression that was Southeast Asian

• Nanyang Style• "In my view, 'Nanyang' style can be defined in three aspects. First,

the theme should be the south seas, reflecting their tradition or landscapes and customs. Second, the painting style should be expressive, spontaneous broad-sweeping rather than rigidly descriptive. Third, the tone of the painting should be bright and light, in combination with relaxed but steady brush strokes and lines."

Liu Kang - Artist and Model, 1954, oil on canvas

Liu Kang - Artist and Model, 1954, oil on canvas

• Depicts Chen Wen Hsi sketching Balinese woman

• Large flat areas of colour• No shading• White outlines – reference to batik?• Simplification of forms• Flattening of space

• Arrangement of chairs echoed by teapot and cups• Bright cheerful colours• Whimsical feel

Liu Kang - Life by the river, 1975, oil on canvas

Liu Kang - Life by the river, 1975, oil on canvas

• Scene of busy village life• Depicting villagers engaged in their normal activities • Does not strictly follow rules of linear perspective• But still has sense of depth, created by arrangement and relative sizes of objects• Use of outlines• Simplification of forms• Areas of flat colour

• Simple and lively treatment of subject• Evoking the joy of rural life

Liu Kang - Souri, 1953, oil on canvas

Liu Kang - Offerings, 1957, oil on canvas

Liu Kang - Durian vendors, 1957, oil on canvas

Liu Kang - National Day, 1967, oil on canvas

Liu Kang - Chinese Lady, 1976, pastel on paper