Boats by the Sea

The oil paintings produced by Singaporean artist, Chen Wen Hsi during his period of Cubism and Fauvism influences in the second half of the 20th century are thought to be some of the most dynamic and expressive works throughout his artistic oeuvre. Innovative and experimental, these rare pieces of art produced within the short period, saw Chen interpreting the Western principles of abstraction and cubism to redesign and convey the themes of nature and the changing landscape in Singapore and the region. Composed out of shapes, lines and angular blocks of colour, Boats by the Sea, (lot 192), as the title clearly suggests, depicts a view of a harbor with its vessels. Not the first time that Chen's subject matter delineates a coastal settlement, this lot represents the artist's understanding and respect for the people's the main source of livelihood. Capturing the very essence of the scene before him, Chen's appreciation of space and depth is highlighted as he retains the concept of perspective within this oil on board work, even through the abstracted form of his landscape piece. Reigning in Western art ideologies and East Asian aesthetics, the bright, cool and dark colours used in the work further command a harmonious balance, all imbued with tints of white to denote light, shadow and form. The artist's careful application of paint sees his use of both an overlapping and blending technique, presenting to the viewer his mastery over the medium and his ability to not just emulate the works of the Western masters but to understand their artistic sensibilities and interpret it in his own way. Originally trained in the art of Chinese ink painting as a student at Xinhua Academy of Fine Art in Shanghai before settling in Singapore as an art lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Chen forms part of the first generation of pioneering artists from the 'Nanyang School', who merged Western and Chinese art traditions within their practice. Bold and remarkable, this painting is a medley of Chen's inspirations, his journey as an artist as well as a historic piece of Singapore's art and cultural landscape.