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Lot Essay
From being the subjects of depiction and definition, to expressing artistically with a strong sense of self-awareness, females are playing increasingly significant roles in the discourse of art history. We are pleased to present four works (lots 210-213) by Southeast Asian artists that capture the concept of femininity from various perspectives, flavoured with distinct regional and individual flair.
Vietnamese painter Mai Trung Thu, who later travelled to France, celebrates Vietnamese traditions and folk culture through depictions of females. The artist favoured painting in gouache and ink on silk to delineate women in various states. The figures in Collier De Jade (lot 210) and Mélancolie (lot 211) exhibit the beauty and tenderness of Vietnamese women through fine treatment of details. Both women displ ay restrained emotions, with their lustrous dark hair complemented with soft-hued clothing—all come together as manifestations of beauty in accordance to traditional Vietnamese aesthetics.
Also from Vietnam, Nguyen Trung has elevated female as the vehicle of extoling his homeland. In Young Girl In The Summer (lot 212), the figure holds a lotus flower and fish, both of which symbolise the natural environment of Vietnam. Utilising European idealistic style of rendering, the artist has brought out the charm and grace that characterise Vietnamese women. The abstract backdrop is in sharp contrast to the fine and detailed delineation of the girl, who seems to be filled with symbolic connotation, yet so real.
Filipino female artist Pacita Abad focused on presenting abstract expressions that come from feminine creativity. Brought to us in Alamandas (lot 213) are the complexity and rhythm of colours, colliding with the textual richness given by the stitched-on fabrics. The pictorial effect calls to mind the moment when fireworks explode in the sky, occupying the audience with a dazzling and passionate visual experience.
Vietnamese painter Mai Trung Thu, who later travelled to France, celebrates Vietnamese traditions and folk culture through depictions of females. The artist favoured painting in gouache and ink on silk to delineate women in various states. The figures in Collier De Jade (lot 210) and Mélancolie (lot 211) exhibit the beauty and tenderness of Vietnamese women through fine treatment of details. Both women displ ay restrained emotions, with their lustrous dark hair complemented with soft-hued clothing—all come together as manifestations of beauty in accordance to traditional Vietnamese aesthetics.
Also from Vietnam, Nguyen Trung has elevated female as the vehicle of extoling his homeland. In Young Girl In The Summer (lot 212), the figure holds a lotus flower and fish, both of which symbolise the natural environment of Vietnam. Utilising European idealistic style of rendering, the artist has brought out the charm and grace that characterise Vietnamese women. The abstract backdrop is in sharp contrast to the fine and detailed delineation of the girl, who seems to be filled with symbolic connotation, yet so real.
Filipino female artist Pacita Abad focused on presenting abstract expressions that come from feminine creativity. Brought to us in Alamandas (lot 213) are the complexity and rhythm of colours, colliding with the textual richness given by the stitched-on fabrics. The pictorial effect calls to mind the moment when fireworks explode in the sky, occupying the audience with a dazzling and passionate visual experience.