Gibbons

Born in China, Chen Wen Hsi (1906-1991) settled in Singapore in 1949 and taught at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in the 1950s. Chen was instrumental in the development of the Nanyang Style and is recognised as one of the pioneer artists of Singapore. Highly influential, Chen is regarded as the doyen of Singapore Chinese-brush artists. Although he painted mainly in Chinese brush, he often ventured into a cubistic style, executed in either oil or ink. An ardent student of nature, Chen is best known for his paintings of gibbons and animals developed from the Lingnan style. In Chen's later works, his brushwork became less restrictive and bolder, paying less attention to the details, displayed in �'Gibbons'� here. One of his favourite subjects, Chen demonstrated his mastery in ink through an array of brushworks, dazzling one�'s eyes, especially in the execution of the trees and gibbons, infusing a sense of dynamism and vitality in the painting.