Frame size: 83.3 x 70.4 cm
Born in China in 1906, Georgette Chen Li Ying received her art education in Paris, New York as well as in Shanghai. Chen’s artistic oeuvre can be divided into three phases, French Period (1927-1933); China-Hong Kong Period (1934-1948) and Penang-Singapore Period (1949-1980). Immensely inspired by her surroundings she produced still lifes, portraits and landscapes from each phase. Settling in Singapore in 1954, she taught at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts till her retirement in 1980. Regarded as a Pioneer Artist of Singapore who developed the Nanyang Style, she was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 1982. Chen passed away in 1993 in Singapore.Besides portraits and landscapes, Chen is also known for her still lifes. Consisting of household items, tropical fruits, food or flowers, each still life is carefully selected and arranged to heighten contrasts of texture, colour and shape. In ‘Flower Composition with Smiling Buddha’ smoke from the burning joss sticks gives an added dimension.
