Showcase 6: “Some Thoughts on Art” Essay

This article gives us a rare and illuminating glimpse into the philosophy behind Chen’s artistic practice. Written in Mandarin, it was published in Shanghai newspapers in 1943, the same year Chen held a major exhibition at the Shanghai Metropole Hotel. The title translates to “Some Thoughts on Art”. Here, Chen expresses her fondness for painting landscapes, flora, and people. She wrote that she was particularly drawn to depicting the everyday lives of people, saying: “People’s lives are vivacious, fresh and spirited.” Most importantly, Chen was adamant about not painting from her imagination. Here, she declared that “Representation based on imagination can never truly reflect the real thing”. Thus, all her works are based on objects, people, or scenes from the world around her. She wrote: “I paint what I see, whether it be a landscape or a figure”. The portraits, landscapes, and still lifes you encounter in this exhibition all follow this philosophy. Chen was a firm believer in the classical rules of painting, which she followed strictly in her practice. She explains the importance of chiaroscuro in her paintings. Chiaroscuro refers to the balance of light and shade, and the contrast between the two, in paintings. Art that “pays no attention to light and shade," Chen wrote, "becomes plain and lifeless”. For instance, in still lifes, the position of shadows between objects, and the location of a light source, can create a sense of dimension within the flatness of the canvas. This can be seen in works in this gallery like The Dragon Plate and Still Life with Sugar Cane. Think back on the paintings you have seen in this exhibition and how Chen kept to this philosophy in her presentation of subjects. Do look out for more of such instances as you continue your tour. These various principles explain why Chen's works are so consistent, despite adapting her use of colour and composition according to her changing surroundings and frequent travels over the years.