1. Singapore Pioneer Artist Liu Kang (1911 - 2004)

2. Early life Born in Fujian, China in 1911 Spent early years in Malaysia
1920s-30s: Studied in Shanghai and Paris

3. Liu Kang - Autumn Colours, 1930, oil on canvas, 37 x 44 cm

4. Visible, expressive brushstrokes Rich vibrant colours
Expressive power of colour
Liu Kang - Autumn Colours, 1930, oil on canvas, 37 x 44 cm

5. Liu Kang - Farmer's House, 1930, oil on canvas, 44 x 52 cm

6. Visible, expressive brushstrokes Rich vibrant colours
Some flattening of space
Liu Kang - Farmer's House, 1930, oil on canvas, 44 x 52 cm

7. Liu Kang - Breakfast, 1932, oil on canvas, 44.5 x 53 cm

8. Simplification of forms Large flat areas of colour
Distortion of perspective
Liu Kang - Breakfast, 1932, oil on canvas, 44.5 x 53 cm

9. Influences Shanghai Paris Liu Haisu Impressionists Vincent van Gogh
Paul Gauguin
Paul Cezanne
Henri Matisse

10. Shanghai: Liu Haisu 1896-1994 Painter and educator
Did both Chinese painting and oil painting
Integrating Chinese and Western techniques
e.g. teaching life drawing, figure drawing

11. Liu Haisu - Eagle, 1939, ink on paper

13. Liu Haisu - Sunflowers, 1930, oil on canvas
Liu Haisu – Still life, oil on canvas

14. Liu Haisu – 梅园雪图, 1956, oil on canvas

15. Liu Haisu – 云海翻腾贯彩虹, oil on canvas

16. Paris: Impressionists
19th century
Outdoor painting and scenes of modern life
Interest in effects of light and colour
Interest in transient atmospheric conditions
Visible brushstrokes
Colours sometimes applied side-by-side unmixed – the eye does the mixing

17. Claude Monet – Impression, Sunrise, 1872, oil on canvas

18. Claude Monet – Rouen Cathedral, Facade and the Tour d'Albane
Claude Monet – Rouen Cathedral, Facade and the Tour d'Albane. Grey Weather, 1894, oil on canvas

19. Claude Monet – Wheatstacks (End of summer), 1890-91, oil on canvas

20. Pierre-Auguste Renoir – The Swing, 1876, oil on canvas

21. Paris: Vincent van Gogh
, Dutch
Post-Impressionist
Expressive brushstrokes
Expressive use of colour
Vincent van Gogh - Self-portrait with bandaged ear,
1889, oil on canvas

22. Vincent van Gogh - The Night Café, 1888, oil on canvas

23. Vincent van Gogh - The Starry Night, 1889, oil on canvas

24. Vincent van Gogh – Bedroom at Arles, 1888, oil on canvas

25. Vincent van Gogh - Entrance of a restaurant in Asnieres, 1887, oil on canvas

26. Paris: Paul Gauguin 1848-1903, French Post-Impressionist
Expressive, sometimes unnatural colours
Use of outlines
Symbolic subject matter
Went to Tahiti to escape corruption of European civilization
“How do you see these trees? They are yellow. So, put in yellow; this shadow, rather blue, paint it with pure ultramarine; these red leaves? Put in vermilion.”

27. Paul Gauguin – The Yellow Christ, 1889, oil on canvas

28. Paul Gauguin – Self-portrait with halo,
1889, oil on canvas

29. Paul Gauguin – Spirit of the Dead Watching (Manao tupapau), 1892, oil on canvas

30. Paris: Paul Cezanne 1839-1906, French Post-Impressionist
Expressing form and volume in new way
Reduction to basic forms – cylinders, cubes, etc.
Capturing essence of subject
Multiple perspectives, distortion
An influence on Cubism

31. Paul Cezanne - Mont Sainte-Victoire, 1904, oil on canvas

32. Paul Cezanne - Still Life, Drapery, Pitcher, and Fruit Bowl, 1893–1894, oil on canvas

33. Paul Cezanne - Still Life with Cherub, 1895, oil on canvas

34. Paris: Henri Matisse 1869-1954, French Fauvist
Painterly brushstrokes, thick outlines
Very strong, harsh colours

35. Henri Matisse - Red Room (Harmony in Red), 1908, oil on canvas

36. Henri Matisse – Portrait of Madame Matisse (The Green Line), 1905, oil on canvas

37. Henri Matisse – The Joy of Life, 1905-06, oil on canvas

38. Liu Kang - Autumn Colours, 1930, oil on canvas, 37 x 44 cm

39. Liu Kang - Farmer's House, 1930, oil on canvas, 44 x 52 cm

40. Liu Kang - Breakfast, 1932, oil on canvas, 44.5 x 53 cm

41. The 1952 Bali fieldtrip and the Nanyang Style
Together with Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng
Searching for a visual expression that was Southeast Asian
Nanyang Style
"In my view, 'Nanyang' style can be defined in three aspects. First, the theme should be the south seas, reflecting their tradition or landscapes and customs. Second, the painting style should be expressive, spontaneous broad-sweeping rather than rigidly descriptive. Third, the tone of the painting should be bright and light, in combination with relaxed but steady brush strokes and lines."

42. Liu Kang - Artist and Model, 1954, oil on canvas

44. Depicts Chen Wen Hsi sketching Balinese woman
Large flat areas of colour
No shading
White outlines – reference to batik?
Simplification of forms
Flattening of space
Arrangement of chairs echoed by teapot and cups
Bright cheerful colours
Whimsical feel
Liu Kang - Artist and Model, 1954, oil on canvas

45. Liu Kang - Life by the river, 1975, oil on canvas

46. Scene of busy village life
Depicting villagers engaged in their normal activities
Does not strictly follow rules of linear perspective
But still has sense of depth, created by arrangement and relative sizes of objects
Use of outlines
Simplification of forms
Areas of flat colour
Simple and lively treatment of subject
Evoking the joy of rural life
Liu Kang - Life by the river, 1975, oil on canvas

47. Liu Kang - Souri, 1953, oil on canvas

48. Liu Kang - Offerings, 1957, oil on canvas

49. Liu Kang - Durian vendors, 1957, oil on canvas

50. Liu Kang - National Day, 1967, oil on canvas

51. Liu Kang - Chinese Lady, 1976, pastel on paper