Chua Ek Kay
Landscape
Ink on rice paper
138x68cm
2006
Characters Inscribed:
春风夏岚，秋风冬雪，
尽在山下人家壶边。
华山吾兄雅正。
丙戌岁仲夏。
逸溪题
spring winds and misty summer
autumn breeze and winter snow
all experienced by the family living at the foot of the mountain
for my friend from Mount Hua to enjoy
during midsummer of 2006
In traditional Chinese painting, landscape painting is foundational and considered one of the most important subjects, though it is also highly difficult to master.
Landscape paintings can be abstract, freehand or realistic, but Chua Ek Kay prefers an expressionist approach, focusing on capturing the “spirit”, or essence, of the landscape. This source of this “spirit” comes from the artist’s deep understanding of literature and poetry. While the location is important, he also brings in other inspiration to create a complete work.
In the 1980s, Chua Ek Kay and a few associates started studying the techniques that Huang Bin Hong applied in his landscape paintings outside of their classes with Fan Chang Tien. In 1986, Chua Ek Kay went to Sha Tin, Hong Kong to paint the mountains. He felt that the place was serene and there was a poetic aura in the area.
When it comes to composition, there are three main ways to approach a landscape painting: flat distance, high distance and deep distance. These perspectives builds depth by layering elements from the front to the back of the scene. In this painting, trees are featured in the foreground. Behind the trees are houses, with distant mountains and trees in the background, creating a sense of depth and distance.
Chua feels that landscape painting is a serious subject matter, and is more profound than casual or playful art forms. A true landscape artist must have a deep spiritual connection with nature and life, and this bond is essential to create meaningful work.
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