Major retrospective of a key figure in Singapore modern art
By Ian Tee

Georgette Chen, 'Malay Wedding’, c. 1962, oil on canvas, 65 x 81 cm. Collection of National Museum of Singapore.

National Gallery Singapore's highly anticipated retrospective of Georgette Chen opens after three years in the making, and it is well worth the wait. Jointly curated by Lim Shujuan, Sam I-shan and Teo Hui Min, with research support from Cai Heng, 'At Home in the World' features 69 artworks and newly discovered archival materials from the National Collection, as well as loans from private collections and institutions. Their sensitivity manifests in an intelligent exhibition flow that accentuates the elegant, subtle qualities in Chen's paintings.

'Georgette Chen: At Home in the World', 2020-2021, exhibition view. Image courtesy of National Gallery Singapore.

Forgoing a chronological display, the show is split across two rooms. It begins with Chen's time in Malaya in the 1950s; before introducing audiences to her early life in China, the United States and France. This is an effective strategy that establishes a context for Chen's relationship with Singapore and also builds rapport with local audiences who may be new to the artist.

Entering the space, viewers are first connected with familiar subject matter and places, such as festive celebrations and iconic scenes of the Singapore River. While these images evoke a sense of nostalgia today, one should remember that they are not sentimental pictures capturing a bygone era. Rather, these paintings were the products of a growing modern sensibility that deftly combined western study of form together with local themes.

Art historical context is established through a selection of paintings and archival documents from the artist's first solo exhibition in Singapore in 1953. This was a pivotal year as Chen decided to settle down in Singapore. The climate and colours of the tropics accounted in part for her increasingly vibrant and lush paintings. Their joyous tenor suggests an optimism for the future after the difficult Japanese Occupation years.

“While these images evoke a sense of nostalgia today, one should remember that they are not sentimental pictures capturing a bygone era. Rather, these paintings were the products of a growing modern sensibility that deftly combined western study of form together with local themes. ”

Georgette Chen, 'Still Life with Cut Apple and Orange', c. 1928-1930, oil on wood panel, 26 x 34 cm. Gift of Lee Foundation. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

Georgette Chen, 'Coast of Brittany', c. 1930, oil on canvas, 54 x 65 cm. Gift of Lee Foundation. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

The second part of the exhibition speaks more directly to Chen’s cosmopolitanism. It gathers works completed in different locales, from New York to Paris where she received formal education, as well as Suzhou and Hong Kong. 'Still Life with Cut Apple and Orange' (c. 1928-1930) and 'Coast of Brittany' (c. 1930) are two works that evince the influence of post-impressionist painting techniques during Chen's time in Paris from 1927 to the mid-1930s. Executed with small patches of colour and short dabbing brushstrokes, they recall Paul Cézanne's approach of capturing multiple perspectives within a single composition.

However, within a decade, Chen develops a distinctive style that synthesises her attention to formal observation with a deep empathy for her subject matter. 'Hakka Family' (1939) is a standout piece that displays the artist's confident brushwork and mastery of tonal values. In comparison with her later paintings, it is economical in its limited palette and sparse application of paint, with significant areas of ground showing. Even as its pyramidal structure and monumental scale references iconic depictions of the Madonna and Child, what the painting portrays is an everyday scene of tender care. Publicly exhibited for the first time since 1997, it is a rare chance to view this major work.

“‘Hakka Family’ (1939) is a standout piece that displays the artist’s confident brushwork and mastery of tonal values.”

'Georgette Chen: At Home in the World', 2020-2021, exhibition view of 'Hakka Family'. Image courtesy of National Gallery Singapore.

'Georgette Chen: At Home in the World', 2020-2021, exhibition view of 'Lotus in a Breeze' and 'Lotus Symphony'. Image courtesy of National Gallery Singapore.

Located between the two galleries is a comprehensive timeline that charts the artist's travels and milestone achievements. Gallery Director Eugene Tan notes that Chen holds a special place in Singapore's art history for being one of the first female artists to have achieved such international acclaim. Yet, the exhibition does not belabour this point but instead demonstrates it subtly through the archival photos of Chen among her male contemporaries. She is exceptional not only in her successes in a male-dominated field but also her privileged upbringing and access to opportunities. Herein is an implicit acknowledgement of the conditions that allowed Chen to dedicate her life to the craft of painting.

“For Chen, art is “a labour of love (that) expects neither gain nor reward and brings meaning into one’s life”. This passion comes through not only in her canvases but also her legacy as an influential teacher.”

For Chen, art is "a labour of love (that) expects neither gain nor reward and brings meaning into one's life". This passion comes through not only in her canvases but also her legacy as an influential educator. Chen taught part-time at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art for nearly three decades, from 1954 to 1980, where she encouraged her students to develop individual artistic styles and aided their pursuit of further studies abroad. They include sculptor Ng Eng Teng and abstract painter Thomas Yeo, among others. A letter of recognition from the Malay artist association Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD) and documents from her work as an administrator of the Lee Foundation Art Fund also show Chen's deep engagement with the local communities in addition to her invaluable support as a champion of Singapore art.

Georgette Chen, 'Rohani', 1963, oil on canvas, 65.3 x 54.3 cm. Gift of the artist's estate. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

Georgette Chen, 'Harbour Scene in Hong Kong', c. 1938-1941, oil on canvas, 92 x 92 cm. Collection of Tan Koon Boon and Cai Sufang.

Monographic exhibitions pose the challenge of organising an artist's oeuvre into a sensible, insightful presentation that balances biographical information with art historical analysis. 'At Home in the World' successfully navigates this terrain by creating a framework that allows the artworks to tell their stories. The two-part structure nudges audiences to intuitively draw parallels across both rooms, through which it becomes apparent that three key genres dominate Chen's oeuvre: still life, landscapes and portraits. Consistent across her body of work is a sense of place and the artist’s attention to everyday reality. They remind viewers of the beauty that can be found if one is fully present in the world.

'Georgette Chen: At Home in the World' is on view at National Gallery Singapore, from 27 November 2020 to 26 September 2021.