Chen Wen Hsi

Singapore, SooBin Art, Crossings, May 29 - June 6, 2002

The work is in good condition overall, as is the canvas and the board it is laid upon, which has neither warp nor cracks. Indications of light wear and handling are found along the edges and margins of the painting. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals scattered flecks of restoration, primarily around the edges and margins, on the lower middle (green area), and on the white-painted areas, but these are not apparent to the naked eye. Some soft craquelures are evident in the thicker paint areas but the work appears to be good and sound condition. Framed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"In modern painting, you must have your own style. To change the traditional methods of the past is to be modern. You don't have to paint in a very abstract manner to be modern. I think I am modern, but what I paint is not. There are still lines and discernible images in my works. Recently, an Abstractionist held an exhibition here. After he left, he wrote me a letter commending me and saying, 'You don't have to change the way you paint. I am the one who needs to change.' Ordinary folks don't understand what he was painting. As a painter, you don't necessarily have to let others understand, you only need to paint well."
CHEN WEN HSI CITED IN Convergences: Chen Wen Hsi Centennial Exhibition, SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM, 2006, P. 84.

Houses Along the Boat Quay perfectly exemplifies Chen Wen Hsi's perception of interpreting the Modern and Post-Modern movements of his time and making them entirely his own. Fragmented into bamboo-like composition, this vista of Boat Quay is reduced to its very essence: lines that correspond with the structure and architecture of the time; colour planes that are vaguely reminiscent of those in the roofs and walls along the riverscape. Geometric planes recall reflections that are usually found on the water surface.  Chen Wen Hsi's paintings are beautiful in the way they evoke memories, no matter how fragmented or elusive, because their essence is not in their form, but in the emotion and sensation they conjure.