CHEONG SOO PIENG | Sunflowers

Private Collection, Singapore
Christie's Hong Kong, 25 November 2012, Lot 124
Private Collection, Singapore

This work is in good overall condition as viewed. There is evidence of wear and losses along the edges of the work due to abrasions with the frame. There is some cracking to the pigment at areas of thicker impasto. Examination under ultraviolet light reveals restoration along the edges of the work. 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

As one of Singapore’s most versatile artists, Cheong Soo Pieng’s works are all encompassing representations of his multi-cultural upbringing and career. Sunflowers is an exceptional illustration, executed during the early 1950s period of Soo Pieng’s career, depicting a drooping bunch of sunflowers in a blue vase. Undoubtedly reminiscent of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Soo Pieng’s interpretation possesses more of a cubist quality, which could have been inspired by his fervent study of Western painting theories and conventions. Soo Pieng’s exploration of the compositional styles of cubism is brought to light in this still life, as the leaves and petals of the sunflowers are reduced and configured to more simplistic shapes in order to fit into the geometrical schemas of the painting. As viewers, we are engaged through the perception of the artist, and it is with Sunflowers that Soo Pieng invites us to partake in a sublime visual experience. Soo Pieng never saw his surroundings as a shortage of creativity, and it was during the period of 1947-1952 that he drew inspiration from immediate observations of his natural environment. It is worth noting that Soo Pieng’s early works are remarkably difficult to obtain, making this present lot an outstanding rarity. Soo Pieng’s precise treatment of space and dimension is enlivened by his use of complementary colours, which finds its roots from scientific colour theories. Against a backdrop of ivory, the canary yellow of the sunflowers seems to stand out amidst the canvas. Upon closer inspection, these sunflowers appear to be nearing the end of their lives, bent over delicately, but perhaps this is what Soo Pieng aims to portray: total reality and actuality. Those who have had the privilege of learning under the tutelage of Soo Pieng have always remarked of his profound investigations of perspective, and such is the case with Sunflowers, which contends a complete representation of his cubist approach to still life.