Reeling in the kite string

Posted by Kimberly under Exhibitions, Museums/Heritage Galleries
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Internationally-acclaimed artist Wu Guanzhong’s style could at best be described as a fusion of styles – a blend of western water colour techniques and those of Chinese ink paintings. Yet, it is only when one observes his paintings up-close, his works tell a story of his life and China’s history through the years.

Marking the highest valued donation to a public museum in Singapore, An Unbroken Line: The Wu Guanzhong Donation Collection at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) showcases 113 of his works, valued at a total of SGD$73.7 million. The works represent five decades of his artistic orveure.

Synthesising the two art forms of ink and oil, Wu spent most of his life bridging both these distinct worlds. His vibrant abstract works are reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s signature paint splatters but a deeper understanding to Wu’s work compels one to think twice.

A keen observation into the deliberate brush stroke, the hesitant line and impulsive dab of paint; his paintings tells so much more of Wu as an artist and how his style represents historical and aesthetic contexts of traditional Western and Chinese art. His works have simultaneously encapsulated the fleeting translucence of Chinese ink and the realistic depictions through Western oil paints.

To Wu, “the feelings of the individual were supreme”. Similarly, so was the individual’s emotional link with the community. This has resulted in his iconic use of the line “Unbroken Kite String”, which illustrates the connection with everyday life and formal abstraction.

He likened making art to giving birth, and his works were his ‘daughters’ who needed good homes. In honour of his contributions, SAM has named one of their galleries after him and his works will be housed in The National Art Gallery in 2013.

Wu was recognised for his generous donation at the recent Patron of Heritage Awards and his gift to Singapore will be appreciated by many generations to come.

An Unbroken Line: The Wu Guanzhong Donation Collection is exhibited at Singapore Art Museum from 9 April to 17 August 2009

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