LOT 31
TAN CHOON GHEE
(B. Penang, 1930-2010)
London, 1981
Signed and inscribed in Chinese “London 1981”
with artist’s seal on lower right
Chinese ink and watercolour on paper
67 x 45 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 8,000 – RM 12,000
Tan Choon Ghee has always been inspired by and passionate about what people would deem nondescript streets – its buildings, the shops, the people walking down the busy streets of Paris, as seen in this piece. Tan was noted for his excellent blend of the British watercolour technique and the Chinese classical paintings’ calligraphic brushstrokes. As a result of this, the art pieces created by him are often sought-after and copied by many. Cool, calm and murky, it reminds one of a quiet pathway, perhaps towards the evening. The illustration of the buildings’ architecture is sublime, and the faint mist-like glow to it gives the entire composition a nostalgic ambiance.
Tan Choon Ghee was considered one of the most established Malaysian artist. He obtained his training in art from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore in 1951, before continuing to his studies at the Slade School of Art in the United Kingdom in 1958, where he was awarded scholarships from the West Germany Government and Australian Broadcasting Commission.