Art and Heritage Online Database

Collection: Gray's School of Art Collection
Object Type: Painting
Artist/Maker: Choong, Kam Kow
Date: 1998
Media/Materials: Oil on canvas
Dimensions: overall: 66 cm x 71 cm
Classification: Painting

Description:

Abstract compositon.

This painting is partly related to chapter two " Beauty" from the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu ( Lao Zi).
There are three layers ( types ) of Chinese text super-imposed on the canvas. The lowest bottom layer consists of Chinese text taken from Chapter two, " Beauty ", "Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tsu, who was a great ancient Chinese philosopher during the 6th century BC ( English translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English). I then calligraphed the green text onto the canvas. The middle layer consists of a two-page text ( printed) taken from the Chinese traditional almanac book . I silk screened the text onto the calligraphy text of " Beauty " and hand manipulated (with a brush) the strokes and colours with transitional changes of colours from bright yellow to bright red, right to left.
The top layer consists of three huge Chinese characters in classical script style, hand written, juxtaposed and super-imposed onto the middle and bottom layers.
They are, from right to left, Happiness, Prosperity and Longevity.
By using the simultaneous contrast of colour and manipulation of strokes, the strokes and colours are integrated and tend to move forward and backward, creating a kind of dynamic force in the work.

Choong Kam Kow was awarded a doctorate by RGU in 2006

Object Number: ABDRG2006.63