CHEN Jiang Hong was born in 1963 is a Chinese artist who grew up during the Cultural Revolution. Chen completed his studies in Beijing in 1987 at China’s most prestigious art academy, Central Academy of Fine Arts before moving to Paris, France. In Paris, he continued his studies at Ecole des Bueax Arts and based there as a freelance painter and illustrator of books.
Chen Jiang Hong’s paintings are a way for him to promote the Chinese culture and to provide others with the opportunity to be a part of it. Two common elements in Chen’s works are the lotus and bamboo. Lotus represents purity, enlightenment as well as harmony in the Chinese culture, whilst bamboo represents longevity and integrity. Chen’s artwork presents a rare strength and exquisite beauty that is found in nature. It abides by the philosophy of Oriental ink painting – where the aim is to capture the essence of a subject. However, there is sophistication in his works, which are greatly influenced by his exposure to two different cultures.
Chen merges Eastern and Western painting traditions by combining Indian ink and oil paint, with modern techniques using raw materials such as wood sawdust, on a canvas. This is a rarity in creating an artwork. Chen portrays these classical Eastern motifs with a limited palette of various shades of black, white, red or oak. The ink washes in earthy tones and abstract forms to assume the shape of elements from Chinese imagery.
