Untitled, 1966

Teh-Chun Chu displays a rather restrained use of paint; his main motifs are soft, organic forms. In addition to occasional blue, black and red colour dots, the painting is rendered in graduated pastel colours. Chu’s works can be attributed to Asian calligraphy in the broadest sense but he dispenses with the traditional black China ink. Back in 1955 he emigrated from China to Paris, which means he spent a large part of his creative period in Europe. One year after moving there, he received the silver medal of the Salon des Artistes Français and thus found a permanent place in the French art scene. With major exhibitions in Europe, the United States and China, the artist established himself as one of the most important Chinese abstract expressionists. In his work, Teh-Chun Chu combines Asian and Western culture and is thus a prime example of transnational art. In 1997, he was honoured by the Académie des Beaux-Arts de France and accepted as a member.