GEORGETTE CHEN
Georgette Chen’s art contains many influences from across the world, having travelled across the world to study. This can be seen in her later work, as shown in the selected works, where Chen’s work saw a significant change in style and subject matter after moving to Southeast Asia.
Malay Wedding
(Left: Georgette Chen, 'Malay Wedding', 1962, Oil on canvas, 65 x 81 cm. Photo from https://www.artandmarket.net/reviews/2020/12/3/review-of-georgette-chen-at-home-in-the-world)
Malay Wedding is a detailed still-life depiction of the fresh, lively atmosphere of the daily kampung life that Chen captured following her arrival in Singapore. In this painting, wedding guests dressed for the occasion mingle under tents. Chen successfully harmonises the vibrant hues of both villagers’ clothing and scenery to evoke a joyous and festive mood.
Malay Wedding is a painting that reflects Chen’s time in Singapore, with a focus on the traditional festivities and atmosphere of a typical malay wedding. Capturing the intricate joys of daily kampung life, Chen manages to draw the viewer’s eye through the use of vibrant colour and scenery in her signature vibrant hues and Post-Impressionist art style, which she will soon become well-known for.
Still Life: Moon Festival Table
(Right: Georgette Chen, 'Still Life: Moon Festival Table', 1965, Oil on canvas, 600 x 730 cm. Photo from Google Arts and Culture, https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/still-life-moon-festival-table-georgette-chen/ZAEJQ1aXL8Yk4w)
'Still Life (Moon Festival Table)' is a still life painting of foods and objects commonly used in the celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional festival enjoyed by a majority of people in East and Southeast asia. The still-life arrangement of festive goods, including mooncakes, baked pastry biscuits, pomelo fruit and lanterns hanging from the ceiling are depicted with a warm undertone that evokes a sense of nostalgia, and warmth towards the arrival of the occasion.
'Still Life (Moon Festival Table)’ is a formal arrangement of festive objects in traditional festive colours against a simple, pale yellow background. The candid and unpretentious presentation draws out the colourful exuberance of the festive table and the cheerful mood of the occasion, while conveying a sense of simplicity and spotlighting the cultural essence of the work. This in turn represents Chen’s showcase of the simple joys that may be experienced by little things amongst the people of Singapore.