Georgette Chen’s life can be marked by two phases: the first, a period of travel between China, the United States, and Europe, during which the two World Wars and the Chinese Civil War unfolded around her as she pursued her art; and the second, a period in which she found a new home in Singapore and taught the next generation of artists. Self Portrait (1946) demonstrates Chen’s lifelong commitment to her art. Chen confronts the viewer with her assured gaze and her face occupies the entire canvas. The pastel colours used for her complexion are set in contrast to the muted grey and brown background, imbuing the painting with a sense of austerity. When this painting was made, Chen had just lost her husband and was in search of a quiet place to settle down where she could rehabilitate and paint. Despite her personal tragedy, Chen remained steadfast in her aspiration to be a successful artist. Between 1945 and 1947, she travelled around China, making works in preparation for her subsequent solo exhibitions in Shanghai (1947), New York (1949), Paris (1950), and Singapore (1953).
This is the first time the work of Georgette Chen is presented at Biennale Arte.
—Lim Shujuan
