The China Project

115 Three Decades: The Contemporary Chinese Collection Irene CHOU Irene Chou’s expressions of an internal spiritual world draw on the rich traditions of Chinese brush and ink painting. Her skill in this medium is manifest in the highly original and evocative forms she creates. Bold, black brushstrokes combine with layers of fine wash to create personal and often philosophical works. Her early studies of archaic calligraphic scripts and explorations of superimposed layers of ink gave way to new techniques involving a more textural brushstroke known as the ‘impact’ stroke or more spontaneous and lyrical calligraphic strokes. However the technique is transformed as Chou’s handling of the brush seeks another, more personal layer of meaning. Chou’s first profession was as a reporter for Shanghai’s Peace Daily , although she originally studied economics at St John’s University in Shanghai. In 1950, at the age of 26 and after marrying and moving to Hong Kong, Chou began painting. Introduced to the broad brushstrokes of Chinese masters Bada Shanren and Qi Baishi, as well as Lu Shoukun — an innovator in modern Chinese painting — Chou rejected traditional pictorialism, moving into a kind of lyrical abstraction. Her interest in philosophy and religion provided further impetus for this move, as she broadened her knowledge of a rich, inner spiritual world. Chou created The universe is within our hearts I and The universe is within our hearts II , both 1992, following her migration to Brisbane the year before. These works employ broad, spontaneous calligraphic strokes of black against fine washes of grey-blue. Chou describes her technique as resembling that of traditional Chinese painting, in which ‘the impact structural stroke was not executed in conformity to an original plan, nor did it take shape step by step; it was, instead, motivated by a preconceived idea which was later directed by the emotion, which in turn manifested itself, at a rapid rate, on the paper’. 1 Despite their general, cosmic titles, these works are deeply personal expressions. As art historian Lucy Lim explains: Often baffling, ambiguous and paradoxical, (her) art hints at a spiritual realm for which there is no visual equivalent in the objective world. Her paintings are the untrammelled expression of her inner self — what she calls the ‘universe of my heart’. 2 Irene Chou’s paintings interpret and expand the traditional Chinese art of brush and ink work. Innovative in their technique and personal in their subject matter, these works raise questions regarding individual creativity and tradition. Chou’s skilful handling of these questions has earned her international commendation and respect. endnotes 1 Irene Chou quoted in Chinese Painting by Irene Chou [exhibition catalogue], Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, p.28. 2 Lucy Lim, Six Contemporary Chinese Women Artists [exhibition catalogue], Chinese Culture Foundation of San Francisco, San Francisco, 1991, p.22. opposite The universe is within our hearts II 1992 Chinese ink, synthetic polymer paint and metallic paint (gold) on oriental paper / 185.5 x 95.5cm / Purchased 1997. John Darnell Bequest above First landscape 1986 Chinese ink on rice paper / 69.8 x 139.3cm / Gift of the artist through the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation 2001