Lin & Lin Gallery is pleased to present George Chann’s solo exhibition. George Chann(1913-1995) immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 12. He had spent most of his artistic career in the United States. Hailed as the forerunner along with Zao Wou-Ki and Chu Teh-Chun in the development of Chinese abstract art, Chann utilized Chinese characters and ancient objects as the fundamental element in the artworks. Through the construction of words and the manipulation of mixed media, the artist further created the distinctive personal style in the post-war abstract art movement.

 

Chann’s creative career started from 1940s. In the early works, he demonstrated warm humanitarian concerns by directly portraying multiracial kids and old men of underclass. Meanwhile in 1942, Chann gained favorable attention on the West Coast of the United States as the first Chinese artist invited to hold a solo exhibition at the Los Angeles Museum of Art. Chann returned to China in 1947, and made friends with the well-known Chinese traditionalist in ink painting Chao Shao-ang and Huang Jun-Bi of the Lingnan School. Since then, the artist had developed his interest in Chinese ink and calligraphy. The cultural nourishment resulted in his unique artistic achievement in 1950s. In 1950s Abstract Expressionism swept through the U.S. art community, in which Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning and Mark Tobey were leading figures. Being inspired by this artistic wave, Chann incorporated Chinese calligraphy, stone inscriptions and bronze vessels as format, establishing special Chinese abstract aesthetics. The artist highlighted the beauty and expressiveness of lines, hooks and curves by means of collage and lapping, which evoke reminiscence. During 1970s, Chann developed a freer and more colorful linear style. The symbols of characters can no longer be seen. Instead, the composition of dot, line and color displays a purer feeling interweaving with magnificence and delicacy.

 

In 2000, Lin & Keng Gallery held George Chann’s solo exhibition in Taipei. It was the first time that Chann’s aesthetics and significance were completely and systemically introduced to the realm of Chinese art. Driven by a strong sense of cultural mission, Lin & Lin Gallery presents George Chann’s exquisite solo exhibition this December, hoping to examine the creative context of this abstract master and bring a comprehensive understanding to the viewers. Chann’s work is in collections of Shanghai Art Museum, Guangdong Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Art and a number of municipal art museums.