Born in Singapore in 1959, Henri Chen Kezhan is a graduate from Baharuddin Vocational Institute (1979) and the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris (1986). He was also a student of eminent artists Fan Chang Tien (1907-1987) and Zhao Shao-ang (1905-1998). Since 1977, Chen has exhibited in solo and group shows locally and internationally, and in 2001 he was one of four artists who represented Singapore in the 49th Venice Biennale. In 1985, Chen was awarded the silver medal by the Salon des Artistes France and in 1993, the Young Artist Award by the Singapore government. Chen’s interest in Chinese ink painting has seen a body of work that ranges from depictions of nature to expressions of more abstract ideas. Here, within the format of a handscroll, he has filled the space with dynamic brushwork, relaying power and emotions with every stroke while creating a complex composition of varying depth and intensity.
