Orchids
Liu Kang
1951
- YEAR:1951
- MEDIUM:Oil on canvas
- DIMENSIONS:51×41.5 cm
Introduction
Liu Kang, as the founder of the “Nanyang stytle” (an art movement developed by migrant Chinese painters in Singapore between the late 1940s through the 1960s), synthesized the Chinese artistic spirit principle of “calligraphy and painting sharing the same orgin” (shu hua tong yuan) with the vibrant, primal charm of tropical landscapes. Orchids is a quintessential example of his Nanyang style. The orchids, imbued with an Eastern elegance, appeared full of movement under the tropical sunlight. Lively, energetic brushstrokes outlined the petals, while the sinuous yet resilient stems and the tilted vase creat a vibrant compositional energy. The bright light falling on the petals contrasted with the deep indigo background rendered in dry, texture strokes. This interplay, combined with the simplified forms and direct brushwork, results in an aesthetic of unadorned spontaneity and palpable, burgeoning natural vitality.
