亞洲現代與當代藝術 Modern and Contemporary Asian Art

231
Walasse TING
(Chinese-American, 1929 - 2010)
Give Me a Hug
1977
Acrylic on canvas
66 x 86 cm
PROVENANCE
Bruun Rasmussen Auction, Copenhagen, Denmark
Private Collection, Asia
1977
66 x 86 cm
NT$ 2,800,000-3,800,000
HK$ 755,000-1,024,000
US$ 96,500-130,900
RMB 607,000-824,000
1970
By the 1970s, Ting has gathered a tremendous creative energy
having spent more than ten years in New York. While his artistic
style changed from abstract to figurative paintings, “women”
was always his favorite topic where he spent most of his energy.
While living in New York, Ting began to develop a style which
the strokes were strong and wild, the colors vibrant, proud, and
unconventional, an approach reflecting Ting’s character. One
cannot deny that the city itself, free, innovative, and blooming
with culture, also took part in shaping Ting’s unique style. As his
focus transformed from abstract to figurative paintings, his state
of mind also began to change. He spent large amounts of time
painting “women”, his favorite topic. During this period, the lines
in his works demonstrated similar styles from Fauvism. In actuality,
during his early days in Europe, the
CoBrA artists already provided Ting with
the inspirations for a similar style. With
an overall exaggerated tone, the female
figures on Ting’s canvas are sometimes
graceful, sometimes emotional, but
always charming.
"Give Me a Hug" resembles the delicate
atmosphere that the Impressionist Edgar
Degas once created in his female portrait
paintings. The painting displays Ting’s
highly-refined ability to create an alluring
and glamorous world with the use of
bright, vivid, fresh color is on full display.
Ting’s most prominent feature is to depict the alluring beauty of
flowers and women, captured in abundantly rich and bright images
while offering a feast for the senses. With the flowers and the
woman drifting on the background in the indefinable turquoise
color, this auctioned piece exudes a mysterious, dreamy charm and
abundance of sweetness.
1865
Edgar Degas, A Woman Seated beside a Vase of Flowers, 1865, oil on canvas, 73.7 x 92.7 cm,
Collection of Metropilian Museum of Art, New York, USA
170