Global InformationChen Cheng Mei information
Chen Cheng Mei | |||||||
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陳城梅 | |||||||
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| Born | 1927 Singapore | ||||||
| Died | 2020 (aged 93) Singapore | ||||||
| Nationality | Singaporean | ||||||
| Education | Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore (1954) | ||||||
| Known for | Oil painting, sketches, photographs, etchings, lithography | ||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 陳城梅 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 陈城梅 | ||||||
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Chen Cheng Mei (simplified Chinese: 陈城梅; traditional Chinese: 陳城梅; pinyin: Chén Chéng Méi; 1927–2020), also known as Tan Seah Boey,[1] was a Singaporean artist known for her pioneering work as the woman behind the Ten Men Art Group.[2][3] A loose collective of Singapore-based artists, the Ten Men Art Group made work based on their travels around Southeast Asia in the 1960s, and around China and India in the 1970s.[2][4]
She initiated a trip with three artists to Peninsular Malaysia in 1960, which led to another journey the following year with ten participants, this time headed by artist Yeh Chi Wei after Chen proposed that he lead the trip in her stead.[2] Further excursions to Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, Borneo, and other locations followed, which involved the group visiting key artists, as well as creating sketches and taking photographs of temples, villages, cities, and the countrysides from these areas.[2]
Chen's later practice of solo journeys would see her work engaging with Africa and South Asia in the decades following their decolonisation, depicting scenes from locations such as Nairobi, New Delhi, and the Sahara.[2]
Until recently, Chen's early role in the Ten Men Art Group had been eclipsed by that of her male counterparts.[2][3][5] Chen, who was rather private about her practice,[3] did not hold her first solo exhibition in Singapore until much later in 2004, when she was in her 70s.[1][3]
Chen died at the age, 93 in 2020.[3]
- ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
:2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c d e f Nelson, Roger (27 February 2021). "Passages: Chen Cheng Mei (1927–2020)". Artforum. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Toh, Wen Li (28 October 2021). "National Gallery Singapore spotlights overlooked artists Chen Cheng Mei, You Khin". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ Kwok, Kian Chow (1996). Channels & Confluences: A History of Singapore Art. Singapore: Singapore Art Museum. ISBN 9789810074883. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008.
- ^ Yusof, Helmi (29 October 2021). "Shedding light on underappreciated artists". The Business Times. Retrieved 1 November 2021.