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Description: | Abstract compositon.
This painting is partly related to chapter two " Beauty" from the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu ( Lao Zi).
There are three layers ( types ) of Chinese text super-imposed on the canvas. The lowest bottom layer consists of Chinese text taken from Chapter two, " Beauty ", "Tao Te Ching" by Lao Tsu, who was a great ancient Chinese philosopher during the 6th century BC ( English translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English). I then calligraphed the green text onto the canvas. The middle layer consists of a two-page text ( printed) taken from the Chinese traditional almanac book* . I silk screened the text onto the calligraphy text of " Beauty " and hand manipulated (with a brush) the strokes and colours with transitional changes of colours from bright yellow to bright red, right to left.
The top layer consists of three huge Chinese characters in classical script style, hand written, juxtaposed and super-imposed onto the middle and bottom layers.
They are, from right to left, Happiness, Prosperity and Longevity.
By using the simultaneous contrast of colour and manipulation of strokes, the strokes and colours are integrated and tend to move forward and backward, creating a kind of dynamic force in the work.
Choong Kam Kow was awarded a doctorate by RGU in 2006
Oil on canvas
overall: 66 cm x 71 cm
A painting was considered for purchase by RGU (Choong Kam Kow was awarded a doctorate by RGU in 2006) (President of Malaysian Institute of Contemporary Art)
The painting held in the collection was presented to RGU by the artist upon receiving a doctorate.
A painting with a new translation of a poem by Lao Tsu. Translation by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English
Two
Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness.
All can know good as good only because there is evil.
Therefore having and not having arise together.
Difficult and easy complement each other.
Long and short contrast each other;
High and low rest upon each other;
Voice and sound harmonize each other;
Front and back follow one another.
Therefore the sage goes about doing nothing, teaching no-talking.
The ten thousand things rise and fall without cease.
Creating, yet not possessing.
Working, yet not taking credit.
Work is done, then forgotten.
Therefore it lasts forever.
Painting | Publisher: | MLA:ABDRG | Rights holder: | MLA:ABDRG | Subjects: | Fine Art: Paintings 1901-present | Temporal: | 1998 | Source: | Robert Gordon University | Creator: | Choong, Kam Kow | Identifier: | ABDRG2006.63 | Language: | en-GB |
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