Western style in Chinese mediums Enduring Strength and Passion: The Chinese and Western Art of Ting Yin Yung

The University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG) of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), is honoured to present Enduring Strength and Passion: The Chinese and Western Art of Ting Yin Yung, a retrospective exhibition of Master Ting’s multifaceted work in commemoration of his 120th anniversary. A native of Maoming county in Guangdong province, Ting Yin Yung (1902–1978) studied Western painting in Tokyo at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in the early 1920s. He returned to Mainland China in 1925 and emigrated to Hong Kong in 1949, where he further developed his artistic practice.

Ting’s painterly styles vary widely. He excelled at figure paintings and abstract depictions that are indicative of Western influence. His figures bring to mind his study of form and volume—a principal of Cubism—whereas other works are rendered in strong and contrasting colours—a characteristic of Fauvism. Master Ting consistently aimed to reconcile the techniques and characteristics of Western and Chinese approaches to painting.

Ting’s artistic style is noteworthy for its simplicity and nuanced saturation of pigments. The remarkable one-stroke technique showcased the mastery of Ting’s own style. His use of line, void and space exemplifies his contribution to the formulation of a modern Chinese style.