Lyrical Encounters will feature artists who are influenced by both French and Asian cultures, including Zao Wou-Ki and Chu Teh-Chun. Originating from China, these artists first embarked on their artistic journey by attending art schools in pre-war China, consolidating their knowledge and techniques in traditional Chinese ink painting and calligraphy under Pan Tian-Shou and Western art under Lin Feng-Mian and Fang Gan-Min. Enlightened by the Abstract Expressionist trend on the rise in Europe, both artists made the daring choice to move to Paris and formulated their own distinctive styles thereafter. Their tales have inspired the next generation of Chinese artists to follow in their footsteps. Amongst them is Feng Xiao-Min, who also fused Western abstract art with Chinese philosophy under the oriental perspective.

On the other hand, Western artists such as Georges Mathieu and André Brasilier have been deeply enchanted by oriental aesthetics as well. Mathieu first came into contact with calligraphy during his sojourn in Japan in 1957, during which he became fascinated with kyo-so, a freer and informal style of cursive calligraphy. His experience in the Far East would continue to inform his style when he travelled back to post-war Paris and was eventually revered as “the first Western calligrapher” by André Malraux, former Minister of Cultural Affairs of France. Whilst Asian calligraphy formed the backdrop of Mathieu’s aesthetics, Japanese ukiyo-e prints and sumi-e paintings have influenced the composition and brushwork in Brasilier’s paintings. Dreamlike yet contemplative, Brasilier’s expressionist paintings have long been espoused by both Western and Asian collectors.