Koo Mei

1934, Guangzhou China

Introduction

Originally named Koo Ka-Iai, Koo Mei was born in Guangzhou in 1934 and moved to Hong Kong in 1950. She was a famous Hong Kong singer and actress in her early years. She started to paint in 1963 under the tutelage of three Chinese ink masters, Hong Kong’s Lui Shou-Kwan, Zhao Shao-ang and Taiwan’s Hu Nianzu. In the 1970s, she gave up her performing career to become a professional artist. She received the Urban Council Artist Award of the Hong Kong Museum of Art in 1977. She moved to Canada in 1984 where she currently resides. She had her first solo exhibition in 1971 in Taipei. Since then, she has had around 30 solo exhibitions in the United States, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong. Her works are collected by several museums and collectors, such as Utah State University, United States, Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Canadian Consulate General in Hong Kong, Bank of America, Bank of Australia, CITI Bank, and Hutchison and Shaw Brothers in Hong Kong.


BIOGRAPHY 
1934    Born in Guangzhou, China
1950    Moved to Hong Kong 
1962    Studied painting under Zhao Shao’ang
1969    Studied painting under Hu Nianzu in Taiwan 
1970    Abandoned a successful career as an actress and singer and devoted herself entirely to painting
1974    Studied with Lui Shou-Kwan in Hong Kong
1984    Settled in Vancouver, Canada 
2006    Published memoirs From Dawn to Dusk, Joint Publishing, Hong Kong
Present    Lives and works in Canada

 

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS 
2009

  • University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2000

  • Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

1998

  • Museum Annex, Hong Kong

1994

  • Harmony Art Centre, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Jasmine Fine Art, Singapore

1989

  • The Touchstone Gallery, Hong Kong
  • Caves Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

1987

  • The Art House Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

1985

  • Charlotte Horstmann and Gerald Godfrey, Hong Kong


1984

  • Asian Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

1983

  • Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong

1981

  • Lung Men Art Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
  • National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore

1980

  • Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong

1977

  • JJ Gallery, San Francisco, United States

1973

  • Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong
  • Chinese Manufacturer’s Association, Singapore

1971

  • Liang’s Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2015

2007-09

  • Vancouver Art Show, CCM Centre, Vancouver, Canada

2007

  • The New Face of Ink Paintings – Modern Ink Painting Group Exhibition and Symposium, Sino Group, Central Plaza, Olympian City, Hong Kong

2006  

  • Contemporary Hong Kong Ink Painting Exhibition, Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong

2005-06  

  • Vancouver Art Show, CCM Centre, Vancouver, Canada

2003  

  • Ink Painting Exhibition, National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan

1997

  • Reunion and Vision-Contemporary Hong Kong Art 1997, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
  • Masterpieces of 20th Century Chinese Painting, Canada Foundation of Preservation Chinese Heritage, Canada

1995

1992

  • Where the Stream Becomes a River, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada

1990

  • Six Chinese Artists in Canada, Asian Centre, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada

1988

  • Ink Painting by Hong Kong Artists-Collection of Hong Kong Museum of Art, presented by Hong Kong Urban Council, Barbican Centre Gallery, London, United Kingdom

1987

  • Reality & Infinity-with Irene Chou, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
  • Ten Years of Hong Kong Painting Exhibition: 10th Anniversary of Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1986

  • Contemporary Chinese Painting, Chinese University of Hong Kong, City Hall, Hong Kong
  • Art Ensemble 86, Chinese Cultural Centre, Vancouver, Canada
  • Exhibition of International Art of Suiboku, Tokyo Museum of Art, Japan

1985

  • Shui Mo – The New Spirit of Chinese Tradition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong 

1983

  • Oriental Art Show, Utah State University, United States

1982

  • Exhibition of International Modern Ink Painters, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Contemporary Hong Kong Artists Invitational Exhibition, University of Cincinnati, United States
  • Contemporary Vision of Landscape, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

1981

  • Benson & Hedges Selection of Hong Kong Art 1970-80, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
  • Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennale, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

1980

  • One Art Group Joint Exhibition, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan

1979

  • One Art Group Joint Exhibition, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore; Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong
  • Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennale, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
  • Contemporary Hong Kong Art, Raya Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

1978

  • Urban Council Fine Art Award Winners, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

1977

  • Contemporary Chinese Artists from Hong Kong, Rockford College, Illinois, United States
  • One Art Group Exhibition, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong Arts Centre Inaugural Exhibition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong 

1976

  • Hong Kong Art Now, Quorum Galleries, Hong Kong
  • One Art Group Exhibition, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong

1972

  • Female Painters of China, Memorial Painting Exhibition of Yu Yau-yun, Taipei, Taiwan

 

SELECTED AWARDS 
1977    Urban Council Artist Award, Hong Kong

 

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS 
University of Utah, United States
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Canadian Consulate General, Hong Kong
Bank of Australia, Hong Kong
Bank of America, Hong Kong
Citibank, Hong Kong
Hutchison Global, Hong Kong
Goldman Sachs Ltd, Hong Kong
Shaw Brothers Ltd, Hong Kong