Chu Teh-Chun

1920, Jiangsu Province, China – 2014 France

Introduction

Born in Jiangsu Province in 1920, China, Chu Teh-Chun attended the Hangzhou National College of Art from 1935 to 1940. He studied under the tutelage of Lin Fengmian, alongside artists Chao Chung-Hsiang, Wu Guanzhong, and Zao Wou-ki. He became interested in calligraphy and intended to study traditional Chinese ink painting, however, the academy lacked an ink painting department and so Chu studied watercolour and oil painting. As historical events unfolded in 1949 China, Chu left for Taiwan where he taught for a few years, before leaving for Paris via Vietnam and Egypt in 1955. When Chu first arrived in Paris, his paintings were still figurative in nature and imbued with the atmosphere and typical in style of the early twentieth century Paris School of art. It was in 1956, after viewing a major exhibition of works by Nicolas de Staël, that Chu became an exponent of Lyrical Abstraction. This was to become his signature painting style. Two years later in 1958, he had his first solo exhibition in Europe. Since then Chu's paintings have appeared in over 150 exhibitions around the world, and alongside his contemporary, Zao Wou-ki, he has become a household name in the French and Chinese art world. Chu Teh-Chun passed away in 2014.

Alice King first met Chu Teh-Chun in 1986, during the opening reception for his exhibition at the Hong Kong Institute for Promotion of Chinese Culture. They spent the next decade corresponding, discussing art and culture, with King visiting Chu’s studio during her frequent visits to Paris. However, it wasn’t until 1997, during Le French May, that Alisan Fine Arts first held a solo exhibition for the artist, and since then has held four more solo exhibitions. Significantly, in 2004, Alice King curated a solo exhibition of his works at the University Museum and Art Gallery at the University of Hong Kong.

Chu's paintings are widely collected and included in the holdings of many important museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art, Paris; Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris; Museum of Contemporary Art, Liège; Olympic Museum, Lausanne; Taipei Museum of History; Taipei Fine Art Museum; Shanghai Grand Theatre. In recognition of his contribution to painting, Chu Teh-Chun was inducted into the prestigious Institut de France, as a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1999 — he was the first Chinese-born person to be so honored. Membership conveys the distinction of being amongst the most prominent living musicians, artists, architects, and sculptors in France.


BIOGRAPHY
1920     Born in Jiangsu Province, China
1935-40     Attended the Hangzhou National College of Art, China, studied under the tutelage of Lin Fengmian, alongside artists Chao Chung-hsiang, Wu Guanzhong, and Zao Wou-ki
1941     Taught drawing at the Central University, Nanjing, China
1949     Taught drawing at the National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
1955     Moved to Paris, France
1956     After viewing a major exhibition of works by Nicolas de Staël, that Chu became an exponent of Lyrical Abstraction
1958     First solo exhibition in Europe
1961     First solo exhibition in Paris
1976     Returned to practice calligraphy that he learned in childhood
1979     Met Lin Fengmian in Paris
1981     Obtained French nationality
Met Wu Guanzhong in Paris
1983     Invited by the Chinese University of Hong Kong to sit as a juror 
fFrst time in 35 years that returned to China
1985     While exhibiting in Geneva, Switzerland, he witnessed a snowstorm that inspired him and created famous "Series of Snows"
1986     Invited to Hong Kong University and Taiwan to attend a conference. This is his first time back on the island he left in 1955
2014     Passed away in Paris, France
 
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024      

  • Chu Teh-Chun: In Nebula, Giorgio Cini Foundation, Venice, Italy

2023       

  • ​Chu Teh-Chun documentary film screening, Celeste Bartos Theater, Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA

2021       

2015       

  • ​ Fondation Monticelli, Marseille, France  

2013      

  • ​Retrospective Exhibition, Pinacotheque de Paris, Paris, France

2010       

  • Chu Teh-Chun Retrospective, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

2009       

  • De neige d'or et d'azur: Chu Teh-Chun et la Manufacture de Sèvres, Musee Guimet, Paris, France  

2008       

  • Chu Teh-Chun 88 Retrospective, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Chu Teh-Chun: Lavis, Galerie Patrice Trigano, Paris, France

2007       

  • Profound Image: A Retrospective of Chu Teh-Chun, Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan

2006       

  • Chu Teh-Chun: Paintings, Marlborough, New York, USA

2005       

  • Chu Teh Chun: Recent Works, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • Recent Ink Works 2005 by Chu Teh-Chun, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
  • Maison Elsa Triolet-Aragon, Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines, France
  • J. Bastien Art Galerie, Bruxelles, Belgium
  • Arsenal of Metz, France

2004       

  • Chu Teh-Chun and His Universe, Le French May, Alisan Fine Arts, University of Hong Kong Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong
  • Paysagism des Songs: Chu Teh-Chun, La Malmaison, Cannes, France
  • Large Gestures - Paintings by Chu Teh-Chun, Macao Museum of Art, Macau

2003       

  • Chu Teh-Chun, Palais Garnier, Paris, France

  • Chu Teh-Chun, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai, China

  • Exposition Ecouter l’Univers, Jing Yi University, Taichung, Taiwan

2002      

  • Galerie Darga, Bali, Indonesia
  • Angel Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

2001       

  • Chu Teh-Chun, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China

2000       

  • Chu Teh-Chun 1987-2000, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, China

1999       

  • Of Poetry and Music, Ink Paintings by Chu Teh-Chun, Le French May, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

1998       

  • Galerie Enrico Navarra, Paris, France
  • Galerie Patrice Trigano, Paris, France

1997-98  

  • Travelling exhibition featuring works from 1985-96 jointly organised by l’Association Française d’Action Artistique, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France and the museums being visited. Venues included the National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing; Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong; Museum of Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, and the Taipei Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan

1997       

  • Unlandscapes: A Poetic Expression, Le French May, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
  • Trigano Gallery, Paris, France. Chu signed the Cercle d’Art Volume by Pierre Cabanne

1994       

  • Municipal Gallery, Vitry, France, with catalogue prefaced by Raoul-Jean Moulin
  • Trigano Gallery, Paris, France. Chu signed the Cercle d’Art Volume by Pierre Cabanne

1991       

  • Large scale paintings, Museum of Contemporary Art, Dunkerque, France

1988       

  • Museum of Modern Art, Liège, Belgium
  • Travelling exhibition in 14 departmental and municipal cultural centers, and the Taiwan Museum of Art

1987       

  • Retrospective Exhibition, National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan

1986        

  • Chu Teh-Chun Works on Paper, Hong Kong Institute for the Promotion of Chinese Culture, Hong Kong

1985       

  • Large exhibition, Sochaux Maison de la Culture et des Loisirs, Loisirs, France

1984       

  • Large exhibition, Municipal Theater, Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg

1982       

  • Paintings and Drawings, Retrospective 1955-1982, André Malraux Fine Arts Museum, Le Havre, France

1978       

  • Retrospective Exhibition, Saint-Etienne Cultural Centre, France

1973       

  • Horn Gallery, Luxembourg

1972       

  • Mikeldi Gallery, Bilbao, Spain

1970       

  • Royal Luxembourg Gallery, Nice, France

1969       

  • Roger Le Grall Gallery, Paris, France

1965       

  • Latzer Gallery, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland

1962       

  • Baier Gallery, Mainz, Germany

1960       

  • Legendre Gallery, Paris, France

1958      

  • Le Haut Pavé Gallery, Paris, France

1954       

  • Zhongshan Tang, Taipei, Taiwan


SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024-2025       

  • The Journey of Ink: Modern and Contemporary Chinese Paintings from the Musée Cernuschi, Bund One Art Museum, Shanghai, China (Until Jan 5, 2025)

2022-2023       

  • Ink in Motion: A History of Chinese Painting in the 20th Century, Cernuschi Museum, Paris, France

2021       

2016  

2013       

2012       

2009       

  • Hong Kong International Arts & Antiques Fair, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Centre, Hong Kong

2007       

  • 3rd Shanghai Ink Biennial: Exploration: New ink Art Shanghai, Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
  • Exhibition Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China 2007, Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong

1997        

1994       

  • Signes Premiers : Riopelle, Kijno, Chu Teh-Chun, Palais Montcalm, Québec, Maison de la culture Mercier, Montréal, Canada; Musée amérindien de Pointe-Bleue; Musée d'art de Joliette, France

1969       

  • 10th Biennale São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

1964       

  • International Art Exhibition, Carnegie Art Institute, Pittsburgh, USA

1946       

  • Group Exhibition, with Li Keran, Chongqing, China

1945       

  • Group Exhibition, with former professors and Zao Wou-ki, Chongqing, China


SELECTED AWARDS
2006 Officier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, France
Médaille d’Or du Mérite Européen, Luxembourg 
2001 Chevalier de l’Order des Palmes Académiques, France
Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur , France
1999 Inducted into the Institut de France, as a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts, the first Chinese-born person to be so honored
1957 Silver medal, Salon des Artistes Français, France

SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Musée Cernuschi, Paris, France
Musée national des Arts asiatiques - Guimet, Paris, France
Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville, Paris, France
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, France
Fonds National d’Art Contemporain, Paris, France
Patrimoine National, Paris, France
Musée d’arts de Nantes, Nantes, France
Musée d’Art Contemporain, Dunkerque, France
Musée des beaux-arts André Malraux, Le Havre, France
Musée Bertrand, Chateauroux, France
Musée de Pierrefeu, Nice, France
Musée Hyacinthe Rigaud, Perpignan, France
Maison de la Culture de la Société des Eaux, Marseille, France
Fonds départemental d’art contemporain du Val-de-Marne, France
Museum of Contemporary Art, Liège, Belgium
Olympic Museum, Lausanne, Switzerland
St. Louis University, St. Louis, USA
Musée National, Dacca, Bengladesh
Musée de Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexique
Shanghai Grand Threatre, Shanghai, China
Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
Taiwan Museum of Art, Taichung, Taiwan
Hou Centing Cultural Education Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
Dimensions Art Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong