Irene Chou (1924 Shanghai-2011 Australia) was a student of Lui Shou-Kwan and a key figure of the New Ink Art Movement in Hong Kong. The one-stroke technique, derived from Chinese philosophy Zen and Taoism, and encouraged by her mentor Lui Shou-Kwan, led to her dynamic, abstract painting style—becoming her signature style in the 1980s. Upon graduating from the Economics department at Shanghai St John’s University in 1945, Chou worked as a journalist for Peace Daily Shanghai. Thereafter she left for Taipei and in 1949 for Hong Kong. Five years later she started to learn classical painting under Zhao Shao’ang, a master of the Lingnan school.
During the 1960s she was introduced to Western Abstract Expressionism by Lui Shou-Kwan and inspired to combine Western and Chinese art while striving to retain the essence of Chinese traditional art. Her works demonstrate a solid grounding in traditional Chinese painting methods as well as the footprint traced from Lui Shou-Kwan's iconic Zen painting.
She has won several prestigious awards including the Pacific Culture Asia Museum Fine Art Award, United States (1973); the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award (1983) and Artist of the Year Award by Hong Kong Artists’ Guild, (1988). After suffering a life-threatening stroke in 1991 she moved to Brisbane, Australia and passed away at the age of 87. Alisan has been showcasing her works since 1987 and included her in the Lui Shou-Kwan 40 Years On Exhibition in 2015, the HOPE charity exhibiiton in 2018, and Uniquely Hong Kong in 2020.
BIOGRAPHY
1924 Born in Shanghai, China
1941-45 BA in Economics, St. John’s University, Shanghai, China
1946-47 Reporter for the Peace Daily, Shanghai, China
1947 Translated The World of Tomorrow by Burr W. Leyson, published by the Commercial Press, Shanghai, China
1949 Moved to Hong Kong
1976-84 Taught lithography and ink painting at the Extra Mural Studies, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1992 Moved to Brisbane, Australia
2011 Passed away
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
2023
Ink Asia, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
Summoning Memories: Art Beyond Chinese Traditions, Asia Society Texas, Houston, USA
2021-2022
Hong Kong: Here and Beyond, Main Hall Gallery, M+, Hong Kong
Individuals, Networks, Expressions, South Galleries, M+, Hong Kong
2021
Ink Dreams: Selections from the Fondation INK Collection, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA
2020
2019
Hong Kong Experience • Hong Kong Experiment, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
2018
2010
Legacy & Creations: Ink Art vs Ink Art, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
1989
1988
1985
1984
1983
1982
1981
SELECTED AWARDS
1972 Pacific Culture Asia Museum Fine Art Award, California, United States
1983 Urban Council Fine Arts Award (Chinese Painting), Hong Kong
1988 The Artist of the Year Award, Hong Kong
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, USA
British Museum, London, United Kingdom
Museum for East-Asian Arts, Cologne, Germany
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia
Raya Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
National Art Gallery, Manila, Philippines
National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
University Museum & Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
M+, Hong Kong
