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
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
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
Chu Teh-Chun, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai, China
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997-98
1997
1994
1991
1988
1987
1986
1985
1984
1982
1978
1973
1972
1970
1969
1965
1962
1960
1958
1954
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022-2023
2021
2016
2013
2012
2009
2007
1997
1994
1969
1964
1946
1945
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
