Asian Arts

T'ang Haywen (Chinese 曾海文, 1927–1991) was born in Fujian province, China. In 1937, his family migrated to Vietnam, where he attended French school and studied Chinese calligraphy from his grandfather. He relocated to Paris in 1948 to pursue his ambition to be an artist. Although lacking formal training, he spent much time in museums, studying from the western masters' paintings, particularly those of Henri Matisse, J. M. W. Turner and the Impressionists. In addition, the early influence from his grandfather enabled him to incorporate Daoist elements in his work. With captivating beauty of composition, his works were often rendered in a few brushstrokes as quick studies of the natural world. His synthesis of the Eastern Daoist tradition with a Western aesthetic embraced the idea that "painting is the embodiment of energy." The innovative fusion of the Chinese spiritual aesthetic of ink brush painting with Western abstract expressionism strengthened his reputation among a growing circle of modern artists. His works were exhibited in major museums such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Musée d'Art Moderne, Paris; M+ Museum, Hong Kong; the Musée Guimet, Paris; and the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco.