ARTIST STATEMENT
EXHIBITION HISTORY
GALLERIES
MY FAVORITES


Statement
Exhibitions
Publications
Favorites

Artist Statement -



I endeavor to present a unique and innovative style of Chinese painting, in combining ideas of calligraphy and painting, in integrating Science and Art, and in blending the East and the West. Using a traditional painting medium, but with self-invented modern technique of pigmentizing-and-alumizing, a binary balance between traditional art practice and contemporary art process is achieved. Another trademark of my paintings is the controlled and yet harmonious splashings of varied Chinese ink and colors, and a rich mix of dry-wet, dispersed-concentrated, bright-dark and light-heavy effects. Heavy color is created from a mixture of color pigments from mineral and vegetable sources. The surface of my paintings is usually converted into a virtual platform, sometimes unpredictable, on which diverse entities converge, and then diverge to make a picture. I continue to pursue a state between figurative naturalism and abstract intellectualism, between likeness and unlikeness seeking the Yin Yang harmony of form and spirit, past and present.

Leon K. L. Chew

Artist Exhibitions



2016: showCACE, Al Fonoun Gallery, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

2015: Art Dubai, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, U.A.E.

2014: SIKKA Art Fair, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Dubai, U.A.E.

2013: Desert/POP, ZU Gallery, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.

2012: Crossing the Emirates, FN Designs Gallery, Dubai, U.A.E.

2011: As the Saying Goes (An exhibition held in conjunction with Art Dubai 2011), Dubai, U.A.E.

2010: Solo Exhibition of Modern Chinese Paintings by Dr. Leon K. L. Chew (First modern Chinese painting exhibition in the history of U.A.E.), Abu Dhabi National Theater, U.A.E.;
Al Bastakiya Art Fair, Dubai, U.A.E.

2009: Emerge: Ways of Worldmaking (An exhibition held in conjunction with the Venice Biennale 2009), Venice, Italy.

2008: Who am I to Disappear: A Dialogue between Landscape and Mind (Three-man show), Wrexham, U.K.

2007: Turning Point (An art exhibition held in conjunction with Singapore Art Show), Singapore.

2006: NUSS [National University of Singapore Society] Fine Arts Exhibition, Singapore.

2005: Txtrapolis: Contemporary Text-Based Art, Singapore.

2004: Chinese Cultural Festival Art Exhibition, Singapore.

2003: Creative Chinese Calligraphy and Contemporary Chinese Painting Exhibition at Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China.

2002: Nokia Singapore Art at Singapore Art Museum, Singapore.

2001: Solo Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Paintings by Dr. Chew Kim Liong, Singapore.

2000: Solo Exhibition of Modern Chinese Paintings by Chew Kim Liong, Singapore.

1999: Artist Notebook, Singapore.

1998: Nanyang Technological University Fund-Raising Art Exhibition, Singapore.

1997: The Society of Chinese Artists' 62nd Annual Art Exhibition, Singapore.

1994-1996: Studio Exhibitions of Leon Chew at Goldsmiths, London, U.K.

1993: Exhibition of Artworks by Singapore Artists at Empress Place Museum, Singapore.

1992: Asia Invitation Art Exhibition at Seoul Metropolitan Museum of Art, Korea.

1991: Singapore Art Fair, Singapore.

1990: The Singapore-Japan Art Exhibition, Singapore and Japan.

1989: National University of Singapore Diamond Jubilee Art Exhibition, Singapore.

1988: Six-Person Discovery Art Exhibition, Singapore.

1987: National Museum Centenary Art Exhibition, Singapore.

1986: Young Artists' Painting Exhibition at National Museum, Singapore....

Artist Publications



2013: Art’s Arab Spring. The Business Times, Executive Lifestyle: Cover Story, 29 Mar 2013, 36-37.

2011: As the Saying Goes, pp. 48-49. Dubai: Tashkeel.

2010: Nature is the Theme of the Exhibition of Dr. Leon Chew in Abu Dhabi. Al Ittihad, Cultures, 6 May 2010, 2.

2010: Colors that Touch the Spirit of the Seasons. Emarat Alyoum, 1 May 2010, 20-21.

2010: Ancient Chinese Symbols Combined in Dr. Leon Chew’s Paintings. Al Bayan, 29 Apr 2010, 38.

2009: Everyone Has Her Own Talent to be Nurtured. ZU Mirror 4: 1, 10.

2006: Painting with Measured Strokes. Career Central, May 2006, 25-26.

2005: Visual Arts Galore. NAFActs 37, 9.

2002: Histories, Identities, Technologies, Spaces: Singapore Art Today, p. 92. Singapore: National Arts Council.

2001: The Meeting of Chinese Oracular Fortune-Telling and Western Zodiacal Constellations. Lianhe Zaobao, zbNOW: Culture, 5 Mar 2001, 3.

2001: Chew got into art by Chance. The Straits Times, LIFE, 24 Feb 2001, 8.

2000: Balancing Art. Asian Art News 10: 4, 48-51.

2000: Art with a Blend of East and West, Past and Present. Lianhe Zaobao, zbNOW: Culture, 24 Mar 2000, 8.

2000: Fusion of Chinese Aesthetics and Western Art. The Straits Times, LIFE, 22 Mar 2000, 11.

1998: Singapore Fine Arts Index, pp. 38, 337. Singapore: Raffles Fine Arts Auctioneers Pte Ltd.

1993: Singapore Artist Directory, p. 44. Singapore: Empress Place Museum.

1989: Contemporary Singapore Artists, p. 104. Singapore: The Singapore Art Society.

1987: National Museum Centenary Art Exhibition, pp. 14, 25. Singapore: National Museum.
...

Artist Collections



Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture Heritage, UAE.
AP Oil International Ltd, Singapore.
Bangkok Bank Ltd.
Consulate General of Singapore in UAE.
Embassy of the Republic of Singapore, UAE.
Government of Singapore Investment Corporation.
Korea Culture Art Research Institute.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore.
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore.
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
National Art Gallery, Singapore.
Singapore Management University.
Shell Companies.
Tung Lok Group, Singapore.
Zayed University, UAE.
Private Collections....

Artist Favorites



Personal Favorites



Personal info and favorite links and sites coming soon.