Chu Teh-Chun

Emigrating to France in the middle of the last century, CHU Teh-Chun (1920-2014) left a significant mark on abstract painting and Chinese art, synthesizing the two pictorial traditions.

CHU Teh-Chun (1920–2014) stands as a key figure in bridging Eastern and Western traditions in 20th-century art. Born in China and trained at the National School of Fine Arts in Hangzhou under the painter Lin Fengmian, he mastered traditional Chinese painting while developing a deep appreciation for Western art movements.

After settling in Paris in the 1950s, Chu gradually moved away from figuration to embrace an abstract, lyrical style rooted in Chinese calligraphy and landscape traditions. While his work is often associated with Lyrical Abstraction and Art Informel, his practice retained the formal discipline of his classical education.

Blending spiritual intensity with gestural freedom, Chu Teh-Chun helped redefine the language of abstraction across cultures.
A major retrospective of his work is being held at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice from April 20 to June 30, 2024, as part of the 60th International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.

Watch a presentation video of the exhibition, curated by Matthieu Poirier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnDxt7YbONY