The emergence of Liu Kang’s new painting style (1950–1958): a multi-analytical approach for the study of the artist’s painting materials and technique

Abstract

Liu Kang (1911–2004) was renowned Singapore artist trained in Shanghai and Paris, and known for his contributions to the Nanyang style—an art movement practised by migrant Chinese painters in Singapore between the late 1940s to the 1960s. The style depicts aspects of the tropical way of life, synthetising the artistic traditions of the School of Paris and Chinese ink painting with remarkable stylistic innovations. The aim of this study was to characterise Liu Kang’s painting materials and technique by way of ten paintings from a significant period in his oeuvre, 1950–1958, during which his Nanyang style emerged. The selected artworks are from the National Gallery Singapore. A broad range of analytical techniques was employed to study the painting supports and paint layers. The results indicate the prevailing use of commercially prepared linen canvases with double-layered oil-based ground. Single- and triple-layered structures of the ground, as well as semi-absorbent ground, were used sporadically. The identified group of pigments partially overlaps with those already known from Liu Kang’s earlier practice and also incorporates some noteworthy peculiarities like manganese, cerulean and phthalocyanine blues, phthalocyanine green, zinc yellow, and naphthol red AS-D. Some of these newly identified pigments made a distinctive appearance in the individual artworks, but ultimately Liu Kang was not convinced about increasing their role in his painting practice of the 1950s as presented in this research. This study highlights the significance of drawing and photography as integral elements of his artistic process. It also delves into the artist’s different painting approaches and discusses their evolution, which culminated in the stylistic innovation that became Liu Kang’s signature for decades to come. The obtained data may assist art historians and conservators in authenticity and attribution studies, evaluating the condition of artworks and designing conservation strategies. Moreover, this study contributes to the growing body of knowledge about twentieth-century artists’ materials, which are characterised by the complex mixtures of inorganic and organic compounds. It also provides information about the availability of art materials in Singapore in the 1950s.

Painting Materials and Technique for the Expression of Chinese Inheritance in Liu Kang’s Huangshan and Guilin Landscapes (1977–1996)

“…The adopted research strategy relied on the methods used by the authors in the previous investigation campaigns of Liu Kang’s paintings [ 6 , 13 , 16 ]. Such an approach ensured the consistency of the acquired data and their interpretation.…”

“…The most remarkable was a trip to the Indonesian island of Bali in 1952, which inspired him to contribute to the formulation of a new painting concept known as the Nanyang style. The style depicted aspects of the Southeast Asian way of life, integrated Western and Chinese means of artistic expression and incorporated stylistic elements of the batik technique [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Due to growing nostalgia for the motherland, China was Liu Kang’s most often visited country since the communist state opened up to the world in the 1970s [ 2 , 7 ].…”

“…That is why I have tried to reveal the robust spirit, profound contents and refined taste of her culture in my paintings” [ 12 ]. Hence, the adopted painting style and technique for depicting the mountainous Chinese landscapes radically differ from those seen in his early artistic phases associated with practices in Paris [ 13 ] and Shanghai [ 14 ], post-war Singapore [ 15 ], Nanyang style artworks [ 6 ] as well as his special theme of Nudes [ 16 ]. The ethereal style [ 1 ] of the investigated paintings conveys a unique atmosphere of the mountainous landscapes, characterised by the rough structure of the majestic rocks and heavy clouds, which contrasted with delicate vegetation and moisture that obliterates the shapes of the mountains.…”

Observations on Selected Aspects of Liu Kang’s Painting Practice

“…His amalgamation of different techniques and aesthetics was applied to depicting Southeast Asian or local subject matter (Ong, 2012;Rawanchaikul, 2011;Sabapathy, 1987;Sullivan, 1957). The incorporation of stylistic elements of the batik technique was an additional feature of the style (Chow, 1996;Lizun et al, 2022a;Ong et al, 2011). Besides having a vital role in developing the Nanyang style, Liu Kang repeatedly departed from his established artistic way to search for new sources of inspiration and to experiment with various forms of expression (Liu, 1997).…”

“…Additionally, the artist's painting practice is characterised by various unconventional technical solutions. For instance, the alteration of completed compositions is a frequently observed feature of the paint layers (Lizun, 2021a;Lizun et al, 2022a;Lizun et al, 2022b), even though the artist thoroughly studied the subject…”