Long forgotten, T'ang Haywen is a great Chinese painter who lived in France and resurfaced following an auction at Artcurial. The Guimet Museum offers us a beautiful exhibition of about a hundred works (mostly on paper). We discover the major milestones of his career.
T'ang Haywen
T'ang Haywen arrived in Paris in 1948, after fleeing China in 1937 following the Japanese invasion. He never left France again, which was in full artistic effervescence. He confronted Western modernity and, like the first Chinese artists who came to Paris to train, including Zao Wou-Ki, he became one of the strong figures of Montparnasse.
In his painting, we find his story - his grandfather taught him calligraphy -, his culture - Chinese aesthetic and spiritual principles - and his arrival in the West, which is recognized as a form of abstract expressionism.
"As heir to the long tradition of calligraphy, he inserts this tradition into the modernity of Western gestural painting; thus completing a cycle of reciprocal East-West influences." - François Le Targat
He draws a lot of inspiration from his environment, especially the city in his quickly sketched urban landscapes with ballpoint pen. Balthus also said, "I remember he spent long hours contemplating the landscapes and painted in the early hours of the day. I love his dynamic and harmonious inks which demonstrate the spirit of China."
