Chinese Foldable Fan Paintings by Chao Iok Leng

Chao Iok Leng brings a refreshing approach to the tradition of Chinese folding fan paintings with an undeniably skillful technique using Chinese ink. This display case creates a rare intersection of function and beauty, where the cooling function of the fan is accentuated by the artistic imprint on its delicate paper. This portable work of art is indeed a rare commodity in contemporary urban life. This exhibition seeks to replenish our everyday lives with an exotic object rooted in ancient Chinese culture and appreciation of the sublime.

About Chao Iok Leng

Chao Iok Leng, originally from Nanhai, Guangdong, has lived in Macau for most of her life and has had a deep and broad interest in art since childhood. In the early 1970s, she studied under Guan Wanli, learning meticulous painting of flowers and birds, and later studied Western painting with Li Lun, blending Eastern and Western styles. In the late 1970s, she moved to Hong Kong, where she studied flower-and-bird painting and landscape painting under Luo Zuishan, and learned calligraphy from Liang Zijiang. After returning to Macau, she studied Chinese and Western painting with Zhao Weifu and often went out for sketching with peers. In the 1980s, she studied Lingnan painting techniques under Zhao Shaoang and traveled to Beijing to learn meticulous painting of flowers and birds from Xu Junxiu. In the 1990s, while living in Vancouver, she studied freehand landscape and flower painting with Song Weiyuan, who came from Beijing.

Chao Iok Leng currently serves as the Vice President of the Macau Yi Un Calligraphy and Painting Association, an academic advisor for the Macao Association of Chinese Culture and Arts, an art advisor for the Macao Culture and Art Association, an honorary advisor for International Women Artists Association-Macao, and a member of the Macau Artist Society.  In 1987, she held her first solo exhibition at The Luis de Camões Museum of Macao with works collected by the museum. In 1996, she was invited by the Macao Government Tourism Office to hold an exhibition of her Chinese paintings titled “The Charm of Leisure” at the Tourism Exhibition Hall, and she has participated in countless joint exhibitions both locally and internationally.

Chao Iok Leng has a long-standing friendship with Master Lin Jinda. Although she has never formally become a disciple, decades of close interaction have made them both teacher and friend, influencing each other subtly. Master Lin’s accomplishments and character have undoubtedly had a significant impact on her. Over the years, she has worked tirelessly, starting with rigorous meticulous painting of flowers, then progressing to freehand styles, exploring various painting techniques. Her landscapes are derived from sketching, seeking out serene forests and deep valleys, capturing the atmosphere with emotion. Her calligraphy blends various styles, including Han Li, Northern Wei, and running script.

In addition to her painting and calligraphy practice, Chao Iok Leng founded Livraria Ngai Chi Hin in the 1980s in Macau, supplying the “Four Treasures of the Study” and craft supplies, benefiting fellow artists and gaining high praise in the industry. In the early 2000s, she established Nam Fan Lou, selling various types of artistic fans as another medium to promote and develop calligraphy and painting art. She can be described as consistent in her pursuits, embodying the essence of a true artist in both calligraphy and painting.

Organiser

Sponsor 

Cultural Development Fund

of the Macao SAR

Art Consultant