Zheng Yuande’s previous series entitled ‘Glimpses of the Chinese Opera" captured the essence of traditional Chinese theatre using actors and musicians as muse for his behind the scenes depictions in oils watercolours and drawings. He portrays them in classical figurative painting style, expressing narratives that are inherent in Chinese opera, encompassing dress, regalia and props.

His current series of paintings & drawing s are a subtle departure from his last, this time concentrating on aspects of the human figure. He takes a more personal, poetic and sometimes lyrical manner to his art. His previous styles accentuate a more heavy and classical form reminiscent of the Dutch masters. His new style on the other hand moves towards a more impressionist approach with a looser and more expressive use of brush strokes.

In his previous series, his paintings were representative of behind the scene images of the Chinese opera together making a complete narrative of scenes of actors at rest, musicians practicing or other details associated with the performance. In this series of drawings and paintings Yuande now takes a closer look at the figure, concentrating more on the movement and languages that are conveyed by the body. His palatte is more restive, reflecting a new consciousness.

Yuande for the last three years has spent time working in isolation in his studio in Gopeng, Ipoh where he is attuned to his natural surroundings. His strong belief in ancient Chinese philosophy has become more prevalent in his work. His charcoal drawings uses heavy gestural sweeps and strokes coupled with marks and rubs made by his hands and splashes of gold, to emphasise the notion of conflicting forces between emotions and ideas, between freedom and constraints and between self and others.

The drawings in this exhibition range from realistic renditions to a more stylised and abstracted images of the figure where control is mixed with the impulsive. He expresses a rich variety of tonal qualities and harmonies using a myriad of lines, shadows and forms to define emotions and movements. For Yuande, a single pose can be interpreted in various manifestations thus, a particular posture may assume a variety of artistic as well as physical appearance.

His paintings are complementary to his drawings, that is to say that with a more fluid understanding of form and shape they are freer to connote his inner expression. His palatte moves away from a vibrant intensity to a more serene and warm shades of colour. For example, a standing female figure painted in soft hues of rose, eggshell and olive, stands as a romantic figure, presenting an intimate view of the artist’s pysche.

All in all, Zheng Yuande’s recent collection of works from 1996-99 shows a new artistic development. His works are hauntingly beautiful, evocative of nostalgia, romanticism and of an age gone by. His sensuous and sometimes erotic portrayal of the human figure makes him one of Malaysia’s respected figurative artist.

Syed Nabil Syed Nahar