Deconstructing Chinese characters

THE late Hong Kong artist Sun Chan had been a great admirer of Chinese characters since childhood. As an adult, he began to deconstruct the written signs, turning them into patterns of colour and form in which the embedded single or multiple Chinese characters often signify a virtue or tenet for living. His paintings were often rendered in vivid colours, expressing his joy and love for the language.

Chan, who passed away in March this year, had had his paintings shown and collected by institutions around the world. An exhibition of his works titled Joy To The Words is now on at the Arts House till July 27 to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Co-presented by Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore and cultural enterprise Artwow, it is his first showcase since his death. Admission is free.