In the 1930s, Fan was already a proponent of the Lingdong 岭东 style in Shantou, which differed from the Western-influenced Lingnan 岭南 painters who used perspective, colour and realistic depiction of subjects. In this 1985 piece, a solitary mynah alongside a self-composed poem, offers a metaphorical interpretation of the Nanyang environment as a translation of local fauna in the hua niao 花鸟genre, the work incorporates classical forms and language from Chinese literary culture and a nuanced interpretation of his surroundings and life.
A Dialogue with Heaven
Year of execution: 1985
Year of acquisition: 2024
Medium: Chinese ink and colour on paper
Dimension: 74 x 29 cm
Artist(s)
Fan Chang Tien 范昌乾
