ILLUSTRATED:

George Chann, Lin & Keng Gallery, Taipei, 2005, color illustrated, pp. 93-95

George Chann was born in Guangdong, China, where he learned calligraphy as a young boy. He immigrated to the USA with his father at the age of 12. He received a Western art education in the Otis Art Institute (currently the Los Angeles Art Institute), where he became accomplished in impressionism and the realistic style. Because of his achievements, he was offered a position by the institute as an instructor. His works were especially appreciated by the director of the Los Angeles County Museum, who recommended his artwork for exhibitions in the major art museums of California. Chann also painted portraits for American social celebrities and built up a strong reputation.

George Chann was skillful in oil portrait and watercolor landscapes. Later he also illustrated Bible stories. In the 1950s, he dedicated himself to the tide of abstract expressionism. He selected various visual elements from the essence of ancient oriental characters, historical patterns and decorations, mixing them with automatism and the forthrightness and sincerity of native and primitive art. The multicolored abstract form created by Chann typically represents his individual style. He continued his enthusiasm for cultural exploration which influenced his creations over many decades.

In the painting "Calligraphic Variations", the artist appropriated cultural symbols of Tao-Tie decorative patterns on ancient bronze vessels. He employs materials such as paper pasting and mounting to aggregate and build up his work, thus completing a modern painting and work of handwriting inspired by stone inscription rubbing style. The painting explores the root of ancient culture; the colorful and interlaced linear structure of the modern style, which is complicated but still in a certain order, reflecting the cultural position of the bustling metropolitan areas in Southern California, where the painter lived.