Luis Chan (1905-1995)
Marine Wonderland(Painted in 1978)
Ink and colour on paper
136 × 69 cm. 53 3/4 × 27 1/8 in.
Dated and signed in Chinese with an artist's seal on upper left; signed in English and dated with artist's seals on bottom left
Memories of Each Other Forgotten Once Parted, Wandering in Fantasy

“Abstract and illusory art will prevail…I believe that excellent art is, whichever school of painting it belongs, full of illusions, stimulating imagination in people.”

――Luis Chan

Luis Chan was born in Panama and his family was originated from Panyu, Guangdong. In 1910, he settled in Hong Kong with his family. When he was younger, Chan studied courses offered at the British Academy of Art through self-study, which allowed him to lay a solid foundation in painting and sculpture for his art career. His extraordinary talent and diligence was manifested in his course of self-studies. Chan created many works in his career which encompassed different forms and styles. He was able to capture the cultural developments of Hong Kong, especially Hong Kong's development into a financial hub for both domestic and foreign countries. He could be regarded as an important figure in the development of local art.

Depart from Mainstream, Delve into Fantasy

Chan's work embodies the words of The Bitter Gourd Monk Shitao. Shitao states: “An enlightened man may appear to dismiss formalities, but he does not indicate that no formality was present; in fact, the lack of formality was the present formality of the enlightened man”. Chan is famous for his landscape painting, but throughout his career, he attempted to excel in other genres such as Impressionism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, and surreal ink painting. He mastered all of these forms. Completed in 1978, Marine Wonderland belongs to his classic Fish Series. The upper and lower parts of the screen are painted with light yellow to depict the reefs and habitats. A small patch of lavender colour is included to emphasize the depths and layers of the space. In the middle of the frame, the clear blue and turquoise colours depict tranquillity under the slow currents of the sea. There are around a dozen tropical fish of different sizes, colours, and patterns swimming freely with carefree expressions on their faces, fascinating their onlookers.

The work is not only a representation of Chan's 60-year living experience in Hong Kong, it is also a record of his observations of the rapid developments of the city. Chan was committed to the exploration of new art forms. He was devoted to the improvement and has persistently followed the saying, “depart from the mainstream, delve into fantasy”.

陳福善 (1905-1995)
妙境之海(一九七八年作)
彩墨 紙本
136 × 69 cm. 53 3/4 × 27 1/8 in.
款識
戊午年福善 藝術家鈐印（左上）藝術家鈐印 Luis Chan 1978（左下）

相忘於江湖，幻想的徜徉
陳福善的《妙境之海》

「抽象、幻象的藝術會長久存在……我認為優秀的藝術，無論哪個畫派，皆必具備幻象，藝術貴乎刺激人們的想像。」

――陳福善

20世紀中後葉，香港歷經產業轉型，一躍成為國際金融與航運中心，也綻放了多元的藝術文化風貌。而正是這樣的時代背景，造就出藝術奇才――陳福善。

祖籍廣東番禺，陳福善出生於巴拿馬。1910年隨家人至香港定居，青年時期自學就讀英國美術學院函授課程，於繪畫、雕刻打下基礎，他天賦過人、用功之勤，一生創作甚豐，作品形式不一，卻各具特色，展現了香港這個華洋雜處的商阜在百年劇變下的文化狀態，更堪稱是推動本土藝術發展的重要人物。

游離主流，藝入幻境

在陳福善的身上，可以說充分體現了苦瓜和尚石濤所言：「至人無法，非無法也；無法而法，乃為至法」的藝術境界。他靠寫生風景飲譽半生，卻不斷思索並挖掘創作的其他可能，印象派、立體主義、抽象表現主義，甚至超現實的水墨造境……無一不是揮灑自如、饒富興味。像這件於1978年畫就的《妙境之海》乃是其「魚系列」作品之代表，畫面上下各用淺褐黃來描繪礁岩與棲地，並敷染些許淡紫以營造出空間的深度與層次。中間一大片澄澈湛藍，邊緣處則隱隱泛著青綠，細膩地刻劃了海水緩慢流動下的寧靜安詳。只見包括神仙魚在內，共十來隻體型大小不一、色彩花紋各異的熱帶魚種悠游其中，臉上帶著無憂無慮的表情，讓人心馳神往。

此作透過簡潔明快的筆觸與用色，流露出一派爽朗和諧的氣息。對陳福善而言，這除了是他在香江居住超過一甲子，面對城市發展快速的切身觀察與心靈見證，想來更是他始終致力於一己藝事的突破及探索，以臻「相濡以沫，不如相忘於江湖」妙境的寫照。