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Sanyu and Craigie Aitchison
Pear Still Life, Craigie Aitchison, 1971
20/Sept/2020, Zoey Chang
Two artists, both coming from financially privileged backgrounds, shared an indescribable connection despite never having crossed paths or laid eyes upon each other's works. Their artistic aspirations and work ethics, similar in nature, imbued their paintings with a sense of harmony and synchronicity. Despite leading vastly different lives, the parallels of their artistic philosophies cannot be denied.
Sanyu, Acrobats on Horse, ca. 1930-1939
«When viewing my works, one should know that all I express, is only a simple concept. »
Sanyu
Crucification 9
Craigie Aitchison
1987
Craigie Aitchison
1987
Loneliness
Lonely Elephant, Sanyu, 1960
Loneliness leaks through almost all paintings of both Sanyu and Aitchison. Vast canvases that are occupied with an animal figure running in the distance, vases of flowers glowing against a single coloured background... Minimalistic, calm, yet concerning..
Sanyu
White Chrysanthemum in a Blue and White Jardiniere
ca. 1945–1959
White Chrysanthemum in a Blue and White Jardiniere
ca. 1945–1959
Lily of the Valley, Craigie Aitchison, 2002
Even though showed in Salon d'Automne multiple times, Sanyu never was able to earn through his art, he eventually passed away by a gas leak incident at home at the age of 64. It was until the 1980s the world started to recognise him as one of the most important contemporary artist at the time.
For Aitchison however, the story is much brighter, as he gained recognition from 1960s when the artist was thirty years old, and continued to be active in the art world throughout his life.
For Aitchison however, the story is much brighter, as he gained recognition from 1960s when the artist was thirty years old, and continued to be active in the art world throughout his life.
