2020 - 2022

Acrylic on Canvas

167 x 170 cm (x21 pieces)

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In the paintings of A Sea of Despair and Delight, straight white lines are painted atop dark backgrounds that get lighter through incremental mixes of white paint. The first painting in the series has a black background with white lines and as the series progresses, an equal amount of white paint is added to the original batch of black paint, so that the background of each painting becomes progressively greyer until the paintings are almost completely white. The paintings are done in monotone, featuring only straight lines, in accordance with chi too’s practice of only dealing with the most basic units of a property: black and white, lines and space. 

In this, as in all of chi too’s works that seem simple and straightforward on the surface, the rigid simplicity belies a sentimental logic. There is significance in the fact that a small part of the original black paint travels through the series; no matter how much it appears to diminish, a fraction of it prevails. The paintings will be displayed in chronological order around the exhibition space, presenting a visually striking and emotionally affecting experience using minimalist actions. 

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- Ellen Lee

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Exhibited at:

A Sea of Despair and Delight

The Godown Arts Centre, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA. 2023

Co produced by The Back Room and chi too Works and Services

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