Kirjahaku

Paris, Shanghai and New York: Georgette Chen, one of Singapore’s foremost artists, once counted these cultural capitals as home and cut her teeth as a painter there. Chen eventually found in Singapore “a veritable paradise,” enchanted by its tropical climes and unexpected forms. These remarkable and cosmopolitan life experiences have informed Chen’s uniquely syncretic artistic practice and aesthetic style. With over 100 full-colour image plates and archival material, along with critical essays, this monograph brings new perspectives on her independent artistic voice and vital role as an educator in the development of modern art in Singapore.

Warm Nights, Deathless Days: The Life of Georgette Chen is Eisner-nominated comic artist Sonny Liew's response to the legacy of one of Singapore's most prominent pioneer artists Georgette Chen (1906-1993). The result is a moving portrait of Chen's life, thoughts, and dreams, a charming chronicle of her days as a precocious young painter to her winning of Singapore's prestigious Cultural Medallion in 1982. Richly illustrated in a soft, milky palette, the comic captures the quiet space of art and friendship that Chen sheltered amid a turbulent backdrop of political turmoil and personal hardship.