The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is currently offering a weekly series of virtual pop-up studio classes till Feb 2 every Wednesday at 7pm via Zoom – exclusively in the Mandarin language. Inspired by the ongoing exhibition Matthew Wong: Blue View, the AGO invites artists of all ages to join free artmaking sessions focused on the colour blue. Participants will be guided in a drawing and colouring exercise led in Mandarin by artist instructor, Jenny Chen.
Blue, by any other name or in any other language, sounds just as sweet when Chinese-Canadian artist Jenny Chen leads a series of free artmaking classes this winter – exclusively in Mandarin. Inspired by the paintings of the late Chinese-Canadian artist Matthew Wong, who captivated audiences around the world with his imaginary landscapes and interiors in cerulean, cobalt, navy, indigo, ultramarine and azure, Chen leads students over Zoom as they deconstruct his works to better understand colour, shading and form.
As Wong himself explored his many influences in his art, so does Chen. As she gives the first art instruction class ever to be offered in Mandarin at the AGO, Chen is delighted to celebrate Wong’s art and her own roots in mainland China.
AGOinsider: As an artist, what about the colour blue attracts you and what are its challenges?
Chen: What attracts me about the colour blue is its serene effect on the viewer. As a painter, I usually use blue when I want to convey a sense of calm.
The challenge of blue is that it can be associated with more “negative” emotions − like sadness or melancholy. I think this is because the word blue in English also holds another meaning besides the colour that refers to a depressed mood.
AGOinsider: What can artists of all skill levels take from looking at Matthew Wong’s work?
Chen: What I admire about Matthew Wong’s work is the sense of play in the way he paints. It feels like many of my favourite pieces from him are very intuitive and were created with bold brushstrokes, for example Blue Night and Autumn Nocturne. This process results in pieces that read as whimsical and ingenuous.
I also love that Matthew Wong makes references to other art movements in Western modern art which makes his work seem timeless. In almost all his paintings, there is a sense of flattened perspective and Wong uses colours that came straight out of the tube, which can be linked to Fauvism. In Starry Night he references the iconic piece Starry Night by Van Gogh but also explores repetitive mark-making which was used in Pointillism.
I think there is something for everyone to enjoy in his work − whether you are an art hobbyist to an art history enthusiast.
Interested in joining a class? To register for Jenny Chen’s free Mandarin language pop-up studio classes via Zoom, click below dates accordingly – January 26 and February 2 .
Jenny Chen
