Ting Walasse

1928-2010, Wuxi China

Introduction

Born in Wuxi, Jiangsu in 1928, Walasse Ting is an artist celebrated for his colourful and bright depictions of animals, flora and sultry women. He briefly studied at the Shanghai Art Academy in the 1940s, before leaving for Paris in 1948 at the age of nineteen. There he became associated with artists belonging to the avant-garde group CoBrA. In 1957, he travelled to New York, where he befriended the American artist Sam Francis; here Ting became strongly influenced by Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art. In 1964 he wrote One Cent Life, edited by Francis and published by E.W. Kornfeld, which involved collaborating with twenty-eight European and American Pop Art and Expressionist artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Joan Mitchell, and included sixty-two original lithographs. In 1977, he won the Guggenheim Fellowship Award for his drawings. His paintings during this period are filled with bold dripping brushstrokes mixed with bright acrylic pigments, but by the 1970s, he began experimenting with figures, developing the distinctive style that we are so familiar with today. His paintings are a sheer testimony to love, life and beauty. His paintings of women, flowers, cats, fish, horses, and watermelons are often painted in a rich palette of bright acrylics on rice paper, layered with powerful effervescent brushstrokes in Chinese ink. He passed away in 2010.

Alisan Fine Arts organised Ting’s first solo exhibition in Hong Kong in 1986 and has since then held more than ten solo shows for him; the most recent one in 2017 to celebrate his prolific life. Taipei Fine Arts Museum also held a retrospective in 2010. His works have been collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Guggenheim Museum, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Chicago Institute of Art; Tate Gallery, London; Musée Cernuschi, Paris; Shanghai Art Museum; Taipei Fine Arts Museum; Hong Kong Museum of Art; M+ Hong Kong.


BIOGRAPHY
1928    Born in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China
1940    Studied at the Shanghai Art Academy, China
1948    Moved to Hong Kong
1953    Arrived in Paris, France
1957    Moved to New York, United States
1961    First exhibited with Sam Francis, Arte e Contemplazione, Palazzo Grassi, Venice, Italy
1962    The Century 21 Exposition World Fair, with Sam Francis, Seattle, USA
1972    The Fresh Air School, with Sam Francis & Joan Mitchell, Carnegie Institute Museum of Art, Pittsburg, USA
1974    Became an American citizen             
1977    Awarded a fellowship for drawing from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, USA
2010    Passed away on May 17 in New York, USA

 

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS 
2017

2016-17                               

  • Walasse Ting: The Flower Thief, Musée Cernuschi, Paris, France

2010               

2009               

  • The Catto Gallery, London, United Kingdom

2008               

2002               

2001               

  • Yibo Gallery, Shanghai, China

2000

  • Scheringa Museum, Spanbroek, Netherlands
1999
  • The Catto Gallery, London, United Kingdom

1998

1997

1996               

  • Wetterling Teo Gallery, Singapore
  • Galerie Delaive, Amsterdam, Netherlands

1995               

  • Gallerie Guy Pieters, Knokke, Belgium

1994               

  • Belgium Kunstforum, Ghent, Belgium
  • P Gallery, Hamburg, Germany

1993

1992          

  • Sala Nonell, Barcelona, Spain
  • Galerie Acolea, Madrid, Spain
  • Ghent Lineart Internationale, Ghent, Belgium

1991             

1990               

  • Galerie Alcolea, Barcelona, Spain
  • Galerie Alcolea, Madrid, Spain
  • Galerie Moustache, Osaka, Japan
  • Galerie l’Orangerie, St. Paul-de-Vence, France
  • Ghent Lineart Internationale, Ghent, Belgium
  • Galleria 2RC, Milan, Italy
  • Galeria de Arte, Almancil, Portugal
  • Louis Stern Galleries, Beverly Hills, United States

1989               

  • American Club, Hong Kong
  • Lens Fine Art, Antwerp, Belgium
  • American Prints Valencia, Valencia, Spain
  • Galerie Lucy Weill-Seligmann, Paris, France
  • Galerie Ostermalm, Stockholm, Sweden
  • Galerie Scandinavia, Goteburg, Sweden

1988              

  • Galerie Alcolea, Barcelona, Spain
  • Galerie Alcolea, Madrid, Spain
  • Galerie Guy Pieters Knokke, Belgium
  • Galerie Asbaek, Horsens, Denmark
  • Galeria Torres Clary Reus, Spain
  • Ghent Lineart Internationale, Ghent, Belgium

1987

  • Galerie Asbaek, Copenhagen, Sweden
  • Gallery Esperanza, Montreal, Canada
  • Elfin Art Gallery, Quebec, Canada
  • Ars Mundi, Hanover, Germany
  • Galerie l’Orangerie, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

1986               

1985               

  • Art Unlimited, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Galerie La Hune, Paris, France
  • Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Galerie Asbaek, Copenhagen, Sweden
  • Arti et Amicitiae, Amsterdam, Netherlands

1984               

  • Galerie Huset, Copenhagen, Sweden
  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States
  • Avant-Grande Art Centre, Taichung, Taiwan
  • Lung Chiang Art Gallery, Kao Hsiung, Taiwan
  • Galerie BBL, Antwerp, Belgium
  • Galeria 2RC, Rome, Italy
  • Galeria 2RC, Milan, Italy

1983               

  • Galerie Dessers, Hasselt, Belgium               
  • Galerie Nouvelles Images, The Hague, Netherlands
  • Gallery Koppelmann, Leverkusen, Germany
  • Lens Fine Art, Antwerp, Belgium
  • Galerie Grafica Club, Milan, Italy
  • Galerie Birch, Copenhagen, Sweden
  • Galerie Moderne, Silkeborg, Denmark  

1982               

  • National Gallery of Art, Reykjavik, Iceland
  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States      

1980               

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States

1979               

  • Galerie Nouvelles Images, The Hague, Netherlands
  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States

1978               

  • Lens Fine Art, Antwerp, Belgium
  • Galerie Aele, Madrid, Spain

1977               

  • Galerie Adrian Maeght, Paris, France
  • Galerie Grafica Club, Milan, Italy

1975               

  • Galerie Birch, Copenhagen, Sweden
  • National Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
  • Galerie Nord, Randers, Denmark
  • Kornfeld and Klipstein, Bern, Switzerland

1974

  • Galerie Minami, Tokyo, Japan
  • Galerie Adrian Maeght, Paris, France

1973

  • Galerie Birch, Copenhagen, Sweden
  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States

1972

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States
  • Galerie Birch, Copenhagen, Sweden

1971

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States

1970

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States
  • Galerie Birch, Copenhagen, Sweden
  • Esther Bear Gallery, Santa Barbara, United States
  • Carnegie International, Pittsburgh, United States

1969

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States

1968

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States
  • Galerie de France, Paris, France

1967

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States
  • J.L. Hudson Gallery, Detroit, United States
  • Carnegie International, Pittsburgh, United States

1966

  • Galerie Lefebre, New York, United States
  • Carnegie International, Pittsburgh, United States

1965

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States

1964

  • Carnegie International, Pittsburgh, United States

1963               

  • Lefebre Gallery, New York, United States
  • Galerie Birch, Copenhagen, United States

1962               

  • Galerie St. Stephan, Vienna, Austria

1961               

  • Galerie Van de Loo, Munich, Germany
  • Galerie Rive Gauche, Paris, France
  • Galerie Smith, Brussels, Belgium
  • Carnegie International, Pittsburgh, United States

1960               

  • Martha Jackson Gallery, New York, United States
  • Galerie Espace, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Galerie Birch, Copenhagen, Sweden

1959               

  • Martha Jackson Gallery, New York, United States

1957               

  • Galerie Chalette, New York, United States

1956               

  • Galerie Taptoe, Brussels, Belgium

1954              

  • Galerie Paul Facchetti, Paris, France

1952               

  • Hotel Cecil, Hong Kong

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021                               
 2020
 2019
 2018
2017  

2016-17                               

  • Sam Francis & Friends - Ting, Appel, Alechinsky, Museum Jan van der Togt, Amstelveen, Netherlands

2016                               

2015               

2012                              

2010                               

  • ART HK 10, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Centre, Hong Kong
2009
  • Hong Kong International Art & Antiques Fair, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Centre, Hong Kong
2007                               
  • Exploration: New Ink Art Shanghai 2007, 3rd Shanghai Ink Biennial, Zhu Qizhan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2006                               

  • Sam Francis and Walasse Ting: Friends, Gallery Delaive, Amsterdam, Netherlands

1997                               
 1995                               
  • Nostalgia．Modernity: Walasse Ting, Xi Lei - Tresors: The International Fine Art & Antiques Fair For Asia, Alisan Fine Arts, Suntec City Centre, Singapore
1994                               
  • Chinese Ladies, Two Approaches: Paintings by Walsse Ting & Peng Xiancheng - Tresors: The International Fine Art & Antiques Fair For Asia, Alisan Fine Arts, World Trade Centre, Singapore
1992                               
  • Art Asia Hong Kong, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
1972                               

  • The Fresh Air School: Sam Francis, Walasse Ting, Joan Mitchell, Carnegie Institute Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, USA

1962                               

  • The Century 21 Exposition World Fair, with Sam Francis & Walasse Ting, Seattle, USA

1961                               

  • Arte e Contemplazione, with Sam Francis & Walasse Ting, Palazzo Grassi, Venice, Italy


SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA
Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA
Rockefeller University, New York, USA
Chicago Art Institue, Chicago, USA
Museum of Fine Art, Boston, USA
M C A, Los Angeles, USA
Carnegie Institue, Pittsburgh, USA
U.S. Steel, Pittsburgh, USA
Gulf Oil Corp, Pittsburgh, USA
SAMA, Pennsylvania, USA
Detroit Institute of Art, Detroit, USA
Chrysler Museum, Provincetown, USA
Baltimore Museum, Baltimore, USA
Philadephia Museum, Philadephia, USAs
Santa Barbara Museum, Santa Barbara, USA
Chrysler Museum at Norfolk, Virginia, USA
Pasadena Art Museum, Pasadena, USA
Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, USA
Hopkins Center Art Galleries, Dartmouth College, Hannover, New Hampshire, USA
Musée Cernuschi, Paris, France
Tate Gallery, London, UK
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Silkeborg Kunstmuseum, Silkeborg, Denmark
Randers Museum, Randers, Denmark
Israel National Museum, Jerusalem, Israel
National Gallery of Art, Reykjavik, Iceland
Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
M+, Hong Kong

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
1961

  • My Shit and My Love 10 Poems, Walasse Ting, Maurice Baeudet & Georges Girard, Paris, France

1964

  • One Cent Life, poems by Walasse Ting, edited by Sam Francis, E.W.Kornfeld, Bern, Switzerland

1967

  • Chinese Moonlight, 63 poems by 33 poets, Wittenborn & Co, New York, USA

1969

  • Hot and Sour Soup, poems by Walasse Ting, Sam Francis Foundation, California, USA

1971

  • Green Banana, poems by Walasse Ting, Rosengreen Litografi, Copenhagen, Denmark

1974                              

  • Trip, Walasse Ting, Arte Adrien Maeght, Paris, France
  • All in My Head, Walasse Ting, Yves Rivière, Paris, France
  • Good Morning, text by Walasse Ting, Atelier Clot, Paris, France

1977

  • Red Mouth, poem by Walasse Ting, Hong Kong

1984

  • Rice Paper Paintings, Selected letters, Yves Rivière, Paris, France

1988

  • Jolies Dames, one poem by Walasse Ting, Yves Rivière, Paris, France

1993

  • Blue Sky, poems by Walasse Ting, Art Unlimited, Amsterdam, Netherlands

1995

  • Acrylic on Canvas, essays by Mia Ting & Walasse Ting, Guy Pieters Gallery, Knokke-Heist, Belgium

1997

  • A Very Hot Day, poems by Walasse Ting, Jesse Ting, USA
 
A Soft Night
1990s | 54x73.5cm | Chinese ink and acrylic on rice paper
AKiss,AKiss(10008)
1973 | 57x76cm | Acrylic & oil pastel on Western paper
Love Me, Love Me 10044
1975 | 70x104cm | Acrylic and oil pastel on Western paper
Three Beauties Holding Bouquets
1990s | 180x96cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Two Ladies with a Horse of Tangerine Colour
1990s | 95x218cm | Chinese ink & colour on rice paper
Three Girls Chatting
1990s | 177.5x96cm | Chinese ink and acrylic on rice paper
Opusculum 128
1990s | 40.5x60cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Opusculum 203
1980s | 38x50cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Opusculum 218
1980s | 34x46 | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Pinkish Nude
1990s | 96x180cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Pretty Woman
1990s | 70.5x95cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Season of Apples
1990s | 96x178cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Three Girls Relaxing
1990s | 22.5x31cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Beige Cat by Flowering Bushes
1990s | 60x94cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Dragonfly and Flowers
1990s | 20.5x26cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Three Ladies Holding Floral Fans
1980s | 180x98cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Pink Horse
1990s | 97x178cm | Chinese ink and acrylic on rice paper
Watermelon Feast
1990s | 96x178cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Two Oriental Girls with Flower and Hand Fan
1990s | 48x75cm | Chinese ink and acrylic on rice paper
Girl with Fan
1990s | 59x41cm | Chinese ink and acrylic on rice paper
Free as a Fish
1990s | 74x96cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper
Three Birds on a Branch
1990s | 37x50cm | Chinese ink and acrylic on rice paper
Blue Horse and Bouquet
1990s | 23x29.5cm | Chinese ink and acrylic on rice paper
Guilin Mountains
1990s | 23x30cm | Chinese ink & acrylic on rice paper