Hong Zhu An b. 1955
"A lifetime of toil for a singular goal, one cannot give up halfway, or be in two minds about it... it is a lifetime of work and one has to be stubborn about it.”
– Hong Zhu An
Artist Biography
Hong Zhu An (b. 1955, Shanghai, China, based in Singapore) creates paintings that merge Chinese ink traditions with modernist approaches to colour and composition. Central to his practice is wuji, the Chinese concept of an infinite void, or a singular point in space. This guides his use of abstraction, which draws viewers into a meditative state of mind.
Following his early training in Chinese painting and calligraphy, Hong’s desire to advance these disciplines in new directions led to his further studies in Western oil painting techniques. Working with rice paper, his subtle use of linear elements and calligraphic components creates a visual rhythm that guides the viewer’s gaze across floating planes and washes of colour. This is demonstrated in paintings like Odyssey (2004), which also features the artist’s skillful application of grey tones—a nuanced palette that is historically challenging to master.
Hong obtained his BFA from the Shanghai School of Fine and Applied Art in 1976 and received further training at the Sichuan Art Academy, Chongqing (1982–1983). He then obtained his MFA from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1997 and his PhD in Fine Art from the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore in 2001. His work is held in numerous collections including the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco; Tel Aviv Museum of Art; Princeton University Art Museum; and the Singapore Art Museum.
Notable solo exhibitions include Confluences (2019), Asia Art Center, Taipei; Fluid Transitions (2003), The Esplanade, Singapore; Ancient Hues (2002), Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs; and Hong Zhu An (1987), National Art Museum, Shanghai. The artist has also participated in major international festivals including 5th Shenzhen International Ink Painting Biennale (2006); and 2nd Beijing International Art Biennale (2005).
Hong has had two residencies at the STPI Workshop in 2012 and 2022, with the former resulting in the exhibition Ascetic Serenity (2012) and the latter in Departures | New Releases: Yanyun Chen, Hong Zhu An, Prabhavathi Meppayil (2024).