Artist Detail | Ilham Gallery
Georgette Chen
1906 - 1993, Singapore
Georgette Chen
1906 - 1993, Singapore

Georgette Chen (1906-1993) was born in Zhejiang, China. Known for her still life and portraits in oil, the prolific artist, painter and educator was part of the group of artists who pioneered the regional Nanyang style of painting. The daughter of a businessman who dealt in Asian art and antiques, she grew up living between China, Paris and New York. Between 1926 and 1927, she attended art classes at the Art Students League of New York and later studied art at the Academie Colarossi and Academie Biloul in Paris. In 1930, her works were exhibited for the first time at the prestigious Salon d’Automne in Paris, and later on in various major exhibitions in cities including Shanghai and Singapore. She moved to Penang in 1951 where she taught at Hang Chiang High School before relocating to Singapore two years later and taught part-time at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts from 1954 to 1981. In 1982, she was awarded the Singaporean Cultural Medallion for Art for her outstanding achievements and contributions to art in the region.