Sun Chan (Chen Shen)

Photo of Sun Chan

Sun Chan (1932–2017)[1] was a Chinese self-taught artist who was known for his unique Chinese character motifs. Born in Lima, Peru, in 1932 to an overseas Chinese family, he was brought back to Fóshān, Guǎngdōng China to study the Chinese language at the age of five. At this time Chan first became fascinated with Chinese characters. He had always loved calligraphy and painting but was deprived of an education after the second grade due to the break out of the Pacific War. He went through considerable hardship in the subsequent years and later moved to Hong Kong, where he worked his way from the ground up and established himself as a successful entrepreneur.

As an admirer of Chinese characters since childhood, Chan studied the Chinese writing on his own for years. He began making innovative artworks with Chinese characters to get his daughters interested in their roots, which grew into his lifelong passion. Despite his lack of formal training in art, Chan went on to explore with new visual representations for Chinese characters, and created various series of artwork throughout the years. With clean lines and vibrant colours, he transformed the Chinese script back into its pictorial form but as entirely new graphic emblems.

Chinese character motif artworks from Sun Chan's Huàn Xíng series

Chan's early works are mostly small drawings in pen and ink, colour pencils, pastels and markers on paper. He constantly educated and refined himself in skills, and switched to large-scale acrylic paintings in his more recent works. His artistic creations have been exhibited in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and Paris, France.

Chan's Chinese character artworks have been made into unique wall art and installed at prestigious institutions such as the Innovation Tower of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the International School Academy of Hong Kong, and are also adopted in large-scale public sculptures as well as fashion/lifestyle products of an international luxury brand.

Chinese character pattern wall art by Sun Chan at J.C.DISI, Jockey Club Innovation Tower, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

His daughter, Hikoko Ito is an architect and an artist.[2] Chan retired from his businesses moved to the Gold Coast, Australia, where he continued to produce original Chinese character artworks with a penchant for creativity.

Art exhibitions

SānJiǎo Series no. 9 (2014), acrylic paint on linen canvas, 1150mm x 1150mm x 300mm
  • 2014: Back to The Picture – a Visual/Verbal Interplay of Chinese Characters, HK Visual Art Center, Hong Kong[28][29]
  • 2013: Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Hong Kong) – Beyond the Urban Edge, Kwun Tong Promenade Kowloon East Expo Site, Hong Kong[30][31][32]
  • 2013: The Talking Art – Chinese Character as Image, Pier 2 Art District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan[33][34][35][36][37][38][39]
  • 2012: The Talking Art – Chinese Character as Image, Wanchai Visual Archive, Hong Kong[40][41][42][43][44][45][46]

References

  1. ↑ Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore (16 June 2017). "Playful Chinese-character artworks exhibition to mark the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong SAR: Newest visual representations of one of humanity's oldest scripts by late HK artist Sun Chan" (PDF). Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 December 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  2. ↑ "Sparks of happiness | Art Gallery of NSW". www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original on 21 September 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  3. ↑ "Deconstructing Chinese characters - by Helmi Yusof". Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  4. ↑ 香港艺术家陈伸“字得奇乐”展 破解藏在画中的字谜 - 联合早报
  5. ↑ "Joy to the Words 《字得奇乐》: Visual Playground of Chinese Characters II". Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "HKSAR 20th Anniversary - Overseas Celebration Events (July)". Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "JOY TO THE WORDS Exhibition Opening Highlights- video". Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  8. ↑ "Press Release" (PDF). Paris Design Week 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  9. ↑ "International Events". Theartguide.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016.
  10. ↑ "Events". Artrabbit.com. Archived from the original on 3 June 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "International Events". Yourart.asia. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  12. ↑ "Paris Design Week 2016 : le Top 10 des lieux à faire !". SORTIRAPARIS.COM. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  13. ↑ "9 fabulous future-ready designers to see at Paris Design Week". THE MEMO. 2 September 2016. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  14. ↑ "A creative's treasure hunt: Paris Design Week begins". The Editor At Large. Archived from the original on 2 December 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  15. ↑ "Paris Design Week 2016 : Top 5 de nos designers coup de cœur". paperblog.
  16. ↑ "《字得奇乐》汉字艺术作品展在巴黎举行". Official website of Chinese Embassy in France. Archived from the original on 27 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  17. ↑ "《字得奇乐》新颖汉字艺术展巴黎开幕". People's Daily Online. Archived from the original on 27 December 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  18. ↑ "What's On". The Arts House Official Website. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  19. ↑ "Event Gallery". Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Singapore Official Website. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  20. ↑ "Event". Artitute. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  21. ↑ "Event". Yourart.asia. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  22. ↑ "Event". Citynetevents Singapore. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  23. ↑ "Events". Speak Mandarin Council Singapore Official Website. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  24. ↑ "Event". Singapore Art Gallery Guide. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  25. ↑ Hermes (18 March 2016). "Arts Happenings". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  26. ↑ "Art". Time Out Singapore. 10 March 2016. Archived from the original on 27 August 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  27. ↑ ""More than Words" – Exhibition Review". Blog by GABRIEL VANESSA. 22 March 2016. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  28. ↑ "Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Programmes".
  29. ↑ "Yourart.asia, Art & Culture News". Archived from the original on 5 January 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  30. ↑ "Event". Timable.com.
  31. ↑ "Creative Industries News". Hong Kong Council for Technology & Innovation Official Website. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016.
  32. ↑ "南都数字报". Nandu.com. Archived from the original on 17 September 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  33. ↑ "China Review News, What's On Kaohsiung". Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  34. ↑ "Taiwan Times, News on Kaohsiung". Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  35. ↑ "Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Kaohsiung City Government, The Delight of Chinese Character Festival 2013".
  36. ↑ "Love Kaohsiung, Cultural News". Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  37. ↑ "Taiwan Bobbe, Taiwan BLTV (footage 14:30-18:15）". 25 March 2013. Archived from the original on 7 August 2025. Retrieved 22 June 2026.
  38. ↑ "i-cable.com, entertainment, 2013/04/24 (footage: 0:53-1:58)".
  39. ↑ "Huayuworld.org, Best Posts of 2013". Archived from the original on 5 January 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  40. ↑ "Time Out Hong Kong, Museums, What's On". Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  41. ↑ "Roundtown.com, All Events, Hong Kong". Archived from the original on 23 December 2015.
  42. ↑ "Timeable.com, Event".
  43. ↑ "Mask9.com, Exhibitions".
  44. ↑ "rthk.hk, Culture Web". Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  45. ↑ "香港視覺藝術年鑑 Hong Kong Visual Arts Yearbook". www.hkvisualartsyearbook.org. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2015.
  46. ↑ "Exhibition：漢字尋趣". The Sun, Hong Kong. 1 December 2012. Archived from the original on 27 December 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2026.

Further reading

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