So far the earliest newspaper mention of Wong, the artist, may have been two photographs published in 1931. Wong was profiled by artist Luis Chan for the Hongkong Telegraph, December 1, 1936. Wong’s decision to study at the California School of Fine Arts may have been influenced by meeting San Francisco artist S. B. Wong in Hong Kong (see Hong Kong Sunday Herald, February 28, 1937).
Hongkong Telegraph, December 5, 1931
Pictorial Supplement
A “pig study,” photographed by Mr. Wong Siu-ling,
noteworthy for good lighting effects.
study taken by Mr. Wong Siu-ling.
Hong Kong Sunday Herald, May 3, 1936
Wong and Wu Yee Chau testified, on August 17, 1944 to a United States immigration officer, that they married on May 5, 1936 in Hong Kong.Mememtos
... The “set subject” this month was “shipping”, and about twenty entries were secured. Of these she selected a water-colour showing several junks moored at the Wanchai Praya, by Mr. Wong Siu Ling, who has been busy lately on the “murals” to adorn the Ball Room at the Hotel Cecil. ...Two young Chinese artists at work at the studio of the Working Artists’ Guild. The picture in the background is a portrait by Luis Chan (left of Wong Siu-ling (right) at work. Lady Southorn selected one of Mr. Wong’s paintings of jumps as her parting gift from the Art Club. (“Herald” photo.)
China Mail, May 16, 1936
At the Hotel Cecil yesterday Mrs. A. N. Macfadzen made an appeal for the Hong Kong Working Artists Guild, on the occasion of a gathering of members and their friends to view the mural decorations of the ball-room by Mr. Wong Siu-ling, one of China’s foremost artists.Hongkong Daily Press, August 20, 1936
Artists’ Guild ExhibitionChina Mail, November 21, 1936
Opening to-Day at the Gloucester
A representative Exhibition of the Hong Kong Working Artists’ Guild, preparations for which have been in progress for some time, is announced to open to-day and will remain open for one week daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is being heid at the Gloucester Building, 1st floor.
Amongst the exhibitors are Messrs. Luis Chan, Lee Byng, Lee Y. Tong, F. S. Nicholls, Pau Siu Yau, Wong Siu Ling, Mrs. A. N. Macfadyen, Mrs. B. Smith-Wright and others. ...
Exhibition of Paintings by Mr. Wong Siu LingHongkong Daily Press, November 21, 1936
Another exhibition of the work of one of the group of young Chinese artists who are painting in the Western style has been arranged by the Hong Kong Working Artists Guild and will be open to the public on December 2, 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hotel Cecil.
Mr. Wong Siu Ling was commissioned some time ago to do the mural decorations in the ball-room of the Hotel Cecil, which have been very much admired both by Europeans and Chinese, and it adds to the interest of the exhibition of his paintings that it is being held in the ball-room.
A preview, to which a number of guests have been invited, is being held on December 1 from 4 to 6 p.m. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Caldecott have graciously consented to be present at the preview.
Exhibition of PaintingsHongkong Telegraph, November 21, 1936
Chinese Artist’s Work on View
Mr. Wong Siu Ling
Another exhibition of the work of one of the group of young Chinese artists who are painting in the Western style has been arranged by the Hong Kong Working Artists Guild and will be open to the public on December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hotel Cecil.
Mr. Wong Siu Ling was commissioned some time ago to do the mural decorations in the ballroom of the Hotel Cecil which have bee very much admired both by Europeans and Chinese, and it adds the interest of the exhibition of his paintings that it is being held in the ballroom.
A preview to which a number of guests have been invited, is being held on November [sic] 1st from 4 to 6 p.m. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Caldecott have graciously consented to be present at the preview.
Chinese Art ExhibitionHong Kong Sunday Herald, November 22, 1936
Fine Show Very Shortly
Another exhibition of the work of one of the group of young Chinese artists who are painting in the Western style has been arranged by the Hongkong Working Artists’ Guild and will be open to the public on December 2, 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hotel Cecil.
Mr. Wong Siu Ling was commissioned some time ago to do the mural decorations in the ballroom of the Hotel Cecil which have been very much admired both by Europeans and Chinese, and it adds to the interest of the exhibition of his paintings that it is being held in the ballroom.
A preview to which a number of guests have been invited, is being held on December 1 from 4 to 6 p.m. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Caldecott have graciously consented to be present at the preview.
Exhibition of PaintingsHongkong Telegraph, November 28, 1936
By Mr. Wong Siu Ling
Another exhibition of the work of one of the group of young Chinese artists who are painting in the Western style has been arranged by the Hong Kong Working Artists Guild and will be open to the public on December 2, 3 and 4 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hotel Cecil.
Mr. Wong Siu Ling was commissioned some time ago to do the mural decorations in the ball-room of the Hotel Cecil which have been very much admired both by Europeans and Chinese, and it adds to the interest of the exhibition of his paintings that it is being held in the ball-room.
A preview, to which a number of guests have been invited, is being held on December 1 from 4 to 6 p.m. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Caldecott have graciously consented to be present at the preview.
Hong Kong Sunday Herald, November 29, 1936“The Arrival of the Empress,” a water-colour painting by Mr. Wong Siu-ling, whose exhibition is to be held at the Hotel Cecil on December 2, 3 and 4. (Oil version, in color, at askART)
Mr. Wong Siu LingHongkong Telegraph, December 1, 1936
Keeping to this more cheerful subject of the attempt to create beautiful things, the series of shows of the work of our local artists which the Guild has organised during the current year is to be rounded off next Tuesday by a show of the work of Mr. Wong Siu Ling at the Hotel Cecil. Mr. Wong has made a name for himself as a painter of mural decorations through the happy chance that some of his work shown in Hong Kong attracted the attention of one of the foremost Chinese artists, and he has a list of commissions to fulfill when he leaves Hong Kong at the end of the year. His exhibition of easel pictures, mostly water-colors, is in the nature of a farewell, we hope not permanent—both to Hong Kong and to his early methods. Those who remember the vigour of his sketches of the Chinese coast towns will not miss the chance of seeing his collected work.
The Art of Wong Siu-lingHongkong Daily Press, December 2, 1936
Special to “Telegraph” by Luis Chan
The Hongkong Working Artists’ Guild is presenting an exhibition of the work of Mr. Wong Siu-ling at the Hotel Cecil. A preview is arranged for this afternoon at 4 o’clock at which His Excellency the Governor and Lady Caldecott will be present, and the exhibition is open to the public for three days as from to-morrow.
In writing on the art of Wong Siu-ling, I may claim to be a competent person for the purpose, considering my intimate acquaintance with him, thereby knowing not only his art but his personality.
Although Wong Siu-ling started his commercial career 10-years ago he did not do any fine art work until I knew him in 1929 when I too began my art career. Since then we have always had something to learn from, and influence in, each other’s work.
Broadly speaking, Wong’s art so far as the exhibits shown are concerned, can be divided into three periods—the preliminary, the Singapore and the Northern China periods.
The preliminary period dates from 1929 to 1931 when the artist mainly worked in the Colony and in Canton. In this we can clearly see that the commercial artist began to lay his hand on fine art using the colour scheme of commercial art. (No. 51 “Huts, Tungshan”).
In his Singapore period (1932 to 1933) there is still some influence of his poster colour scheme as “The Fountain” (No. 71) clearly shows. In “After Rain” (No. 70), however, the colour scheme has been changed to a more sombre note and the feeling of the Artist has fuller play.
In his Northern China period (1934 onwards) he became ambitious to do larger scale work as a result of the commission for mural paintings for the Bank of China at Shanghai in 1934 which he executed in co-operation with two other artists. In this period, however, he utilised n much fuller gamut of colours with great effect.
Since Wong’s return to the Colony in 1935 he has generally painted big scale watercolours but he has also experimented in oil painting with a pallette knife, and I may say that in the latter type of work he has certainly been influenced by myself.
There is occasionally a touch of harshness in the artist’s treatment of foliage, but with the exception of this the method adopted by the artist in painting landscapes in places ranging from Singapore to Peiping may be said to be as various as the places themselves, giving the sense of different atmospheres and expressing feelings and moods imposed upon him by the subject. Thus his style though individual is far from being monotonous.
Essentially Wong Siu-ling is a water colourist and his oil colour is still in the stage of being worked out. He seems to paint more vividly and more happily in water colours than in the oil medium but he is gradually finding his way out of the amateur’s tendency to harshness and muddle into a touch gaining in sureness and already very strong and pleasing.
Wong Siu-ling is leaving for Singapore at the end of this month. That there will be vital progress in his future work is certain because he is continually increasing his knowledge of the art of painting, and such progress will be eagerly and sympathetically watched by his intimate friend, the writer of this notice, who has so much in common with him, both of us being self-taught artists.
An Artistic Treatcontinued on page 16
Mr. Wong Siu Ling’s Exhibition
The Governor’s Purchase
If you wish to give yourself an artistic treat, then go to the Ballroom of the Hotel Cecil and gaze upon one hundred paintings and sketches by a Chinese artist, Mr. Wong Siu Ling, whose work combines rare craftsmanship with an even rarer adroitness at capturing the sentiments of a scene or a living being.
China Mail, December 4, 1936
Local News BrevitiesHongkong Daily Press, December 4, 1936
The exhibition of paintings by Mr. Wong Siu Ling is to be continued for one more day and closes to-day at 10 pm., H. E. the Governor bought two pictures at the preview and has the intention, it is understood, of purchasing at least one more.
Painting ExhibitionHongkong Telegraph, December 5, 1936
The exhibition of paintings by Mr. Wong Siu Ling is to be continued for one more day and closes Friday at 10 p.m.
Captured Hongkong Artist Who Sketched Bandits
Once captured by bandits, Wong Siu-ling is shown with His Excellency the Governor who admired his pictures.
When Wong Siu-ling, whose exhibition of art at the Hotel Cecil ended yesterday, was 14, he and 27 boys of Sun Wui City, Canton, were captured by bandits and held for ransom for eight long months. During that time, the boys had a hard time, very little to eat and suffered such exposure and starvation that three of them died.
Wong gained special favour by the cleverness of his art for he would take a charcoal brand from the fire and draw portraits of his captors. Incidentally, he drew a sketch of the camp which proved useful to the police later, for when the boys were eventually ransomed for $5,000 each, Wong’s sketch was sufficient guide to result in the capture of the bandits.
Born at Tungshan, Wong was educated at Wah Yan College, Hongkong, and is now recognized as an artist of calibre.
Hong Kong Sunday Herald, December 6, 1936
at the exhibition held by Mr. Wong Siu-ling at the Hotel Cecil.
The exhibition wan opened by His Excellency the Governor.
Hongkong Telegraph, December 10, 1936
Four Hong Kong ArtistsChina Mail, December 30, 1936
Yee Bon and Wong Siu-ling do not present such a violent contrast as Luis Chan and Lee Byng, but the contrast is there. Yee Bon who held an exhibition, with Lee Byng, recently in Gloucester Building, also received his training in the Ontario College of Art and at a very, early age found recognition in the form of scholarships, prizes and admittance to important exhibitions.
Wong Siu-ling, on the other hand, whose exhibition was held last week in the Hotel Cecil, is entirely self-taught.
Luis Chan stands isolated as much by his own will as by the force and virility of his work, Lee Byng by the intellectual quality of his, Yee Bon by his accomplishment, and Wong Siu-ling by a quality which he alone of the four appears to possess, that of appraising what he does at its real value.
This was the real contrast between Mr. Wong Siu-ling’s exhibition and those given by the other three young men. Mr. Wong hung his pictures so that the best were given prominence, the less successful in less favourable places. In the other exhibitions good elbowed bad, and, sometimes, because the good was less immediately compelling to the eye, was overshadowed by it.
Mr. Wong Siu-ling is self-taught, but Whistler’s comment made of another artist who made the same claim: “Yes and he has had a very bad master” does not apply. While Mr. Wong’s “master” remains his severest critic he is sure to make steady progress.
There is another point of contrast between Yee Bon and Wong Siu-ling which it is difficult to express in words.
Both are Chinese, both are working in the Western Style, Yee Bon has had his training in a famous art school in Canada, Wong Siu-ling has studied from books and from the paintings of other people which he has been able to see here in Hongkong, in Malaya and in China. Yee Bon for all his accomplishment is still mentally an art student, Wong Siu-ling is a student. Yee Bon, despite his birth and the centuries of tradition behind him, looks, as he paints, with Western eyes, his own personality and his racial instincts colour what he does and sees, but the basis of his observation is Western not Chinese. Mr. Wong Siu-ling is a Chinese artist studying and practising the art of the West. I do not know if he has any aptitude for painting in the Chinese style, if he started from that and then turned to the Western manner, but it seems evident that the mind behind the eyes which observe form and colour and set them down in the Western style, is Chinese.
The Chinese expression is, I believe, to read a picture, not to look at it, Mr. Wong Siu-ling, confronted with a landscape or a harbour scene, is not, one feels, swept away on a tide of desire to express the impression of the moment, but sets himself to “read” what he sees, to pick out from it its meaning, and in particular its meaning to him, and to set down that meaning as clearly and as plainly as he can on paper or canvas.
Here is a young man for whom one would have no fear if circumstances enabled him to go to Europe, or Canada, for a serious training. He might not progress very much further, but nothing could take from him what he has already.
Mr. Yee Bon may be a genius or his may be one of those gifts that flare up and die down. He paints in a variety of styles and the main impression created by his recent exhibition. was one of bewilderment.
There were two or three pictures that have already been exhibited in Canada in the National Gallery there, that were suave, careful and admirably controlled in composition, colour and technique; hanging near one of them was an oleographic effort that should never have seen the light of day. There were delicate and charming flower studies, and bold and flaunting ones painted with very little impulse beyond a desire to splash and riot in color. There were sensitive and carefully painted portraits, nudes sentimental and formless, and nudes of a brutal ruthlessness in pose and color. There were landscapes which ranged from the oleographic through every style to a glittering cornfield topped with a full sun, the whole worked in bold pointillistic manner, and, between the two, strong and sensitive scenes of the countryside of his native land. Most arresting and astonishing of all were two big canvasses done in the Sickert manner, one of which he called “The Sew Amah” and the other “Street Scene”. Painted with freedom of technique, yet with the utmost restraint in colour and modelling, these two pictures had they stood alone would have been sufficient to convince one of his genius, to make one say; “It is intolerable that a man who can paint like that should, be left in Hongkong where he will, as things are at present, get so little chance or encouragement.”
If Yee Bon goes on, if his art grows as one feels that it must if he is given the help and encouragement of which he stands in need, these two pictures will be among those for which he will be remembered.
Hongkong has something to be proud of in having these, four young men, Luis Chan, Lee Byng, Yee Bon and Wong Siu-ling as citizens. Anyone of them may bring the Colony added honour, all of them have already contributed much which is of value. If the Art School which has beer already born in the minds of the group known as the Hongkong Working Artists Guild, becomes a reality, these four young men, who have all some experience of teaching, will be invaluable to it. Chinese themselves, with an understanding of Chinese art but practising successfully in the Western style, they will be able to teach the art of either country to students from the other.
Local News BrevitiesHongkong Daily Press, February 27, 1937
The art exhibition held at the Hotel Cecil and sponsored by the Overseas Chinese Fine Arts Association was a great success. Hundreds visited the show, among whom were Prof. Hsu Yi-shan, Messrs. Li Sing-kue and Wong Mou-lam. A large number of artists, including Messrs. Suey B. Wong, Fu Po-hsien, Ho Chi-yuen, Yung Siu-shek and Wong Siu-ling also attended.
Artistic EveningHong Kong Sunday Herald, February 28, 1937
Music, paintings and explanations in abundance marked the local Theosophical Society’s meeting last Thursday. Introducing the musical programme arranged by Mr. Lau Kwong Chung, Mrs. O. M. Parkinson, M.A., quoted Rev. Cyril Scott, a clairvoyant, who said that all great music was inspired by higher beings and each piece had its special part to lay in the evolution of a race. ...
... Thanking Mr. Lau Kwong Chung, Mrs. Parkinson then introduced Mrs. Macfadyen who proceeded to give a short talk on some of the paintings which were exhibited in the Lodge room during the meeting. Among the paintings were those executed by Messrs. Luis Chan, Lee Byng, Wong Siu Ling, S. B. Wong and a few drawings by Mrs. Macfadyen herself. It was interesting to learn that both Luis Chan and S. B. Wong were entirely self-taught having had no training in Art schools. Mr. S. B Wong is to give an exhibition of his work at the Hotel Cecil on Monday, March 8, under the auspices of the Hong Kong Working Artists’ Guild. ...
Is Colony Becoming Art Conscious?Hongkong Telegraph, November 18, 1937
Local Exhibitions of 1936 by Luis Chan
It may be said that an account of the art exhibitions held in the Colony throughout 1936 is long overdue for that Hong Kong has been art conscious is clearly suggested by the fact that the exhibitions of 1936 were not only various in character and great in number, but that sales ran into several thousands of dollars.
The success of many of the shows was due, no doubt, to the help rendered by the Hong Kong Working Artists’ Guild and to the genuine interest taken by H. E. the Governor whose untimely departure from the Colony will bring regret to every artist and art lover. ...
... Traditional Work
The ‘rotation Exhibition’ was followed by a show of the work of members of the Working Artists’ Guild. The exhibitors were Mrs. Burnard, Mrs. G. V. Griffith, Leo Byng, Li Y. Tong, M. D. Lorenzo, Mrs. A. N. Macfadyen, F. S. Nicholls, Pau Siu Yau, Mrs. B. Smith-Wright, Wong Siu Ling, Yee Bon and myself. As most of the exhibitors held their own shows and have been or will be dealt with elsewhere in this review, suffice it to say that Pau Siu Yau’s Chinese traditional paintings, though reviving the tradition of the art of the Sung period had some affinity to the art of Japan, partly on account of his studies in Japan. ...
The Blobby Manner
Lee Byng’s watercolors were distinctly personal in character, and were typically painted in a “blobby” manner the result of which was full of imagination. His art belongs to the present in the sense that it is modern and yet retains the tradition of the watercolour art. His sketches could not be said to be too vivid but they were certainly vital.
Less vital and more vivid was the work of Wong Siu Ling whose one-man show was held at the Hotel Cecil. Mr. Wong’s, art, of course, owed its style to his practice of commercial art in which field he had many years’ experience.
I have purposely withheld commenting on my own show, but I would like to acknowledge here the keen interest taken by H. E. the Governor and Lady Caldecott, making the success of my show possible and the benefit I have obtained from the study of other artists’ work shown during the year.
The Hong Kong Working Artists’ Guild is now busily preparing an Exhibition of the work of a San Francisco artist, Mr. S. B. Wong, which will take place soon. Mr. Wong was trained in the California School of Fine Arts and is a member of the San Francisco Art Association and San Francisco Art Centre, having won second prize in figure painting at the Californian State Fair and Art Exhibition held under the auspices of the State Agricultural Society in San Francisco. He held a show in Canton last year, besides exhibiting in other parts of China with great success. He came to the Colony only 4 weeks ago for the purpose of sketching its beautiful scenery the result of which has produced no less than 30 oil paintings which will be a special feature in his coming show.
H.K. Art Club ExhibitionHongkong Telegraph, November 21, 1937
High Standard
The cream of the products of local artists is now on view in Hong Kong for those who desire to see or maybe buy. The exhibits form the exhibition of the Hong Kong Art Club which is being held on the eight floor of the Gloucester Hotel.
When a “Daily Press” representative visited the show shortly after it was opened to the public yesterday at 10 o’clock he found 183 specimens, the work of 22 artists adorn the walls. These comprise pictures and paintings of every description. Water colour paintings, pastels, oils, brushwork studies, pen and ink sketches, charcoal portraits, ivory carvings, photographs. Almost all the exhibits are for sale with prices marked on the official catalogue. ...
… The list of exhibitors is as follows:
Mr. George Arnold, Mrs. H. C. J. Asche, Mrs. S. H. Bond, Maurice R. Brice, Mrs. C. B. Brown, Miss Elise Blanchard, Mr. Luis Chan, Mr. Chen Tze Yang, Mrs. M. C. Franks, Robert Freese, Miss Helen Ho, Mr. Lee Bying, Mr. Peter S. Leong, Miss S. Mackichan, Mrs. A. N. Macfayden, Mrs. H. A. Mills, Mr. F. B. Nicholls, Mrs. M. O. Pfister, Mrs. A. Tatz, Miss M. Whitham, Mr. Wong Siu Ling, Mr. Chau Kong Lee.
Art Club Exhibition ReflectionsHongkong Telegraph, November 22, 1937
It must be the unanimous opinion of all who visited the Hong Kong Art Club’s exhibition held during the past week at Gloucester Building, that the exhibits displayed were on the whole of a high standard and in keeping with past exhibitions of this Club. It was, to put it shortly, an hour well spent midst a feast of water colours, pastels, oils and ivory carving, the whole of which together formed a most pleasant variety. ...
Mr. Wong Siu-ling
Mr. Wong Siu-ling was the best among the Chinese exhibitors. This artist’s work had a good, wholesome finishing touch and this was easily seen in his landscapes of Kweilin, Kwangsi, and local scenes. “In the Dockyard” was very effective as was “Sunset” and a study in clouds. ...
Art Club Exhibition ReflectionsWong prepared for travel to the United States.
… Mr. Wong Siu Ling
Mr. Wong Siu-ling was the best among the Chinese exhibitors. This artist’s work had a good, wholesome finishing touch and this was easily seen in his landscapes of Kweilin, Kwangsi, and local scenes. “In the Dockyard” was very effective as was “Sunset” and a study in clouds. ...
(Next post on Wednesday: Siuling Wong, Artist in the United States and Hong Kong from 1938 to 1947)
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