Irene Chou

Born 1924, Shanghai, China
Died 2011, Meanjin/Brisbane, Australia

Museum of Contemporary Art

The universe is within our hearts I, 1992
Chinese ink, synthetic polymer paint and metallic paint (gold) on oriental paper
The Kenneth and Yasuko Myer Collection of Contemporary Asian Art. Purchased 1993 with funds from The Myer Foundation and Michael Sidney Myer through the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation

First landscape, 1986
Chinese ink on rice paper
Gift of the artist through the Queensland Art Gallery Foundation 2001

The universe is within our hearts II, 1992
Chinese ink, synthetic polymer paint and metallic paint (gold) on oriental paper
Purchased 1997. John Darnell Bequest

Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art

Irene Chou, an innovator of the New Ink Art movement, replaced the formal system of brushwork used in traditional ink painting with her own unique and abstract style. Relying on the medium’s philosophical foundations, New Ink Art melds centuries-old techniques with contemporary and non-Chinese art theories to fold time and tradition into new forms.

Chou’s own spiralling and emotive works position the artist as a creator of worlds within worlds, rather than an observer of landscape; particularly poignant for an artist who spent a significant swathe of her working life away from her home in mainland China. One of the few women working in New Ink Art, Chou’s contributions to contemporary art are applauded across East Asia, yet she is little known in Australia, despite having lived in Meanjin/ Brisbane for 20 years.

In the face of the West’s historical Eurocentrism, Chou’s work, so powerfully balancing self and the cosmos, is a testament to a truer art history, as broad and complex as the artist’s own swirling constellations.

Irene Chou (1924-2011) was a pioneering Chinese ink painter known for her innovative and spiritual approach to traditional Chinese art. Chou’s practice was characterised by her unique blend of traditional Chinese ink painting techniques with elements of abstract expressionism. Her works often featured bold and dynamic brushstrokes, evoking a sense of movement and energy while maintaining a deep connection to nature and the cosmos.

Throughout her career, Chou sought to bridge the gap between the ancient and the contemporary, infusing her art with philosophical and spiritual themes. Her works often reflected her profound interest in Zen Buddhism and Taoism, exploring the relationship between the individual and the universe.

Read more about the 24th Biennale of Sydney, Ten Thousand Suns, by purchasing the catalogue here.