The art of Chung Chen Sun has given mankind the utmost beautiful reverie of all time and from his many artistic treasures, we can not only see the joyous trajectory of his life; but more importantly, it has opened up a whole new world of artistic concepts and artistic expressions.

1.The novelty in transforming brush and ink painting: when merging old techniques with modern imagery, a new characteristic of aesthetics emerged

Mr. Chung’s calligraphy reflects a distinctive artistic personality shaped by a deep understanding of traditional calligraphy and painting. His style blends seal (Zhuan) and official (Li) scripts with running (Xing) and cursive (Cao) scripts, aiming to find balance between the roundness of a square and the fluidity of a line. His work combines the strength of Zhuan and Li scripts with the agility of Xing and Cao, creating a primitive yet unrestrained effect. He masterfully employs calligraphic techniques such as "water stains of a leaking house," "splitting hairpin," and "all in one stroke," producing unpredictable watermarks in his paintings. His approach embraces the natural charm of imperfect forms, capturing the dynamic possibilities of change. The brushwork in his calligraphy displays breaks and pauses, reminiscent of regular script, while showcasing depth, strength, and hardness. The fluidity and depth in his running script create a three-dimensional effect, enhancing the texture and vitality of his pieces. His calligraphy evokes the power of chiseling stones, embodying strength, honor, and resilience. The vibrant brushstrokes convey a deep national spirit, leaving a lasting impression that resonates with a firm, unyielding voice.

In many of his new works, instead of the traditional line-based composition, he chose the sturdier architectural blocks with the combination of explosive sentiments, image, and power, making the potential transformation from line to surface possible and making the “Ink (color)” emerge from the painting with eruptive consciousness— promoting the simplification and transformation of the forms. By minimizing the details to the max, he creates an abstraction effect and a stronger decorative style.

The artist masterfully employs traditional splash-ink and color splash techniques to create dynamic, rhythmic compositions that break conventional norms. By using large floating color shapes with loose edges, he infuses his works with a sense of movement and depth, enhancing visual flow and rhythm. This approach envelops the viewer in a surrounding color experience, creating a sensual beauty through pure color blocks. His paintings are based on proportion, with no focal points, allowing for unlimited expansion that attracts and immerses the audience in the overall color experience. The abstract imagery, conveyed through colors, lines, and shapes, evokes a mysterious and emotional response, encouraging the viewer's imagination to evolve from basic visual stimuli to more complex interpretations. These works are both visually striking and conceptually rich, embodying expressionism, romanticism, and a sense of eternity.

In his later works, with more daring use of splash-ink and color techniques, create a surreal atmosphere, blending flowing colors and fluctuating brightness. The dreamlike ambiance evokes majestic scenes of nature, like “thousand lushly mountains” or a “molten gold sunset,” offering a transcendent experience that connects the viewer to a profound sense of unity with the universe.

2. Breaking away from the ink-based tradition, using the strong color of expressionism gives the painting of our nation its long-overdue facelift.

In Chinese paintings, he stimulates the visual excitement and impulse within us by boldly utilizing colors and manipulating space. His styles race restlessly between Fauvism and Expressionism, strangely resonating with Cubism. Fearlessly pursuing a diversified tonal harmony, this action has raised the color function of Chinese painting to an unprecedented new height. He has precisely developed the unique modern aesthetic value of our nation.

His success lies in his innovative use of vibrant colors and dynamic brushstrokes, blending the flexibility of ink with natural harmony. By skillfully adjusting primary colors and manipulating brushwork, he conveys emotion, warmth, and freedom. His mastery of depicting images and spaces through points, lines, and shading transformed traditional Chinese painting, connecting people across cultures through this shared artistic language. His work has made a significant impact, advancing Chinese painting into the modern age and resonating with diverse audiences worldwide.

3. Artistic Transformation of the New State: Touching the Heart and Expanding the Imagination – Unshackle the nature of aesthetics

The passage describes how national painting, through its composition, reveals intense emotions and powerful expressions. The artist conveys exaggerated feelings, unruly passion, and explosive energy, reflecting their inner mental state. This approach differs from reality, resembling a form of expressionism that emphasizes raw power, freedom, and a bewildering psychological effect, characteristic of modern art.

The artist explores the wildness in expression, particularly focusing on the themes of indigenous people, by capturing the essence of objects through exaggerated emotions and vivid transformations. His work balances the dialectical unity of "spirit" and "form," emphasizing what things are not and what they aspire to be, blending figurative and abstract elements. This approach results in a dynamic, free form that transcends color constraints and embodies both simplicity and complexity. His art reveals a unique combination of youthful innocence, childlike wonder, and modern sensibility, setting him apart from his predecessors and contemporaries. The exaggerated, heartfelt emotions and the transformation of ordinary objects into poetic forms demonstrate his creative wit and imagination. The artist's style is marked by an unsophisticated yet highly evocative portrayal of life, reflecting both the material world and a deeper aesthetic purification. Through his unconventional, joyful compositions, he demonstrates a powerful sense of modernity infused with distinctive national characteristics. His work is a testament to the vitality of life itself and offers a sophisticated, pure artistic experience.

n the process of daubing and swaying his brush and ink, he still skillfully peeks into the chaos and seeks an order, uncovering important features of figurative appearances, and accessing the powerful sense of reality. His work is widely accepted compared to the popular artistic expressions of pure abstract art due to this exact reason.

4. His self-aspiration for a harmonious space, and to a sentimental world that the heart yearns

The artist advanced the differentiation and dramatization of national painting, emphasizing expressiveness and imagery, embodying a unity of opposites. His ability to uncover beauty in the ordinary revealed a modern aesthetic ideal of "inharmonious harmony"—a fusion of tranquility, order, beauty, and joy—that became a sought-after pursuit after World War II.

What makes his work particularly valuable is his philosophical approach to modern art, viewing 20th-century painting as a quest for spiritual unity between humanity and the universe, transcending technical skill. His courage to break boundaries allowed him to transcend both Eastern and Western artistic conventions, combining their essences while incorporating elements of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. This fusion led to the creation of a new style of freehand figure painting, rich with universal aesthetic and educational significance. His forward-thinking philosophy and artistic contributions have had a profound and lasting impact on the world, offering an enduring reference for both artistic and philosophical exploration.

His success stems from blending the bold national expressionism of Xu Wei and Bada Shanren (Zhu Da) with the childlike charm of Chinese folk art. He effectively incorporates post-impressionist techniques to simplify and transform shapes while embracing modern compositional concepts. His use of simplicity, paired with rich expression under the principle of "less is more," creates a harmonious combination of embellishment and inner spirit. As a result, his art is more integrated, magnificent, concise, profound, and modern than that of his predecessors.

The artist excels in the ink wash painting technique, embodying the principle that restless brushwork and uncovered bones disrupt stillness. His national paintings feature dynamic brush strokes, vivid colors, and thick textures, creating compositions that resonate with sound and rhythm. The interplay of light and saturated colors, along with the fluidity and variation in his brushwork, generates an energetic and lively ambiance. His works blend modern art's personal, creative qualities with traditional oriental aesthetics, producing a unique style. This fusion of tradition and modernity, marked by joyful tempo and vibrant dynamics, is the key to his success and distinctive artistic voice.

Chung Chen Sun has dedicated over 50 years to the fields of art creation and education. He founded five art and design colleges across Malaysia and China, including the Malaysian Institute of Art, Malaysia MSC International College (Media, Art & Design), International Modern Design & Art School of Yunnan University and Inner Mongolia Normal University, and Zhengshan International Modern Design Art College with Hunan Zhuzhou Yandi Specialized University. He is known as the “Father of Modern Art Education in Malaysia” and became the first pioneer to introduce international modern design art education concepts and management models into Chinese institutions of higher learning. He served as the principal of the Malaysian Institute of Art for 32 years and held various leadership roles, including rotating president of the Asian Pacific Conference on Arts Education (ASPACAE) and president of the Malaysian Chinese Cultural Society for 12 years. He also founded the International Contemporary Ink Painting Association in 1983 and led it for eight years, promoting contemporary ink painting globally. Chung Chen Sun's life has been marked by his continuous creative exploration and selfless dedication to art. His contributions have become increasingly prominent in the global context of modern art, especially as art markets evolve. Renowned Chinese art critic Shao Dazhen praised Chung’s work, highlighting his exploration of modern ink painting and his unique style, which serves as an inspiration to many oriental artists. Chung’s legacy in both art education and creation is monumental, and his influence continues to resonate in contemporary art circles worldwide.