Rekindling wonder

When I look at an artwork, particularly a painting or any other work on canvas, the first thing that I consider is if it grabs me. This instinctive feeling determines my interest – whether I would take a longer look at it and feel it further. Then I spontaneously graduate to examining other factors which, to me, make a good painting: the skill, subject, composition and use of color.

Most often, the success in skill and all other elements is congruent to my initial gut feel about the work – all of which make up the exhilarating feeling of viewing a high-quality artwork. Such thrill, however, is not without its downside. Almost always, heartbreak follows when reality whispers that finding such a good piece is also not something I can afford.

No contemporary paintings have grabbed me in a long time until I saw the paintings of Emily Cheng. While she is referred to as a "New York artist" on the long list of reviews of her work by international art critics, I would proudly call her an artist born and living in New York with Asian roots – specifically China and the Philippines.

I had the privilege to visit her home-cum-studio in New York. It’s a loft in the Soho area, itself an artists’ hub, a district where art is perennially in full gear and a daily happening. The first painting I saw in her living room gave me electricity right there and then. Hanging on a plain white wall, the painting entitled "Almost Mapped and Charted" stood out with such verve it had instant impact on me.

At that point, I realized that my friend who brought me to meet her purposely did not say anything so as not to preempt anything. He simply thought it best for me to experience her work firsthand.

The painting’s vibrance was in stark contrast with the tranquil mood of the sparse surroundings. Intentionally arranged that way, the mix-matching of furniture and things resulted in an intimate and quite charming atmosphere that made a powerful statement on the sophisticated taste of the owner. As a visitor, I had this immediate emotion of being in a "correct" place, naturally liking it at the same time. It is not often that I feel right in the places I visit especially when it comes to people I meet for the first time but being in this one made me not just sigh with relief, I actually felt it was a blessing.

Entering the actual studio where she worked, I had this feeling of thrill when the door opened to a large room that comprises the major part of the loft. This gave space to huge works on canvas, both finished and in progress. It was a feast for the eyes and one with sustaining allure.

The whole setting of an active studio left me in a state between elation and envy, thinking how such a workplace could be so conducive for an artist to do his creations and have no other option but do fine work. Her work table was spread several meters against the wall, looking busy but neat – sketches, studies and found delicate objects were scattered in different appointed areas obviously just waiting to be pondered on and used at the right time according to the call of her own artistic plan of action. This important table also faced a wall where she tucked and hung many of her drawings and color studies, perhaps for further evaluation and preparation prior to a final composition. She’s definitely not a "leisure artist" although she was born with the proverbial silver spoon. Hers is a studio that defines the discipline, perseverance and soulful dedication of a genuine artist.

"What beautiful work," I said to Emily and I wondered whether she felt my absolute belief that art is about beauty. I sometimes worry when I say the word "beautiful" because it is so overused and it certainly does not mean pretty as most people seem to carelessly mean it to be. Nonetheless, that was a fleeting thought and I felt confident that my sincerity showed through as I continued to enjoy the studio.

I found her works to be powerful and enchanting at the same time. The floating elements sensuously rendered made me feel there must be stories behind each one of them. I did not know what specific stories but I felt that whether I knew them or not, they still touched me in a way that I had nostalgic thoughts about many different things I myself encountered in the past – from actual experiences to something that I read or saw that touched me. And as for those objects and things that I could not recognize, they soared in her floating settings just as harmoniously with the others, triggering my sense of wonder, like a child curious to know what they were really all about and how they connected with each other and what they were telling the viewers. Her paintings have that quality of provoking the senses with continuing curiosity and wonderment, making them art with noteworthy origins and purpose.

Emily’s skill is unquestionable. She is a master of her craft and her colors. How she approaches and renders her subjects, must have been carefully thought out – not only in the manner of painting but how they affect and bond with her. Thus, the aura of her paintings strongly projects the sentiment underlying each detail she paints.

I recall Fernando Zobel once saying, "Bright colors cancel each other out. If you use color in excess, the effect is boring...they kill each other. Colors should be used with restraint and skill."

Zobel is one of the few artists I respect and I totally agree with him. A true artist never takes colors for granted or uses them in careless haste. Emily competently handles her colors with such elegance that they are all visually radiant and delightful.

A self-effacing person with discerning style, Emily only talked about her work when asked. She speaks with great enthusiasm that it was like being with a dear friend one had not seen for a long time yet the link is always there.

Her descriptions and explanations would keep anyone quietly absorbed in every word she says about the truly captivating cerebral world of an artist whose art makes compelling connections with a myriad of things from the past, all of which have their own tales. In the process, I saw the person and the artist living in the 21st century, passionately connecting with the past in an ongoing journey through her art.

In "The Gift of the Image ," one of five essays written by Jonathan Hay for the catalog of Emily’s latest solo exhibit at the Winston Wachter Mayer Fine Art in New York, he wrote : "Her extremely diverse imagery directs attention to the tender, the small, the overlooked. It is drawn principally from high art traditions of painting and ornament, both pre-modern and modern, on both European and Chinese sides of the world. There is a place in her work for Elizabethan collars, porcelain designs, Renaissance drapery and its Chinese equivalent, hairdos, dragons, lily pads, a left-field cabbage. But it also extends beyond this frame of reference to include non-art historical elements such as labyrinths, mazes, games structures, and shadows. Emily Cheng’s notably unanxious paintings put her deep involvement with the history of art at the service of creating a personal imaginary world that takes us to places outside both contemporary and historical time whose existence we could not otherwise imagine."

More than all of the intellectualization of her work, what is really significant to me is that Emily’s works grab you and take your breath away, which to me are the key to good art.

Emily Cheng has an ongoing show in Chelsea, New York and is currently doing an art workshop in Colorado. She will be on the cover of Asia Art News next month. Just a few years ago, she had a solo exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum in Manila and today looks forward to doing another one in the country. I personally look forward to her next visit because a lot of our artists today badly need exposure to quality art. Emily Cheng’s work can do a lot to awaken their deeper senses.