Nine Dragons

Chen Rong. Nine Dragons (detail). 1244. Ink on paper. Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
Chen Rong. Nine Dragons (detail). 1244. Ink on paper. Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

Chee-Keong Kung – Notes on Nine Dragons

“For a long time now, I have been fascinated by Chen Rong’s Nine Dragons from the Southern Song dynasty (13th century). An exemplary work of technical virtuosity and ineffable grace. The brush-and-ink painting depict churning clouds, winds, and waves among jagged rocks while dragons mysteriously appear and disappear amidst the turmoil. Compositionally, there are large swaths of open space and dark shadows, recognizable elements and abstract shapes, and a sense of depth and movement through time. ”

“A small print-out of the painting (actual painting including inscriptions is 50 feet long) hangs on my studio wall as an inspiration and a reminder that the simplest of gestures can transport us to uncommon places. Most recently, I was looking for a way to start a new series of canvases and found that the light-and-dark patterns within the painting worked wonderfully as jumping-off points. The new canvases eventually became the black-and-white works that are currently in the Oblique Horizons exhibit at the Schlesinger Arts Center. ”


Oblique Horizons is on display through June 10, 2018 in the Fisher gallery . The gallery is open Monday through Friday 10-4PM and evenings and weekends during public performances in the wall. Chee-Keong Kung will be at the gallery Sunday May 20th, 2018 from 3-5PM. To find out more about Chee-Keong Kung, Please visit his About The Artist page.