Chiu Tak Hak
Works:
Expresso
Grillades
Louis a cote
Restaurant des Arts
Chez Theodore
Geneviere
Bistro du Boursier
La Terrasse
Rive Gauche
Le Petit Prince
Bio:
A self – taught artist, Chiu began drawing as a child in Canton, China. His earliest works were abstractions that quickly gained recognition when he moved to Hong Kong in the early 1960’s. It was easy to see that he had a talent for the arts. He spent much time exercising his skill & soon was a master.
In 1972, Chiu moved to Paris and began developing his current style of realism, mixed with elements of impressionism and abstraction. He felt this was the perfect means of translating to canvas the moodiness and mystery of Paris’ historic shops and cafes.
Chiu selects his subjects on walks through Paris’ older sections. He is attracted by buildings with a feeling of solitude; places where it is still and quiet, like a stage set waiting for the players to arrive. In his studio, Chiu builds around a realistic central image, adding collage and other elements to add depth and make the viewer think more about what is going on in the art.
Chiu’s work has received recognition at shows and galleries in Germany, Paris, and Hong Kong. His paintings were first shown in the United States in 1995 and immediately gained him a loyal following of admirers and collectors.
When learning about Chiu, we were in Paris, how serendipitous. I viewed his work and talked for hours of the significance of his medium. It seems as though it has been missing from the American art scene all along if you ask me. This art really belongs in the spotlight & it is a shame that it took so long for it to be recognized. Isn’t that the case, all too often, with artists? Their genius is usually not recognized until long after it is due.
These pieces are greatly sought after not though & once light was shed on them there were not a lot of places they could hide. Many of the original pieces have already found homes in permanent collections. There is always the chance to see them displayed, if you are interested, or you can get a print of them very reasonably which still contains the beauty of the original without the heavy price tag. Many of these pieces are hanging in my own home. I enjoy every aspect of the works.
This is one of my favorite artists currently & I highly recommend you to examine some of the pieces I mentioned earlier. You will be happy you did, who knows you may like them so much that they become one of your favorites too!