Chen Shi Jin - Whispers of Mountains and Water 高山流水瀑布
Detian Grand Waterfall《德天大瀑布》
Whispers of Mountains and Water is a solo exhibition of Chinese ink paintings by Singaporean artist Chen Shi Jin, showcasing his distinctive rich-colour blue-green landscape paintings inspired by decades of travel and sketching across China.
Singapore, 7 July 2026 — 7 August 2026
Chen Shi Jin Gallery is pleased to present Whispers of Mountains and Water, an exhibition bringing together Chinese Ink works of mountains, rivers and waterfalls by Singaporean artist Chen Shi Jin. Featuring landscapes encountered across decades of travel in China, the exhibition traces the artist's evolving approach to the blue-green landscape (青绿山水) tradition through works that celebrate the grandeur and vitality of the natural world.
The exhibition charts Mr Chen’s decades-long study of blue-green landscape painting, a classical tradition distinguished by its use of vibrant blue green pigments and layered washes. Building upon this, Chen has developed his own approach to rich-colour blue-green painting, gradually shifting from the traditionally restrained palette towards increasingly bold and expressive colours. Across the exhibition, one can also observe his brushwork becoming increasingly confident and measured while his compositions grow more dynamic and rhythmic. Through continuous experimentation and refinement, Chen continues to innovate within the tradition, seeking ever more expressive ways to capture the vitality and spirit of nature.
To capture the essence of a landscape, Chen reimagines it through stylised colour, orchestrated composition and expressive brushwork, adjusting forms, contrast and spatial rhythm. Chen’s ingenuity works together to distill the grandeur, movement and emotional resonance of the natural world, heightening a place’s beauty and instilling a deep sense of resonance in the viewer. In Waterfall at Baishi Mountain, for instance, the landscape's colours are almost entirely reimagined, with only the untouched white of the waterfall retained from the original sketch. Elsewhere, accents of red draw the eye through the composition, while alternating passages of density and openness create a flow of energy throughout the composition.
Among the exhibition's highlights is a series devoted to Huangshan, developed over four decades. Between 1982 and 2022, Chen returned to the mountain repeatedly, spending more than forty days sketching on site and climbing its peaks eight times in pursuit of a convincing way to capture Huangshan’s distinctive atmosphere. Only in recent years did he arrive at a breakthrough. Historically named Yishan (黟山, "Dark Mountain"), Chen boldly rendered the mountain in white instead. Ink is used to darken its backdrop and he further introduced a row of pine trees in the foreground. A striking contrast is therefore created, allowing the luminous “White Mountain” to complement Huangshan’s famous sea of clouds harmoniously.
"When capturing the vibrant green of the landscape with my brush, following its natural momentum and slowly outlining and refining the details, I gradually realise that my approach differs from that of my predecessors. This very process of painting from life is precisely what makes it so captivating."
— Chen Shi Jin
About the Artist
Chen Shi Jin (b. 1959, Singapore) is a Singaporean Chinese ink artist and educator whose career spans more than four decades. A graduate of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), he was the first Singaporean to pursue studies at the prestigious China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China. Chen taught Chinese painting at NAFA for 21 years and has played an important role in nurturing generations of artists in Singapore.
Known for his portrayals of tropical environments in traditional ink, Chen draws inspiration from his travels across Southeast Asia and China, capturing the spirit of local landscapes, cultures, and everyday life through a distinctive blend of traditional Chinese brushwork and contemporary sensibilities. In 1996, he won the UOB Painting of the Year Award for his acclaimed work Root. His works have been exhibited internationally and are held in various public and private collections.
Exhibition Period
Date: 7 July - 7 August 2026
Time: 12 – 6.30pm (Tues - Sun)
Venue: Chen Shi Jin Gallery, Bras Basah Complex, #02-25, Singapore 180231
Contact Information
Email: chenshijingallery@gmail.com
Artwork Selections
