Lianhe Zaobao: Renting Space at Bras Basah Complex for Two Years — Chen Shi Jin Rotates Ink Paintings by Theme

Chen Shi Jin's current exhibition "Through Rain and Night" was recently featured in Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao (联合早报). The piece explores his decision to rent a permanent space at Bras Basah Complex to exhibit his work on rotating monthly themes — a move he describes as both more economical and more complete than the short-term shows most artists rely on.

In his own words (translated from Mandarin): "If I don't exhibit, no one will ever see the value or beauty of the paintings... Over more than 20 years I've accumulated so many works — I'd rather rent a place and show them by different themes, so people can get to know them."

Writing in his 2005 collection Chen Shi Jin: Tropical Ink, he described his approach to painting from life: "It is my way of recording journeys through wonders, and a form of creative discipline for cultivating the self." That discipline is on full display in "Through Rain and Night," which foregrounds rain and night — subjects rarely explored in Chinese ink painting. Chen has spent decades working out how to render these elusive conditions: the scattered glow of fishing boats at night, wind-driven rain sweeping across Guizhou terraces, the particular haziness that falls between darkness and light. The result is a body of work that goes well beyond technique, weaving rhythm and feeling into every brushstroke.

The exhibition runs monthly themes through to August — June's "Through Rain and Night" is followed by "High Mountains, Flowing Water" in July, and "Famous Sites and Ancient Places" in August.

Read the full feature in Lianhe Zaobao https://www.zaobao.com.sg/lifestyle/culture/story20260622-9232996