Louise Soloway Chan 陳路思 UK, b. 1962

Overview
View works. Louise Soloway Chan 陳路思, CNY Sai Wan 西環農曆新年, 2012
CNY Sai Wan 西環農曆新年, 2012
View works

I'm often drawn to densely crowded urban scenes. By pausing to sketch and hone into the minutiae is my way of connecting with the peculiarities and humour of everyday life.

-- Louise Soloway Chan

Born 1962 in London and educated in England and India, Louise Soloway Chan is a visual story-telling artist trying to capture the essence of the rapidly changing city. Louise’s works had been exhibited extensively in institutions such as Royal Academy of Art, Whitechapel Gallery and National Portrait Gallery in London. 

 

Ever since she moved to Hong Kong, Louise was constantly drawn to picture the ordinary lives: men in suits rushing off to work, helpers getting children to school, and many silent voices and invisible hands that are the life force and backbone that keeps the city functioning. Observing & recording daily life has been a private passion of Louise which was brought into public view by the MTR. In 2011, the MTR Corp commissioned Louise Soloway-Chan to create a huge work consisting of 12 bas-reliefs about lives and traditional shop businesses in Hong Kong. The works are now permanently installed in Sai Ying Pun station.

 

陳路思出生於英國，現居香港。她善於從這個充滿活力的世界中吸取靈感，觀察並紀錄她目之所及的生活日常。陳路思善於通過豐富的媒介來保存這些記憶——纸墨、丙烯顏料，以及油畫、黏土等。她的作品曾展出於英國皇家藝術學院，白教堂畫廊，和倫敦國家肖像藝術館。

Works
Biography
Louise Soloway Chan 陳路思

British artist Louise Soloway, now living and working in Hong Kong, has been inspired by oriental art from her very first travels in Asia whilst she was studying fine art in Bath Academy of Art in Wiltshire, England. It was India that inspired her most and is the inspiration for the mediums she is working with today.

 

Whilst studying at Baroda college of Art in India she became fascinated by bas-reliefs depicting Hindu Mythology with all their complexity and strong narrative. It was this experience that made bas-reliefs her medium of choice as it allowed her to combine her love of sculpture with that of painting. Working with materials such as fiberglass and resin brought fluidity to her work and a depth of narrative that she had not encountered before.

 

The frenetic side of Asia she observed was also to be found back in England and much of her earlier work centers around the markets in the East End of London, rich with human activity and which became her hunting ground.

Other Asian influences that are apparent in her work have come from Chinese and Japanese decorative motifs. These can be seen in her female plaster and fiberglass body casts painted in acrylic.

 

The combining influences of both East and West has led to many corporate commissions such as the Financial Futures Exchange in London and the building of Hong Kong Airport. Her work which also includes paintings and sketches is widely collected and exhibited.

 

Louise Soloway is fascinated with ordinary people and how they work and go about their daily life. The theatre of life is ever present in her work, never static always moving. Her works are often large and draw the viewer into her world where the scene is already in motion and the narrative is being played out. It is this and the shear energy apparent in her work that speaks to people in a universal way.

Exhibitions
Bibliography
View works. Louise Soloway Chan 陳路思, CNY Sai Wan 西環農曆新年, 2012
CNY Sai Wan 西環農曆新年, 2012
View works

British artist Louise Soloway, now living and working in Hong Kong, has been inspired by oriental art from her very first travels in Asia whilst she was studying fine art in Bath Academy of Art in Wiltshire, England. It was India that inspired her most and is the inspiration for the mediums she is working with today.

 

Whilst studying at Baroda college of Art in India she became fascinated by bas-reliefs depicting Hindu Mythology with all their complexity and strong narrative. It was this experience that made bas-reliefs her medium of choice as it allowed her to combine her love of sculpture with that of painting. Working with materials such as fiberglass and resin brought fluidity to her work and a depth of narrative that she had not encountered before.

 

The frenetic side of Asia she observed was also to be found back in England and much of her earlier work centers around the markets in the East End of London, rich with human activity and which became her hunting ground.

Other Asian influences that are apparent in her work have come from Chinese and Japanese decorative motifs. These can be seen in her female plaster and fiberglass body casts painted in acrylic.

 

The combining influences of both East and West has led to many corporate commissions such as the Financial Futures Exchange in London and the building of Hong Kong Airport. Her work which also includes paintings and sketches is widely collected and exhibited.

 

Louise Soloway is fascinated with ordinary people and how they work and go about their daily life. The theatre of life is ever present in her work, never static always moving. Her works are often large and draw the viewer into her world where the scene is already in motion and the narrative is being played out. It is this and the shear energy apparent in her work that speaks to people in a universal way.