A good way to start the new year. Happy New Year to you all…..
For a short period Ting studied at the Shanghai Art Academy before sailing to France where he arrived in Paris in 1950, without money, friends or shelter over his head. After eight years in Paris, Walasse Ting had finally managed to build close relationships with several of the CoBrA artists, especially Pierre Alechinsky and Asger Jorn. Ting travels to New York in 1958 and meets Sam Francis at the same time as abstract expressionism is most prevalent. The two artists become very close friends and Ting is obviously inspired by Francis.
Børge Birch becomes acquainted with Walasse Ting through Pierre Alechinsky, who recommended him to do an exhibition in Galerie Birch, Copenhagen. On the 5th December 1960 Galerie Birch opens the doors to its first exhibition with Walasse Ting, with 19 paintings and eight ceramic plates. The success is great and a number of other exhibitions follow, in 1963, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1980 and 1981.
And 1963 was the year that the most important publication by Walasse was published by Birch. He published TING. a 40 page artist book containing 12 original lithographs and some full page poems. This scarce publiscation was published in a numbered edition and now the copy no. 946 is available at www.ftn-books.com
In the seventies Ting develops his characteristic style and in contrary to in his time in Paris, he begins to sell a lot of paintings. After more than 20 successful years in New York, Walasse Ting moves to Amsterdam. Whre his second artistic life took off in a blast, making many impressive paintings influenced by his Chinese ancestors, but the color expplosion from his first years still stand out.
