The Problem of Language in Cross-Cultural Studies (Reflection 01)

Translation is a conceptual model used as a tool to interpret one’s understanding of a background through his own experience and cultural background. By translating, we are giving new meanings to the object of inquiry. Translation is problematic, yet many are constantly making meanings out of things, for instant, art. Understanding Georgette Chen been categorized as a “Nanyang Style” artist by her combination of Asian themes and her influences from the Western ideas and painting techniques is a preconceived knowledge I've read from references. It is understood from her painting techniques, that her education abroad in Europe during the early days has marked a significant influence from the Western Post-Impressionist artists. Nevertheless, Georgette Chen’s paintings displayed a strong Asian pictorial symbol.

How did the artist decide on which aspect of the foreign influence and the taste of Asian essence?(This inquisitive question was brought up during a presentation)

I think Georgette Chen as a Chinese, she had wanted very much to break through as an unique individual artist, using a hybrid of her Western influence with her Asian culture. Her choice of Asian pictorial images may be a direct sign, even to the layman, that her works were obviously categorised as Asian. This may mean that she had prioritised her identity as an Asian Chinese and strongly grounded her cultural roots. Even the image she had portrayed in Self-Portrait was very "Chinese". The search for modernity at that period may also be the cause for her influence of Post-Imppressionist painting style.

Why Modernity?

We must understand that the Euro-America was the dominance of the world and the colonization of Southeast Asia had the effect on the Asians being categorized as “the others” or being inferior. As the Post-Impressionism allows personal expression, the opportunity came for the artists as their main concern at that time was to build a strong culture in the Chinese nation so as not to be lacking behind with the progress of the economic globalization in the world.