You might be forgiven for not knowing the name of Hung Hsien. Her heyday as an internationally known artist was in the 60’s and 70’s, but she actually lives right here in Houston and is currently being honored by Asia Society Texas.

Photos by Asia Society Texas

“I did not know about her or that she lives nearby,” says Owen Duffy, curator and director of exhibits at Asia Society Texas. Duffy has only held the position at Asia Society Texas for two years, but it took a visiting colleague to alert him of Hsien’s presence. But once he met her, he was a fan.

“Her work has an otherworldly quality,” he says. “The way she fuses elements of traditional Chinese ink painting with modern abstraction is amazing.”

Hsien, socially known as Margaret Chang, was born in China in 1933 but moved to Taiwan in 1948 were she studied under the imperial Prince Pu Ru, cousin of the last emperor of China, Puyi. He served as a court painter before moving to Taiwan following the 1911 Revolution. After her studies there she moved to the U.S. for an MFA at Northwestern University. It was while she was in Chicago that she began infusing her ink paintings with characteristics of abstraction, adding color to the traditional black line paintings. While continuing her own work, she also taught art in Illinois, Hiong Kong, and here in Houston after she and her husband came here in 1985.

Now she is enjoying her first-ever retrospective at Asia Society Texas. Hung Hsien: Between Worlds opened April 16 and runs through September 21. Asia Society Texas says, “It celebrates the life and artistic legacy of one of the most important yet underrepresented contributors to the development of modern ink painting. The exhibition will be the artist’s first retrospective, surveying a career that spans more than 70 years. The exhibition’s more than 50 paintings draw primarily from private collections and the artist’s personal archives.” The title refers to her moving around a lot as well as her work between East and West art styles, both traditional and modern.

Hung Hsien, “Floating without End” 1970. Diptych, ink and color on paper. Image Credit: Alex Barber

“This is her first Houston show,” says Duffy. “When it ends here the exhibit goes to Asia Society Hong Kong. It’s our first time to collaborate with them on an exhibit and it’s fitting since she also taught in Hong Kong.

“At 92 she is still painting, has her own studio,” says Duffy. “Although she says she hasn’t made a painting she considers finished in a long time. She’s a frequent visitor to Asia Society Texas here and is just a very thoughtful, kind-, and warm-hearted person.”

You can meet Hsien in person yourself come Saturday, August 23, when Asia Society Texas hosts a 92^nd birthday party for the artist. The 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. event is free, but reservations are requested. Come hear guest curator Dr. Tiffany Wai-Ying Beres and Cornell University Professor Dr. An-yi Pan give talks about Hsien’s life and work and stay for cake and refreshments afterward.

by Marene Gustin