About | Walasse Ting (丁雄泉)

Walasse Ting (1929–2010) was born in Wuxi, China, and grew up in Shanghai. A self-taught artist, he began expressing his creativity at an early age, painting directly on sidewalks. In 1950, he left China and eventually settled in Paris in 1952. In the vibrant artistic milieu of Paris, Ting encountered Western abstraction for the first time, mesmerized by the groundbreaking works of luminaries such as Picasso and Matisse. These encounters left an indelible mark on him, particularly his profound admiration for Matisse. In tribute to the esteemed artist, Ting decided to modify the final syllable of his given name, "Hua La Si," to "-sse," thus creating the iconic identity "Walasse Ting," which would come to be revered across Europe, America, and beyond.

Throughout the 1950s, Ting's artistic reputation steadily grew. Although he lived in poverty, he made significant strides artistically. A notable milestone during this period was his participation in a group exhibition at the esteemed Facchetti Gallery in Paris, where he formed a lasting friendship with Pierre Alechinsky. Ting shared his expertise with Alechinsky, teaching him the unique techniques of painting on rice paper, and the two collaborated on several works (their so-called four-handed paintings).

Through Alechinsky, Walasse Ting was introduced to the CoBrA artists, a connection that was not surprising given the movement's early emphasis on the fusion of painting and poetry. Ting was particularly drawn to the work of Karel Appel, with whom he later exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 1965.

Walasse Ting and Karel Appel, signed photo, 1993 ©Delaive

In 1959, Ting relocated to New York at the peak of Abstract Expressionism. The city offered him the opportunity to sell his art and fully dedicate himself to his practice. It was during this period that Ting crossed paths with Sam Francis, whose acquaintance would open doors to the realms of pop art and abstract expressionism. Apart from forming a friendship with Sam Francis , he also socialized with famous artists Joan Mitchell, Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol and Tom Wesselmann.

Throughout the Seventies, Walasse Ting's artistic journey took a transformative turn, blending Chinese calligraphy with Western abstraction to create a unique pictorial synthesis. Embracing a figurative style, Ting's focus shifted towards portraying the female form, his ultimate muse, in a style that has since become world-renowned.

Over time, Ting honed this vibrant, figurative style, and his exuberant, color-saturated compositions gained widespread acclaim. After over two decades in New York, he moved to Amsterdam. Following the loss of his wife Nathalie in 1983, Walasse Ting goes on a trip with his son Jesse and daughter Mia to Amsterdam. The canals remind him of the town Hangzhou in China. He likes daily life in the Dutch capital so well that he decides to live there permanently.

In 2002, tragedy struck as Walasse Ting suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage, altering the course of his life forever. For eight long years, he resided in a nursing home in Amstelveen, a world away from his homeland, rendered uncommunicative and unable to paint, trapped in a comatose state. In 2010, Ting passed away, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate through the vibrant hues of his paintings.

His dynamic colors, pulsating with life, still adorn countless private and museum collections, serving as an enduring tribute to love and vitality. Though Ting may have departed from this world, his spirit lives on through his art, a timeless celebration of life's beauty and complexity. Immortalized by his artworks, Walasse Ting's legacy transcends time, still offering inspiration and solace to many around the world.