Hua Tunan (born Chen Yingjie) is a Chinese painter and graffiti artist with an eye-catching style. Tunan’s art works appear to be a crossroads between art genres, a meeting point in which classical Chinese painting techniques combine with Jackson Pollock’s abstract splatter style, both of which are brought to the public eye via the canvas of street art. Although Tunan produces fine art as well as street art, it is is his street paintings that truly stand out as unique art works.
Tunan uses a variety of tools to create his graffiti art; spray cans, brushes and his hands are all used to apply paint to urban surfaces. Employing the Chinese art tradition of working to the rhythm of a drum, Tunan flings paint at his canvas, an act that risks the integrity of the entire artwork, but proves Tunan’s faith in his own artistic abilities. The splatter work in Hua Tunan’s graffiti art reveals a sense of tradition but also stands in colorful rebellion to regular graffiti art, making Tunan’s unusual style a vibrant juxtaposition of cultures, traditions and techniques.
Symbolic animal totems appear regularly in Hua Tunan’s paintings and graffiti. Goldfish and koi are traditionally a symbol of luck, wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture. Tunan’s art style brings a new twist to traditional subjects like goldfish, inviting classical Chinese art and symbols into the modern realm. You can visit Hua Tunan on his website for more art and info.
