Guy Ngan: His Art, Life and Pacific-Chinese Aesthetics

This article is a study of the art of Guy Ngan 顏國鍇 (1926–2017). A Chinese-New Zealander, Ngan’s work and aesthetic considerations are yet to be adequately understood. I will introduce his background, discuss his major works and elaborate on his approach to art practice. I will also discuss Ngan’s identity, his self-identification and the reception of his art in the context of New Zealand art history. What are the characteristics of Ngan’s work? How has Ngan’s Chinese cultural background informed his art practice? And what constitutes his “Pacific-Chinese aesthetics”? I will argue for a positive case of a Pacific-Chinese aesthetics in New Zealand as proposed and practised by Ngan. The article concludes with a discussion of recent changes in the reception of his oeuvre.