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Patrick Warsing Chu Foon
Born: Trinidad, b.1931 d.1998
Resides: Trinidad
Artistic Media: Mixed Media, Acrylics on Board
Patrick ‘Pat’ Warsing Chu Foon was born in Port of Spain on 3 October 1931. He attended Rosary Boys R.C. School and later Tranquility Intermediate.
In 1963, Chu Foon received a scholarship to study at the University of the Americas, where he gained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine and Applied Arts in 1967. He continued his studies in sculpture at the Universidad Nacional de Mexico, Academia San Carlos. He was continued to honoured to be the first Trinidad and one of the first Caribbean artists to exhibit work at the International Salon, Museum of Fine Arts, Mexico.
On his return to Trinidad in 1968, Chu Foon joined the Ministry of Culture as a Teacher II at the Teachers’ Training College. In 1973 he became a Cultural Officer I within the Ministry.
The Ministry was subsequently divided in 1981, becoming the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, where Chu Foon held office as Acting Director of Culture from 1981 to 1984 and Cultural Officer II from 1984 until he retired from the Ministry in 1988.
Several of Port of Spain’s public sculptures are the work of Chu Foon: The Spirit of Hope; Tribute to the Steelband Movement; Mother and Child; 5th World Netball Series and most recently Lord Kitchener. He has also produced private commissions: Aspirations for L. J. Williams & Co. Ltd. and Claude Noel for ISCOTT. In 1963 he was the first artist to receive Trinidad and Tobago’s Hummingbird Medal for Sculpture.
About his work, Chu Foon says, I am concerned with man’s existence in time and space – time exists because of man’s awareness of his existence.
As a result space becomes a reality with which he can refer to related images and concepts within the infinite plane.
My paintings deal mainly with spatial elements – outside universal space and its equilibrium with inner space in which I try to relate concepts resulting in mind-space images which are inherent or spiritually perceived.
My sculptures are extensions of my paintings, occupying an area of positive space – point of reference within space which we all share in relation to an infinite.
COLLECTIONS
Public: 1969 Ghandi, Kew Place, Port of Spain, Trinidad
1971 Spirit of Hope, Corner Dundonald and Richmond Streets, Port of Spain, Trinidad
1972 Tribute to the Steelband Movement, Tamarind Square, Port of Spain, Trinidad
1979 5th World Netball Series, Jean Pierre Complex, Port of Spain, Trinidad
1980 Mother and Child, Mount Hope Hospital, Mount Hope, Trinidad
1982 Mural, Riverside Plaza, Port of Spain, Trinidad
1984 Claude Noel, ISCOTT, Point Lisas, Trinidad
1994 Lord Kitchener, St. James, Trinidad
Private: Bank of Nova Scotia; Trinidad Hilton Hotel; L.J. Williams & Co. Ltd.; Private Collections in Trinidad and Tobago and United States
EXHIBITIONS
One Person:
1962 Nina’s Gallery, Trinidad
1963 T&TEC Building, Port of Spain, Trinidad
1964 Saloncita VIII, University of the Americas, Mexico,
1966 The Anglo-Mexico Institute of Culture, Mexico
1967 The International Salon, Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts, Mexico
1968 Oklahoma Art Centre, Oklahoma City, USA
1969 House of Peacock, Trinidad
1991 Aquarela Galleries, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Group:
1969-86 Numerous collective exhibitions in Trinidad, Tobago, Guyana, Canada, USA, Brazil and Mexico
1986 Aquarela Galleries, Port of Spain, Trinidad, with Lisa Henry-Chu Foon
1988 Aquarela Galleries, Port of Spain, Trinidad, with Lisa Henry-Chu Foon
1990 Aquarela Galleries, Port of Spain, Trinidad, with Lisa Henry-Chu Foon
1993 Carib Art, Mille Fleurs, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Art for UWI for UWI Development and Endowment Fund, Algico Plaza, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Contemporary Art from Trinidad and Tobago, Bibliotheque Schoelcher, Fort de France
AWARDS
1960 Chase Manhattan Award for Painting
1963 The Hemisphere Scholarship Award, University of the Americas
1965 Trinidad and Tobago Government Scholarship
1967 Ambassador at Large Certificate of Honour by the Mayor of the City of Oklahoma, USA
1979 Trinidad Art Society Award for Sculpture
1983 Hummingbird Medal (Silver) for Sculpture, Trinidad and Tobago Government
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Geoffrey MacLean
- Pat Chu Foon and Lisa Henry, Aquarela Galleries, Port of Spain, Trinidad 1986
- Pat Chu Foon, Aquarela Galleries, Port of Spain, Trinidad 1991
- Inner Space in Painting and Sculpture, Trinidad Guardian, p.17, October 1991