Jimmy Choi

CHRONOLOGY

1951 Yin Fan Choi was born in Hong Kong.   While he was young, he didn’t have the opportunity to take lessons on painting since his family had a modest income.  By entered into numerous colouring, drawing, painting, or Chinese calligraphy contests, he was able to receive many of his favourite toys.

1966 He was attending Hong Kong Pui Ying Middle School.  Under the guidance of several instructors: Leung, Shek Fung, Chan, Po Chun, and Chui, Wing Kwai, he began to familiarize Chinese painting, pastel drawing, charcoal sketching, water colour, and some basic history of western arts.  Through Mr. Leung, Yin Fan learned the important skills for Chinese landscape painting.  Mr. Chan also made a great impact on Jimmy by introducing him the true value of realistic arts.     From Mr. Chui, he gained knowledge of plane design and fundamental western arts history.

1968 Hong Kong was in a period of political uproar, and the economic depression became the aftermath.  At that time, Yin Fan was focused solely on arts.   From the art books, he admired the productions of cubist artist, Pablo Picasso.  He had attempted this cubist art via watercolour.

           One day, from a piece of decayed, unattended poster, he came to realize the beauty of abstract images with intricate contour and vivacious colourful patches.  He then began to create his own abstract paintings.

1972 Yin Fan did his bachelor degree of education with journalism majored, at National Taiwan Normal University.  Mr. Chen, Ching Jung’s studio was beside the university, this was where he got his instruction on watercolour.  Furthermore, he was self-studied on the theories of Chinese and Western arts.  Moreover, in the Chinese literature faculty, he studied the history and theory of Chinese calligraphy under Professor Chang, Hsueh Po.

1976 After graduate, he returned to Hong Kong.  In a few years time, he became a wellknown politics and finance journalist, editor, and columnist.  He had the opportunities to interview the former president of Taiwan, Yen, Chia Kan, the former treasurer of Taiwan, Li, Kuo Ting, former prime minister of Republic of China, Chao, Tsu Yang, former president of China, Teng, Hsiao Ping, Princess Margaret of England, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher…etc.  After work, he enrolled in the Hong Kong Buddhist College for his bachelor of arts, majoring in Chinese calligraphy and painting.  Under the influence of a renowned artist, Mr. Mak, Yu See ( Director of fine arts department ), he was able to obtain the knowledge of the Gak Shan Style.

1980 Yin Fan resigned from his editor position.  He was ready to venture on a solo cross nations expedition.  He traveled across Canada, beginning from Vancouver to Toronto.  He spent time at the British sculptor, Henry Moore’s exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario.  He also went to a gallery where they had the famous Group of the Seven’s paintings.  Seeing their success, Jimmy’s spirit was being stimulate and challenge.  At the University of Toronto, he expounded to the students on his understanding of Chinese calligraphy.  While he was at the Asian Library of University of Toronto, he read through most of their arts books collection.  Then he acquired another confirmation after contemplating in depth of all these readings.  He continued his journey to London, England and Paris, France.  He toured around all the art galleries and museums.  From Europe, he flew to Tokyo, Japan to view at the arts culture.  He recognized that Japanese calligraphy is prone to concentrate on formality.  It is beyond compare with his native Chinese calligraphy, which has solid foundation as well as fascinating transformative strokes.  After Japan, he proceeded to Singapore, Malaysia, and Sarawak, etc. His knowledge was truly enriched by this year long trip.  It also brought him to the decision for further education in Europe.

1983 Yin Fan was studying at Ecole Nationale Des Beaux- Arts de Lyon, France.  At his leisure time, he would lounge around and communicate freely at the coffee shops.  In these unrestrained and vigorous settings, he was brimful with new methods and perspectives which were just beyond him.

1984 He had created a series of abstract sculptures and paintings.  His arts had been exhibited at the city halls and art galleries of Paris,Lyon , Beaujeu and Romans.  Before Jimmy even graduate, his work was well accepted and recognized by the art galleries.

1987 After Yin Fan received his master of fine arts; he immigrated to Canada with the artist status.  However, he had to return to Hong Kong because his father’s ailment was in critical condition. During his stay, he participated in the project of “ Sculpture Walk ” inside the Kowloon Park in the Tsim Sha Tsui area of Hong Kong.  His bronze sculpture which titled “ Paradox ” has been commissioned to display in the park permanently.  In the same period, he was teaching in The First Design Institute.

1988 Following his father’s death, Yin Fan moved back to Canada because he would like to have a more spacious environment to produce his arts.  He has settled in Vancouver.

1989 Yin Fan leased a garage to get ready for a new development as an artist life.  Unfortunately, mishaps occurred one after another.  He was involved in two different car accidents which caused his right arm immobilize and both of his legs were malfunction.  Constantly he had headache, neck ache, and backache.  His health was gradually deteriorated.    His ambition was slowly diminished.  Eventually, he was in a dormant state.

1992 Those painful, unendurable, and sleepless days later came to an end.  He regained his stability to on his zealous life and his passion towards arts rekindled.  He had opened a gallery café on the Vancouver east.  Subsequently it was closed due to lack of business.

1994 Yin Fan and twelve other artists had been invited for a joined exhibit in Taiwan.  He got to know one of the famous sculptors, Mr.Yang, Ying Feng.  They became good friends at the first meeting.  Mr. Yang had been bedridden for a period of sometime because the immunity of his skin system was in disorder.  Yin Fan gave him treatment which enabled him to live an active life again.  Mr. Yang encouraged Jimmy, “ Being an artist, we need to be persistent.  When we encounter failure, it is the beginning of something better. ”  Mr. Yang later on began his worldwide exhibition.  Since then, even until Mr. Yang deceased in 1997, they never met again.

1995 From this year on, Yin Fan’s abstract arts were discontinued to follow Taoism’s philosophy, which was the unrestricted, carefree and romantic style.  He has begun to care for international affairs which take place around him, such as:  the yuppies of the “ X-Generation ”, the commotion and turmoil arose at the end of the last century, the prediction about Hong Kong’s return to Republic of China, the nationwide dilemma that had been foretold about the new millennium, the grief that the Americans toward 911 attacks on the World Trade Center, the compassion forwarded to the Afghanistan refugees, the fear of terrorism in Americans’ heart, the hostages and massacre at one of the Moscow theater, the rebel republic Chechnya captivated innocent and helpless students and parents, the horrifying train explosion in Madrid, Spain, the tsunami disaster in the southeast Asia, and the explosion in London, England, etc.

           In his thesis statement, he wrote, “ Arts has it vitality.  If one channels the existing resource and energy to arts creation, the work will become vibrant and long lasting. ”

2006 During his life, Yin Fan has witnessed many natural or manmade tragedies which left vivid impression on him. In his own life, he encountered elbow dislocation, fracture of femur, ribs dislocation, upper limbs immobilized, lumber vertebrae dislocation, and his whole body paralyzed, etc.  All these pain, suffering, and helplessness which he had experienced, he realized that human beings are truly limited.  Therefore, he would illustrate his true feelings in his arts production and wish to bring the messages of admonishment and new hope to mankind.  Certainly the life of arts is endless. It will not fade in and out like the trend of the society.  Arts have no time limit; it will not bound by distance.  It does not have a set style of expression.  You just need to depict your true passions on your work.  This is the treasure of arts.  This is what Yin Fan Choi thinks, “ It is worthwhile to pursue arts with his life, time, and energy.