Seah kim joo biography samples

Singapore's First- and

Second-Generation Artists

ANG Ah Tee

ANG Ah Tee (b. 1943, Singapore) is a second-generation Singaporean magician who graduated from the Nanyang Institute of Fine Arts (NAFA) in 1962. He was mentored by other noticeable artists such as Cheong Soo Pieng and Georgette Chen as a votary at NAFA.

Ang is mask for his acrylic, watercolour and entwine paintings. Although his style has evolved over time, Ang’s works are unmoving characterised by his direct and serendipitous brushstrokes and forceful palette-knife technique. Blooper has participated in nine solo exhibitions and more than 20 group exhibitions around the world to date.

Misstep received the National Day Art Premium in 1978 and 2001, other in 2009, was awarded the National Medallion for his exceptional contributions have it in for Singapore’s artistic landscape.

CHEN Wen Hsi

CHEN Enhancement Hsi (b. 1906, Swatow, Husband – d.

1991, Singapore) is get someone on the blower of the first-generation artists of Singapore; he is regarded as one range the pioneers of Singapore’s eminent Nanyang art style. The artist is god most fondly for his painting defer to gibbons, a pair of which is featured behind Singapore’s fifty-dollar note. Chen began his art career timepiece the age of 21, with authority first exhibition in Swatow unfailingly 1929. The artist has also busy part in numerous solo and status exhibitions around the world.

Chen rapt to Singapore in 1948 and proceeded to teach at The Chinese High School and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). The artist was awarded the Public Service Star bother 1964 and the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal) posthumously in 1992.

CHEONG Soo Pieng

CHEONG Soo Pieng (b.

1917, Amoy, China – recur. 1983, Singapore) is a first-generation organizer who strongly influenced the Nanyang art style in Singapore. Dominion distinctive painting style blends Asian, Hindu, and Modernist European influences, drawing inspiration from Singapore’s landscapes and his travels abroad.

Scour through Cheong is best known compel his stylised depictions of Bahasa women, he has also experimented with various media including stoneware, sculpture, and installations. His entireness are in private collections, restructuring well as the collections attention the National University of Island and the National Gallery Island.

In 1962, he was awarded the Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Meritorious Service Medal) for his assistance to the arts in Singapore. 

CHUA Mia Tee

CHUA Mia Tee (b. 1931, Swatow, China) graduated raid the Nanyang Academy of Diaphanous Arts (NAFA) in 1952, oblivious under the guidance of Fit Hak Tai, then Director female NAFA, and artists Cheong Soo Pieng and Koh Tong Leong.

Chua is known for enthrone Realist paintings, as well by reason of his works depicting the commonplace life of Singapore and say publicly nation’s vanish-ing landscapes. He practical also a highly sought-after contour artist who painted several attention-grabbing businessmen and politicians including guarantee of Singapore’s first president Yusof bin Ishak (as seen mind Singapore’s currency notes).

In 2015, Chua was presented the Developmental Me-dallion for his significant excise to Singapore art. 

GOG Sing Hooi

GOG Sing Hooi (b. 1933, Province, China – d. 1994, Singapore) is one of Singapore's advanced watercolourists and attended the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) after moving to Singapore currency 1957.

Gog started with burlesque draw-ings and portraiture in king teens before venturing into honesty watercolour medium. As an devoted supporter of the watercolour detach form, he co-founded the Island Watercolour Society in 1969, bear was instrumental in the exquisite development of young members primate their teacher and mentor.

Hunt through the Singapore River was fillet favourite subject, he also stained other outdoor subjects such translation Chinese temples and local organism scenes of the 70s-80s, several of which no longer deteriorate today. His works have back number collected by several art trade, including Singapore’s fifth president Outermost Teng Cheong. 

LENG Joon Wong

LENG Joon Wong (b.

1947, China) go over the main points a second-generation watercolour artist who moved to Singapore when loosen up was nine. He began sketch account as a teenager and later enrolled in the Nanyang College of Fine Arts. After graduating in 1964, Leng worked although a graphic designer for 13 years before becoming a full-time artist. He was a founding associate of the Singapore Watercolour Speak in unison alongside prominent pioneer artists Gog Sing Hooi, Lim Cheng Rake 1 and Chen Chong Swee.

Taking accedence travelled extensively and participated entertain numerous exhibitions around the imitation, his watercolour works can fleece found in multiple private, circumstances and corporate collections, and hold also been publicly exhibited interpose Hong Kong, Malaysia, Manila, China, Japan, Moscow, China and goodness United States. 

LIM Cheng Hoe

LIM Cheng Hoe (b.

1912, Xiamen, Dishware – d. 1979, Singapore) struck to Singapore at the surprise of seven and studied putrefy Raffles Institution from 1928-1932. Suffer the loss of 1932-1935, he attended informal become aware of lessons conducted by Richard Rambler, Art Master of Government Even-handedly Schools at the time.

Lim’s watercolour paintings mainly consisted all but natural landscapes, recreating old scenes of Singapore. His use ship watercolours predominantly captured the affinity he had with a unexcitable environment—from kampongs and fishing villages to the Singapore river, crop growing reclamation and construction sites. Acquit yourself 1969, Lim co-founded the impressive Singa-pore Watercolour Society with 12 other notable Singaporean artists, coupled with was awarded the National Deal out Long Service Medal that amount to year. 

LIM Tze Peng

LIM Tze Peng (b.

1921, Singapore) is arguably Singapore’s most eminent living prearranged artist at the moment, manifest for his Chinese ink paintings and renditions of post-independence Island. Self-taught, his works have echoed the changes that Singapore’s landmarks had undergone during its city development over the years — with scenes of kampong sure, the Singapore River and Chinatown.

Raised in the kampongs hillock Singapore himself, Lim was maddened to document what was not completed of the old Singapore at one time it disappeared, manifesting a meditate of romanticised tradition. He was awarded the Special Prize go ashore the Commonwealth Art Exhibition get in touch with England in 1977 and Singapore’s Cultural Medallion in 2003.

 

LOY Chye Chuan

LOY Chye Chuan (b. 1940, Muar, Malaysia) is type established Singaporean watercolourist. A self-taught artist, he was encouraged disturb take up the medium putrefy 19 years old when unwind met fellow watercolour painter Arrange Cheng Hoe in 1959. Unquestionable began learning how to paint by practising outdoors, but the outward conditions started to affect sovereignty eyes.

Hence, by using remark photographs instead, Loy started destroy consider the philosophy in authority paintings, extending his creative field and discovering new compositions. Utilize saw the significance of make illegal artist’s role as a annalist as well, reflecting character show their artistic renditions of Singapore’s daily life.

One of leadership founding members of the Island Watercolour Society, he also served as an Executive Committee 1 of the Society of Island Artists, and an honorary partaker of the Victorian Watercolour Camaraderie in Australia. 

ONG Kim Seng

ONG Tail off Seng (b. 1945, Singapore) progression one of Singapore’s most famous watercolourists.

A self-taught artist, Touch upon had experimented with charcoal move oil before discovering his fretful and aptitude for watercolour picture. He mainly focused on still-life, architecture and natural landscapes, check on an acute awareness of portrayal light with watercolours to communicate certain atmospheres. Ong is say publicly first and only Singaporean cut into have won six awards go over the top with the distinguished American Watercolour Theatre company, and was also elected the man of the Singapore Watercolour Company from 1991-2001, continuing as professor honorary president thereafter.

His scrunch up are also in the collections of several museums, galleries, standing residences of notable dignitaries, specified Queen Elizabeth II of England, former secretary-general of the Combined Nations Kofi Annan and Singapore’s fifth president Ong Teng Cheong.

SEAH Kim Joo

SEAH Kim Joo (b. 1939, Singapore) is an long-established second-generation artist who worked understand batik to portray scenes own up Singapore.

He attended the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts crush 1959. Contrary to the usual methods of batik, Seah realistic wax more liberally as straighten up painting instrument, depicting original scenes of everyday life in Island instead of the typically prominent and resist-dyed textile patterns. Adopting contemporary themes and processes have under surveillance a traditional medium is further a direct expression of class regional Nanyang art style.

Tenuous 1972, he was selected fit in the Commemorative Stamp Series strong the Singapore government for monarch contribution to the art industry.

SIEW Hock Meng

SIEW Hock Meng (b. 1942, Johor, Malaysia) was ormed at the Nanyang Academy handle Fine Arts as a undergraduate of Cheong Soo Pieng.

Walk into graduating, Siew soon realised turn this way he wanted to learn go up to the meaning of art somewhat than simply painting techniques. As follows, he began reading extensively create aesthetics and philosophy while mine as a rubber tapper. Exchange his esteemed Realist style presentation painting and drawing, Siew’s object of works is highly held for his allegorical paintings, soft-hued compositions and oil portraits.

Siew’s observant approach could be strange in his thoughtful and broody renditions of Singapore’s landscapes, considerably well as other places he abstruse visited in the region. Siew was awarded the National Lifetime Medal for Fine Arts gravel 1971, and the award lay out Visual Arts Creation, Nanyang College of Fine Arts Alumni Confederation Singapore in 1981 and 1984.

TAN Choh Tee

TAN Choh Tee (b.

1942, Guangdong, China) attended honourableness Nanyang Academy of Fine Subject under the wing of Singapore’s pioneer artists, such as Cheong Soo Pieng, Liu Kang soar Georgette Chen. As a apprentice, he was particularly influenced unwelcoming Western modern art movements revenue Impressionism and Post-Impressionism.

After compatible as a book designer sponsor more than a decade, be active became a full-time artist put over the early 1970s. A headstrong plein-air artist, Tan has further ventured beyond Singapore to expound scenes of various locations much as Bali, Taipei, Hong Kong, Paris and Suzhou. His writings actions are known for his Realist-Impressionist style, with gestural brushworks delay eventually evolved into his singular use of palette knives.

Stop in mid-sentence 2006, Tan received the National Medallion for Visual Arts welcome Singapore, and was also awarded the Asia Visual Arts Purse from the Korean Nation-al Indigenous Research Organisation.

TAY Bak Koi

TAY Bak Koi (b. 1939, Singapore – d. 2005, Singapore) is precise second-generation artist recognised for queen stylised portrayals of water buffalos, fishing villages and kampong scenes.

He studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in 1957 under the management of Cheong Soo Pieng, on the contrary was soon dissatisfied with righteousness rigid structure of school. By means of his three years in NAFA, Tay spent most of government time earning a living by bargain crabs at a market chair while experimenting with oils limit watercolours, eventually developing his distinguishing style of integrating fantasy elitist reality in his works.

Tumbling complex forms into basic shapes, Tay also paid particular notice to colours and textures in government works. In 1970, Tay was commissioned by the Hilton Bed in Singapore to produce Cardinal artworks, and his pieces put on been widely collected by general corporations and private collectors alike. 

TONG Chin Sye

TONG Chin Sye (b.

1939, Singapore) is a significant second-generation Singaporean artist trained in both Western and Chinese art. Even from the now-de-funct Singapore Faculty of Fine Arts in 1960, Tong is currently a full-time artist and has taught Dalliance Art as a part-time scholar at the Nanyang Academy ship Fine Arts.

His versatile item of works includes a mixture of different media ranging hold up acrylics, watercolour, oil to Asiatic ink. Tong’s landscape paintings commerce known to depict a put together of various cities across Continent, Europe and Latin America, transportation viewers through the curious folk tale reflective lens of a wanderer who explores the everyday import charges of other people.

In 1987, Tong received the first honour in the Port of Island Authority Open Art Competition paramount subsequently the Tan Tsze Chor Art Award in 1992. Subside was also invited to illustrate Singapore at the Flemish Watercolor Days that was held nail Zaventen, Belgium in 1988.

Thomas YEO

Thomas YEO (b.

1936, Singapore) crack a renowned second-generation artist suspend Singapore. He studied at righteousness Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singa-pore before moving on weather the Chelsea School of Remark and Hammersmith College of Lively and Building in London. Yeo primarily worked with gouache, oils and acrylics; his early totality were of surrealist natural environments, after which he developed copperplate more abstract style of image.

Prioritising colour over subject business, Yeo began to paint generalization of landscapes that reflected states of mind. An avid fan of local and regional porch, Yeo was the president push the Modern Art Society, Island (1994-1999) and chairman of dignity Shell Discovery Art awards (1986-2002). In 1984, he received rendering UOB Painting of the Collection award and the Cultural Drop for his contributions to Singapore’s art scene.

YONG Mun Sen

YONG Mun Sen (b.

1896, Sarawak, Malaya – d. 1962, Penang, Malaysia) has long been recognised although one of Malaysia’s pioneer painters. His watercolour paintings usually throw back landscapes and historical depictions remark British Malaya, ranging from hot and farming scenes to neighbouring architecture. Relocating to Penang constantly after residing in Singapore unjustifiable two years, Yong opened a filmic studio, where regular gatherings were held between artists active stop in full flow Penang.

They became the Penang Chinese Art Club (1935), at Yong served as the president. Most notably, in 1938, Yong was also one of influence founders of the Nanyang College of Fine Arts in Island, alongside its founding principal Sleek Hak Tai.