Surprised II is representative of Ng Eng Teng’s fascination with the flesh which borders on the obsessive. This aspect of Ng’s oeuvre is nevertheless not to be ignored as it contributes to the full spectrum of Ng’s relationship with the human figure as expressed in his art. This work (stoneware, slip, ciment fondu) is part of the National University of Singapore Museum Collection. Physical dimensions of original: 750 x 460 x 210 mm. Title devised by Library staff.
Life is Hard, using the medium of oil on board, is significant of Ng’s beginning as a painter under Georgette Chen’s guidance at NAFA. It provides insight into Ng’s aptitude as a painter, and is a pertinent example of his constant interest in the human figure, as well as the...
Semi-representational, the work shows two figures locked in embrace in an upright position. Wee has produced numerous works expressing emotional and psychological conditions through abstract compositions. In this particular work, the figures are fused and suspended in an amorphous context, drawing greater attention to the materiality of their emotional state...
An example of Ng’s earliest attempts at the three-dimensional, Singapore Girl shows him under the initial influence of classical European sculpture. Ng focuses here on the drapery and the contrapposto of the figure, prior to his subsequent stylised handling of the human figure. Physical dimensions of original: 370 x 160...
City Vista represents the development of collage and the exploration of the potential of materials Yeo found around him. He regards collage as a way of freeing himself from the tyranny of the brush. This painting presents the idea of an abstract land/cityscape, commenting on the architecture of his environment. This...
The work depicts the practice of cormorant fishing taking place along the Li River in Guangxi, China. Showing fishermen framed by distinctive green hills seemingly rising to the sky, the painting exudes both dynamism and repose. It captures in its essence a scene where nature and human activities co-exist in...
Autumn warmth expresses Yeo’s lifelong fascination with nature, and more formal panoramic landscapes like this enable the artist to ‘escape’ from urban living. It takes him away from the confines of the city, enabling him to re-experience his travels. This work is part of the Singapore Art Museum Collection. Physical dimensions of...
River bumboats are a long-standing subject in Lim’s paintings of the Singapore River, their presence filling each picture with symbolic and historical meanings. Impressionistically handled, Lim employs warm and vibrant colours such as red and green rendered in bold strokes, successfully creating a dynamic and joyous feel to the en...
The Head of Ah Beng is part of a series of ‘portraits’ dealing with social and cultural aspects of society. These are abstracted images of real and imaginary people. Ah Beng represents the artist’s interpretation of a Singaporean character that projects his identity through dress and behaviour – preoccupation with...
Having begun to paint the street-level activities in the picture, Lim decided to leave the painting unfinished. In doing so, he draws an analogy between a shophouse with closed shutters and the larger context of urban re-development around the Chinatown and Singapore River areas in the 1970s and 1980s. This work...
This work demonstrates Wee’s versatility in working across a number of art media and styles. The Great Sphinx of Giza is depicted in a cubist idiom. Three figures represented in the foreground accentuate the scale of the Sphinx. Using muted tones of brown, the work captures the distinct environment of...