Share
Add fave
About the artwork
With the gradual urbanisation of Singapore that meant old buildings would be demolished and forever lost, Lim Tze Peng embarked on frequent painting expeditions to capture the scenes of 'Old Singapore.' Driving to locations such as Chinatown and Boat Quay, he would fastidiously paint every day - completing one painting in the morning and one in the evening. At a time which he describes as his most prolific period, he amassed an impressive collection of almost 500 paintings of these landmark scenes. It was when the buildings along the Singapore River and Chinatown were demolished in 1983, that his paintings of these familiar locations ceased as well.
About the artist
Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and a living legend. Renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, he also practices Chinese calligraphy. Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and part of many prestigious collections. Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he broke records with the sale of his works at a Christies auction in Hong Kong.