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About the artwork
This painting by Singaporean artist Lim Tze Peng depicts one of the country’s most iconic sights, the view of the Singapore River. Lim’s bold bushstrokes clearly define the form of different sights, such as the numerous bumboats which line the riverbanks, as well as the shophouses and the pedestrians strolling on the streets. Delicate washes of colour bring life to the composition, such as the reddish-brown of the shophouse roofs, while Lim’s use of negative space as a border imbues the work with a sense of nostalgia, reminding the viewer that this charming scene is one of a bygone era in Singapore’s vibrant past.
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.