SG Artist Series

The innovator who uses medium as the message

Teo Eng Seng: We’re Happy. Are You Happy? is the most expansive solo exhibition yet, celebrating Teo's profound impact on the Singapore art scene.

Teo Eng Seng (b. 1938, Singapore), is an artist whose dynamic, seven-decade career is marked by a playful and evolving approach to artmaking. Most widely acknowledged for creating "paperdyesculp"--referring to a type of material and process of sculpting dyed paper pulp--, Teo transforms everyday materials into vibrant works of art, embedding humour and irony into his socially engaged practice.

His creations, full of spontaneous and vivid compositions, reflect his tongue-in-cheek takes on local and global social events. Teo’s practice undermines conventional ways of thinking about and making art while staying relevant to local and global issues. By asking “We’re Happy. Are You Happy?” the exhibition invites you to explore Teo’s honest and witty negotiation between self and society.

The master who carved with light and space

Once overlooked, this exhibition acknowledges Lim’s profound impact by tracing the evolution of her practice over four decades, highlighting her unique approach to Minimalism, influenced by material cultures across her travels. This in-depth showcase features key sculptures and prints spanning four decades, along with maquettes, never-before-seen photographs and archival materials.

Gain new insights into her artistic journey, philosophy, and creative relationships, and see how she relied on the power of suggestion and metaphor, to masterfully balance space, light, and rhythm to great effect.

Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective underscores the role of Lim’s cultural in-betweenness in shaping her artistic practice and resistance to pressures of identity determinations.

Drawing from her experiences and encounters across Asia and Europe, Kim Lim’s artistry transcends boundaries. The exhibition celebrates her life that was lived through a sustained openness to a diversity of influences.

The visionary centenarian artist

Grounded in Singapore's public art collections, this solo exhibition showcases the prolific master’s lifelong passion for painting, with works dating from 1946 to 2023.

Immerse in the nostalgic scenes and life of early Singapore through Lim’s well-loved depictions such as the Singapore River, Kampong Glam and Chinatown. Lim bridges a sincere connection to Singapore's roots through preserving these collective memories through his eyes and in his painting.

Concurrent to his local adventures, Lim took his artistic exploration beyond the island state and returned with depictions of magnificent landscapes he encountered in Southeast Asia and the world.

At the turn of the 21st century, Lim's creativity and boldness evolved into masterful blends of free expressions and modern calligraphy, creating his own distinct calligraphic style “hutuzi” and an eclectic technique that combines pictorial forms and writing.

Explore the multifaceted journey of the artist at the “Becoming Lim Tze Peng” exhibition.

The tireless experimenter envisioning Southeast Asia

(Now closed) A leading artist closely associated with Nanyang art, Cheong Soo Pieng expands artistic conventions through his innovative experimentation with different mediums and techniques.

His iconic work, Drying Salted Fish (1978), exemplifies this dynamism, blending various types of inks to create a unique interplay of shades. This approach showcases a bold synthesis of diverse materials to forge something truly distinctive.

Through Cheong Soo Pieng’s attention to the artistic process, he plays freely with inventive textures and effects in his works. His use of unconventional and everyday materials redefines the boundaries of painting, inviting viewers to see beyond traditional forms and embrace a broader vision.

Layer by Layer honours an artist who, much like Singapore, consistently pushed the limits of creativity and innovation.