Cheong Soo Pieng (Chinese 1917 – Singaporean 1983) | Kelong Scene, 1961

Project Description

Description: Ink and colour on paper, 93.5 x 45 cm. Signed and dated ‘Soo Pieng 61’, signed again in Chinese (lower left), one seal of the artist
Catalogue note: Cheong Soo Pieng formulated his distinctive style of painting Malay women after a 1959 trip to the Dayak longhouses of Borneo. Besides painting both in the Eastern and Western techniques of Chinese ink and oils, he also sculpted and crafted metal installations. However, it is his Nanyang-style paintings in particular that have received much attention. The techniques used are recognised as a creative blend of West and East, and the subject matter was inspired from his Southeast Asian surroundings, hence the label “Nanyang style”. Cheong was one of the first artists to paint in this theme. Inspiration for this stemmed from a Bali trip in 1952, which he embarked on with three fellow artists: Liu Kang, Chen Wen Hsi and Chen Chong Swee. A favourite with critics and curators, many have lauded Cheong’s works, describing the artist as a pacesetter and a dominant figure in Singapore’s modern art scene. Cheong was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 1962.
Provenance: Acquired from Christie’s, Sale 13276, Lot 350, Invoice no. DB18001271. Private Collection, Asia
Catalogue no.: 2018P0114-CSP