Tan Tuan Yong

Tan Tuan Yong (Singaporean, b. 1950) is a ceramic artist and educator. He began his formal art education in 1963 at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied Western art. In the 1980s, he expanded his practice by taking pottery courses under local potters and sculptors, which led to a lasting engagement with ceramics.His work focuses on clay and glaze-based sculpture, often exploring themes of urbanisation and environmental loss. A notable example is MORE is LESS (2015), a sculptural piece reflecting on how densely built environments encroach upon nature. Over the decades, Tan has exhibited widely in Singapore, including in key group shows such as Sculpture in Singapore (1991, National Museum), Creamitivity (1999, NUS Centre for the Arts), Captivity 2000 (Paragon Gallery), and the Wood Firing Exhibition (2011, Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle).

Since 2003, Tan has also been active in arts education, teaching pottery at various schools and community clubs. His dual role as both practitioner and educator has contributed meaningfully to the development of Singapore’s ceramic art scene.