Aw Tee Hong, Kampong Life, Undated

Ink and colour on paper
51 x 73 cm (visible), 87 x 112 cm (framed)
Condition: Very good, with signs of wear on frame and glass panel

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Aw Tee Hong (Chinese, 1932–2021) migrated to Singapore in 1950 and studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts before furthering his education at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Upon returning to Singapore, he created artworks that reflected local experiences and the city's transformations.

Throughout his career, Aw worked closely with the Singapore Tourism Promotion Board to develop cultural products, including Chinese opera masks. His works have been featured in numerous public and private collections and have even been presented as gifts to foreign dignitaries. Among his commissioned pieces are artworks displayed at Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar MRT stations, as well as sculptural works along the Singapore River. In October 2019, one of his oil paintings achieved a record price of SGD 198,000 at Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong.

Aw’s early wood print works frequently depicted samsui women, coolies, and hawkers. Over the years, he experimented with unconventional materials such as fibreglass, enamel, and paper relief, pushing the boundaries of artistic mediums in Singapore’s art scene. Singaporean heritage remained central to his work, and his masterful techniques, fresh perspective at the time, and sensitivity to colour combined to create lustrous, luminous pieces that continue to captivate art lovers.