Goh Beng Kwan, Untitled (A Triptych), c. 2000s
Mixed media on canvas
30.5 x 23 cm (each, visible), 51 x 122 x 5 cm (framed)
Condition: Good, with slight wear to the frame and surface accretion accumulated.
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Goh Beng Kwan (Singaporean, b.1937) is an Indonesian-born pioneering modern artist known for introducing abstraction and mixed media to Singapore art. He studied at the Art Students League of New York from 1961 to 1965, and was influenced by abstract expressionism. Goh is recognised for his brilliant use of collage and non-traditional materials, reflecting themes of identity and cultural hybridity. He received the Cultural Medallion in 1989, becoming one of the first abstract artists in Singapore to be honoured with the award. It marked national recognition of his role in expanding the scope of visual arts in the country.
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Two decades ago, when we were just starting out, the world felt like a whirlwind. We were setting up our 2nd office—two people with big dreams, a million to-dos, and very little time to pause. One afternoon in 2003, in the middle of all the noise, we walked into Eagle Eye gallery for a moment of quiet. And that’s when we saw this work by Goh Beng Kwan.
There was something different about his art. The textures, the layered materials, the way he balanced and structured—it all spoke to us. It simply breathed. There was calm in its complexity. A quiet confidence.
We bought it that day, not because we were collecting art, but because it made the office feel like ours. It became part of the emotional architecture of our space—a gentle anchor through the years.
Now, twenty-odd years later, we’re in a different season of life. Our office, our pace, and even our dreams have evolved. Letting go of the painting wasn’t an easy decision. But we’ve come to see it not as a goodbye, but as a continuation. We hope it finds a new home where it brings the same calm and quiet joy it gave us. Where someone else stands in front of it, breathes in its stillness, and feels, just for a moment, a little more at peace.
Because some art isn’t just bought—it’s shared.
Acquired from Eagle Eye Gallery in 2003.
(Photographed in April 2025)