Liu Kang, Wild Orchids, Undated

Ink and colour on paper
39.5 cm x 30 cm (unframed)
Condition: Very good, with water stain on the lower right section of the work.

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Liu Kang (Singaporean, 1911-2004) was born in Yongchun, Fujian, China, and is recognised as one of the most influential figures in Singapore’s modern art development. He received his early training at the Xinhua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai before furthering his studies in Paris in 1928, where exposure to Fauvism and European modernist ideas profoundly shaped his artistic vocabulary. After relocating to Singapore in 1937, he became a leading voice in forging a modern visual language that blended Western techniques with the colours, forms, and cultural contexts of Southeast Asia. His works from the Malayan Peninsula—rural scenes, kampung life, and studies of local communities—laid the foundation for what became known as the Nanyang art style.

Beyond his artistic practice, Liu Kang played a pivotal role in shaping Singapore’s cultural and institutional landscape. He was a founding member of the Singapore Art Society in 1949 and an active advocate for the growth of the local art scene, contributing essays, teaching, and supporting younger artists in developing a regional identity for modern art. His extensive body of work—ranging from oil paintings and sketches to prints and experimental studies—now forms an essential part of Singapore’s national collection and continues to be referenced in discussions of art education and art history in the region.

(Photographed in November 2025)