Seah Kim Joo, Red & Blue Night, c. 1970s

Batik on cloth
90 x 60 cm (visible), 92 x 61.5 x 2 cm (framed) (each)
Condition: Good

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Provenance
Raya Gallery, Singapore, to a corporate collection. Subsequently acquired by the present owner at an internal corporate auction in the 1990s.

Seah Kim Joo (Singaporean, b. 1939) is an artist best known for his pioneering work in batik painting, a medium traditionally associated with textile art. Educated at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Seah became one of the key figures in the Nanyang art movement, which sought to combine Western artistic principles with Southeast Asian themes and materials. He played an instrumental role in popularising batik as a legitimate medium for fine art, using it to depict scenes of local culture and everyday life.

Seah’s works are distinguished by their rich textures, bold lines, and vibrant colours, created using the traditional wax-resist dyeing technique of batik. His subject matter often features kampong villages, fishermen, market scenes, and tropical landscapes, reflecting his deep connection to Southeast Asian heritage and rural life. His art captures a sense of nostalgia and simplicity, showcasing themes of community, tradition, and the rhythms of daily living.

His ability to merge modern artistic sensibilities with traditional craft exemplifies the spirit of the Nanyang style. Seah Kim Joo’s contributions to batik painting have left a lasting impact on Singaporean art, highlighting the potential of indigenous materials and techniques in contemporary practice.

This work is sold as a pair.

(Photographed in September 2026)

Batik on cloth
90 x 60 cm (visible), 92 x 61.5 x 2 cm (framed) (each)
Condition: Good

-

Provenance
Raya Gallery, Singapore, to a corporate collection. Subsequently acquired by the present owner at an internal corporate auction in the 1990s.

Seah Kim Joo (Singaporean, b. 1939) is an artist best known for his pioneering work in batik painting, a medium traditionally associated with textile art. Educated at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Seah became one of the key figures in the Nanyang art movement, which sought to combine Western artistic principles with Southeast Asian themes and materials. He played an instrumental role in popularising batik as a legitimate medium for fine art, using it to depict scenes of local culture and everyday life.

Seah’s works are distinguished by their rich textures, bold lines, and vibrant colours, created using the traditional wax-resist dyeing technique of batik. His subject matter often features kampong villages, fishermen, market scenes, and tropical landscapes, reflecting his deep connection to Southeast Asian heritage and rural life. His art captures a sense of nostalgia and simplicity, showcasing themes of community, tradition, and the rhythms of daily living.

His ability to merge modern artistic sensibilities with traditional craft exemplifies the spirit of the Nanyang style. Seah Kim Joo’s contributions to batik painting have left a lasting impact on Singaporean art, highlighting the potential of indigenous materials and techniques in contemporary practice.

This work is sold as a pair.

(Photographed in September 2026)

Artwork located in: Singapore