Tan Tuan Yong, Untitled (Still Life with Vegetables), 1965
Oil on canvas
45 x 60 cm (visible), 50.5 x 65 x 3.5 cm (framed)
Condition: Good, with mould and surface accretion present. Craquelure on top right section of the work. The condition is consistent with the age of the work. Restoration is advised.
Artist label affixed (to the reverse)
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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.
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This still life gathers the day’s produce: a large cabbage, fresh leeks, oranges, bamboo shoots, carrots, and a dark ceramic pot. The cool green backdrop, paired with soft lighting and brushstrokes, casts a muted atmosphere across the spread. The objects are loosely grouped, yet their placement feels intentional. Each resting gently between the folds of the cloth. Though Tan is best known for his sculptures, this painted still life carries a similar weight.
(Photographed in April 2025)