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Having recently shown his solo exhibition, "From Then To Now: Capturing Life" at Ode To Art, the 102-year-old legend also shares how he started painting and went on to find his unique place and path in art
To Singaporean artist and living legend Lim Tze Peng, the most expensive and precious commodity on earth is art. “You might never have considered it… money is plentiful but beautiful art is a rarity,” the centenarian said. This perhaps comes as no surprise as the 102-year-old has been working at his craft ever since he was introduced to painting at the age of 14.
He reminisced about how he had his primary school teacher to thank for giving him the start to his journey in art. Observing how Lim often watched him drawing, his teacher sent him home with painting materials and asked him to give painting a go. That was the moment when Lim realised how much he enjoyed art. Naturally, the artist’s talent for drawing and painting didn’t go unnoticed—so moved by Lim’s work was his teacher, that he spent the next two months leading up to his graduation nurturing his talent.
His interest and skills in art grew and matured further in secondary school—in fact, he went on to win the top prize in calligraphy and drawing competitions every year. While Lim had to paint strictly whatever he was assigned in school, he enjoyed exploring other artistic subjects and styles in his own time. “Whenever I had a moment to spare, I would take a canvas, go to a nearby river with boats in it, and paint the scenery. It was all self-taught, and I showed my drawings to my teachers. One day the principal happened to show my artwork to another principal from an art school. She said I drew as well as, or even better than the art students—I was very happy to hear that,” he shared.
In case you missed it: “I Hope My Art Can Inspire a New Generation to Treasure Their Past”: 100-Year-Old Artist Lim Tze Peng on His Artistic Journey
Above Chua Soo Bin,
Ode To Art's Jazz Chong, Edmund Ng, Lim Tze Peng and Edwin Tong, minister for Culture, Community and Youth
Above Lim Tze Peng at his the opening of his exhibition at Ode To Art
Chua Soo Bin, Ode To Art's Jazz Chong, Edmund Ng, Lim Tze Peng and Edwin Tong, minister for Culture, Community and Youth
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Lim, of course, is well known for his Chinese ink and calligraphy artworks that often depict familiar local scenes. The Cultural Medallion recipient is also the oldest living artist here and continues to paint actively. His adoration for capturing the sights of old Singapore is clearly seen in his art—kampungs, Chinatown and the Singapore River are among his favourite subjects, brought to life with his unique calligraphy-inspired artistic style.
“I think an artist should paint things native to their own country—it is only then that they will do it well. Painting things that are not native to an artist would be like a tree without roots, or like water without a source. If an artist were to plumb the depths of his own origins, he would see that there are actually many themes that can emerge from within oneself,” said Lim, who finds endless inspiration in the land he calls home, and sees extraordinary beauty in the simple things in life.
Read more: Why Ode To Art Makes Singaporean Artists And Asian Art A Key Focus For The Gallery
Above Ode To Art's contribution to SG Enable
Above Chua Soo Bin at the "From Then to Now: Capturing Life" exhibition at Ode To Art
Ode To Art's contribution to SG Enable
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This is ever more evident in his solo exhibition, From Then to Now: Capturing Life, at Ode to Art Gallery last year, which featured 50 of his works centred on memories of the Singapore of yesteryear. These canvases were initially painted black and white back in the 1980s, but have been given a second colourful layer of narrative—Lim added vivid hues to nostalgic scenes on Singapore’s streets, giving his previous creations a new dimension that also showed the stylistic evolution of his art. His works continue to be on display at the gallery, while the public can also see his masterpieces exhibited in places including the National Gallery, Singapore Art Museum and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
Besides being an artistic expression, Lim’s artworks have also documented the transformation of Singapore in the latter half of the last century. His paintings are a memory of what he saw as a Singaporean watching kampungs being transformed into an urbanised landscape. “When I heard that the government wanted to demolish the old buildings, I quickly went out to draw them. [I hope that my works] can have historical value, which is why I started drawing the kampungs, old buildings in the city and the scenes along the Singapore river. I’ve drawn more than 500 drawings, which I hope are useful references and have value in that aspect,” he shared.
Above Lim Tze Peng at his the opening of his exhibition at Ode To Art
Above Guests at the "From Then to Now: Capturing Life" exhibition at Ode To Art
Lim Tze Peng at his the opening of his exhibition at Ode To Art
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Lim’s success as an artist (he was a school teacher and principal before he retired in the 1970s and starting focusing on art full time) has certainly been acknowledged, not just in Singapore but also around the world. He has been bestowed several awards, including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977, the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003, and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2016. In 2012, he broke records with the sale of his works at a Christies auction in Hong Kong.
Despite these achievements and fame, he remains very much a down-to-earth person who leads a simple and low-profile life. Asked what he wants to be remembered for, the artist replied, “I’ve never cared or thought about that… just to be remembered for how much I loved drawing and that I was very dedicated to it.”
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