Tay Bak Koi
Singapore River
Height 33cm x Width 45cm
media :
- Watercolour on paper
Info :
- Signed, lower left: Tay Bak Koi
Estimate:
SGD 1,900 - 3,100
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Tay Bak Koi
Singapore
1939 – 2004
Tay Bak Koi was a Singaporean artist renowned for his depictions of fishing villages, kampung scenes, and urban landscapes, rendered in both oil and watercolour. His style blended realism with fantasy, often featuring his distinctive motif of the buffalo. In 1969, he was commissioned to produce 300 works for the opening of the Hilton Hotel in Singapore, marking a milestone in his career.
Discovered by a family friend for his talent in drawing, Tay enrolled at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1957, where he studied under Cheong Soo Pieng, who encouraged him to reimagine tradition and challenge convention. His works were exhibited widely in Singapore and internationally, including in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Germany, and the United States. His art was also selected by UNICEF for their international greeting card collections in 1986 and 1989.