Artist
Tew Nai Tong
b. Selangor, 1936 - 2013
Description
This hand-woven handicraft is a testament to the enduring power of art to connect us to our roots. Tew Nai Tong's stylized figures, inspired by the daily lives of rural people, evoke a sense of nostalgia and tradition. The work's vibrant colours and intricate details celebrate the rich tapestry of local culture.
Tew Nai Tong moved to Singapore at 21 to study at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, graduating in 1958. He then worked to support further studies at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts in Paris, where he trained in oil and figurative painting. Before going to France, he made a name for himself in Malaysia, holding his first solo exhibition at the British Council in Kuala Lumpur in 1964. Tew taught at the Malaysian Institute of Art from 1969 to 1980, the Central Academy of Art from 1982 to 1985, and was head of the art department at Saito Academy of Art from 1986 to 1988. He co-founded the Malaysian Watercolour Society in 1982 and the Contemporary Malaysian Watercolourist Association in 1994. He received several awards, including the Grand Prize at the Asia Art Award in Seoul in 2009. Tew focused on his art full-time from 1992 and had a retrospective at the National Art Gallery in 2007.
Medium
Oil on Canvas
Dimension in cm (W x H)
49.5 x 49.5 | frame: 83 x 83