LOT 45
WONG YEAN YEAN
B. Singapore, 1952
The GoDowns – Singapore River Boat Quay, 1979
Signed and dated “YEAN 79” on lower right
Oil on canvas
51 x 66 cm
Provenance Private Collection, USA
Wong Yean Yean, a first time debutant in KL Lifestyle Art Space is a dexterous Singaporean artist. She attended the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and graduated in 1979. She was a member of the Modern Art Society (Singapore) and the Singapore Art Society. She participated in various exhibitions in Asia, spanning across Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Her accolades include the Tan Tsze Chor Art Award (1989), the Philip Morris Singapore Art Awards for three consecutive years (1994/95/96), fourth prize in the Philip Morris Group ASEAN Art Awards (1995) and Navy Defence Art Award (1994). Since Wong’s foray into the industry, she partook in two solo exhibitions entitled, “Art in Action” and “Affinity” respectively, both held at the National Museum Art Gallery in Singapore. The artist dabbles in a myriad of mediums, namely, oil, Chinese ink, acrylic and collage.
The GoDown (Singapore River Boat Quay), 1979
The scene of this painting is set in the 1970’s and attention is drawn towards an aged building (godown), facing the riverfront. The painting also depicts tug boats hove along the river bank, commandeered by skippers about their routine. Wong’s attention to minute details and her fluid brushstrokes are on full display in this artwork, breathing life into it and allowing its viewers experience the milieu through the artist’s eyes. Historically, in Singapore, the godown was a warehouse set in a commercial building, facing t e river front. It was used to store goods in-transit to its future destination across the world.