LOT 49
ENG TAY
B. Kedah, 1947
The Gathering, 1982
Etching on paper (A/P)
42 x 69 cm
Private Collection, Singapore
Titled “The Gathering” on lower center, signed and dated “Eng Tay ‘82” on lower right
RM 3,000 – 4,500
Rooted in memory and cultural tradition, The Gathering stands as a poignant early example of Eng Tay’s printmaking practice. Known for his lyrical portrayals of everyday life, Tay captures the quiet intimacy of communal moments, here rendered in delicate lines and textured aquatint, evoking both nostalgia and timelessness. This etching belongs to a period when Tay, having trained at The Art Students League of New York, began to fuse his Southeast Asian heritage with modern graphic sensibilities. The figures, gently abstracted yet emotionally resonant, convene in a harmonious composition that reflects the artist’s enduring themes of family, music, and human connection. Eng Tay is a Malaysian born artist known for his poetic, dreamlike paintings, etchings, and sculptures. His style often captures tender human interactions like family scenes, village life, and gentle expressions of intimacy with soft colour palettes and a somewhat nostalgic, storybook quality. His figures tend to be simplified, almost stylized, conveying emotion through composition and body language rather than detailed realism.