LOT 25
TAY BAK KOI
B. Singapore, 1939 – 2005
Untitled, Circa 1980’s
Signed “Bak Koi” on lower right
Ink and colour on paper
54 x 84 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
RM 15,000 – RM 25,000
A shroud of enigma blankets this painting, urging its viewers to take a closer look to discern its scene. In Tay’s distinctive manner, he combines a blend of both realism and fantasy to create truly unique works of art, as seen in this painting. Although he emphasises on the observable reality, he engages his piece and the audience in a process of exclusion and distortion, in order to reduce complex forms to their basic shapes. As a result, there is a keen appreciation and presentation of the two-dimensional aspects of his pieces.
Tay Bak Koi specialised in oil and watercolour and his works have been exhibited extensively in Singapore and various other countries, including Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Germany and the United States. Tay’s talent for drawing was discovered by his father’s friend, who subsequently enrolled him in the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1957. His teacher, the late Cheong Soo Pieng, taught him to appreciate existing works of art in new ways and to challenge conventional art forms.