LOT 30
WAN SOON KAM
B. Singapore, 1943
Sir Stamford Raffles, 1987
Signed and dated “Wan Soon Kam 87” on lower left
Mixed media on paper
31 x 27.5 cm
Provenance Private Collection, Canada
RM 900 – RM 1,500
In this Wan Soon Kam piece, ha captures the statue of Sir Stamford Raffles at Empress Place in the 1980’s, using the careful strokes of his brushes and the choice of a grey and white palette to portray the heritage buildings and magnificent statue. Wan’s application of diversified techniques and implicative colours give viewers a feeling of the dynamic within the static, raising the definition of beauty to the next level.
Wan Soon Kam, born in 1943, was one of Singapore’s leading artists renowned for his paintings of tranquil landscapes and quiet street scenes. It is said he was inspired to create these having spent his childhood in a small village in Hainan Island, China.
The artist was encouraged to go into painting full-time after his works were accepted for show and sale by the late English art gallery owner, Della Butcher, who promoted many Singaporean artists from the mid- 1960’s until 1993.