LOT 34
TAY BAK KOI
B. Singapore, 1939 – 2005
Untitled
Watercolour on paper
45 x 40 cm
Signed “Bak Koi” on lower left
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Canada
RM 3,000 – 7,500
A graduate of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied under the influential Cheong Soo Pieng, Tay Bak Koi developed a highly recognisable visual language that distilled natural forms into simplified, expressive shapes while retaining an unmistakable sense of place. His paintings combine elements of realism and gentle abstraction, transforming everyday rural scenes into timeless reflections of peace and nostalgia. His works have been exhibited extensively throughout Singapore and internationally, including Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Germany and the United States.
The composition embodies the serenity, lyrical colour palette and contemplative atmosphere that have made his works enduring favourites among collectors, standing as a graceful tribute to a disappearing rural landscape and the quiet beauty of Southeast Asian life.