LOT 40
ONG KIM SENG
B. Singapore, 1945
Pasir Panjang City View, Singapore, 1995
Signed and dated “K.seng, 95 AWS” on the lower right
Watercolour on paper
54.6 x 74.3 cm
Private Collection, Singapore
RM 22,000 – 36,000
Pasir Panjang City View, Singapore, 1995 by watercolourist Ong Kim Seng depicts the city in all its glory, cradles by an island and the sea. This populous city is reflected by the almost-real looking buildings, cranes and the sea, all highlighted using Kim Seng’s expertise and prowess in the medium. Merging concepts with finesse of execution, the artist presents representative images which are also ethereal in their beauty, flawless in their elemental flow and appropriation of light. The self-taught artist has garnered multiple accolades, including the Cultural Medallion in 1990 and seven awards by the American Watercolour Society. To him, “Art is a continuous journey. There may be pitfalls and times where you get stuck. It is up to one to choose a path and go along with it.” As a plein-air realist painter, he stays true to his subject-matter, but continues to add an element of intrigue to it by varying the vantage points of his paintings. A fan of nature and traditional architecture, Ong often travels to Bali, Tibet, Nepal, Italy and more, in search of new subject-matter.