LOT 65
CHEAH THIEN SOONG
B. Negeri Sembilan, 1942 – 2024
Bamboo, 1970s
Blessings, 1970s
Chinese ink on rice paper
35 x 23 cm (set of 2 artworks)
Signed and stamped with artist Chinese seal in red
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Sabah
RM 2,500 – 5,000
Dr. Cheah Thien Soong was a contemporary Malaysian ink painting artist regarded as part of the second generation of Nanyang style ink painters. A graduate of Chung Hua High School, Seremban, he continued his artistic education at Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. His practice combines the discipline of traditional Chinese ink with personal reflections on life, character and human values.
In Bamboo, Cheah transforms this humble plant into a powerful symbol of humility, resilience and integrity. The bamboo’s ability to bend yet endure becomes a metaphor for inner strength, reflecting the artist’s belief that true character is revealed through hardship and life’s trials.
Blessings, meanwhile, embraces the auspicious spirit of Chinese ink tradition. Its imagery conveys heartfelt wishes for peace, prosperity, family harmony and enduring good fortune, making the work both visually contemplative and rich in cultural symbolism.