LOT 73
NG ENG TENG
(B. Singapore, 1934)
In The Swamp, 1960
Signed “ENG TENG” on middle left
Titled and dated on verso
Gallery label on verso
Oil on masonite board
79.5 x 39 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Kelantan
RM 16,000 – RM 28,000
Sculpting was not the only thing famous sculptor Ng Eng Teng had an aptitude for. He also possessed a knack for painting.
In this piece, he successfully catches a picturesque moment of a fishermen’s villag. He does this in the style of Chinese painting, having learnt the skill from various art teachers, one of which was Georgette Chen. The faded, washed-out look to this piece of oriental painting gives it a nostalgic and historial mood to it.
Dubbed the Grandfather of Singapore Sculpture, Ng Eng Teng was born in Singapore in 1934. After training his painting skills under the mentorship of Georgette Chen and Liu Kang, he went on to study ceramics in England. Upon his return, he began to actively and creatively produce large sculptures, most of which became notably famed such as Wealth, Mother and Child and The Explorer. These sculptures are still displayed in public spaces in Singapore. A recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion Award and ASEAN’s Cultural Award for Visual Arts, he believed in free creation and education.