Born in 1923, Lim Tze Peng is largely a self-taught artist. In his oeuvre, ink paintings and calligraphic works feature prominently, although there is a small number of oils, watercolours and drawings. He created a unique style of ink painting using rich brush and tonal details, and this approach is often regarded as a manifestation of the Nanyang Style in the ink medium. Lim, a school principal until his retirement in the early 1980s, was awarded the Cultural Medallion by the Singapore government in 2003.Lim started painting in oil in 1950s, focusing on ink painting only in 1970s. Tree is one of Lim’s favourite subjects, often taking the centre-stage, despite its location. With its sinewy trunks and thick branches, the tree here in the Balinese village is omnipresent, overshadowing the other architecture.
