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.Just as many artists were fascinated by Bali, Lim too was enchanted by the tropical island and it featured prominently in his art of the last 15 years. Lim made several trips to Bali, often with other fellow artists. His keen observations and deft brushstrokes inject a liveliness that is evident even in the depictions of daily activities of the islanders.
