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.A tireless traveller, Lim used to make painting trips around the region, at times alone, at times with artists such as the Ten Men Art Group which was active during the 1970s. As Lim has always been fascinated by the sea and boats it is not surprising that fishing villages feature often in his paintings.
