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.While Lim’s earlier calligraphic works are refined and scholarly, his later works, especially those executed between 2000 and 2002, are lively, bold and expressive. Often written in the wild cursive script, these large works are a testament to Lim’s mastery in the art of calligraphy.
