Born in Fujian Province, Liu Kang (1911-2004) received his formal training in Shanghai Academy of Fine Art, where he was exposed to Chinese paintings. In 1928, he went to Paris where he was influenced by art movements such as Fauvism and Post-Impressionism. Not only was he one of Singapore’s pioneer artists, he was also a leading figure in the Society of Chinese Artists and the Singapore Art Society. In 1970, he was awarded the Public Service Star for his contributions in the field of art.Besides art, Liu also had a passion to teach. He was a teacher at Shanghai Academy of Arts from 1933-1937 before emigrating to Singapore. When the Japanese Occupation ended Liu took up teaching again and taught in five schools, including Nanyang Girls School, whose students are shown here on an outdoor painting trip.
