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.Before Lim retired in the 1980s, he often spent his Sundays exploring the nooks and corners of Singapore’s streets, painting the fast disappearing scenes of old Singapore. With deft brushwork and well-controlled ink washes, he captured the atmosphere of the environment as he painted en plein air [outdoors in French]
