Born in 1941 in Malaysia, Tay Chee Toh studied at Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and has a postgraduate degree (Oil Painting) from China. He is the recipient of numerous painting and sculpture awards, and in 1985 Tay was conferred the Government of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion Award.The surrealist qualities of ‘Window View’ and ‘Dreams’ in acrylic paint closely follow on from Tay’s ‘Aquatic series’ executed in batik. The art of Tay has often been mistaken for leaning too far toward decorative design. This style, however, belies the artist's true form of draughtsmanship and ultimate skill in the control and fluidity of line. Tay's paintings have captured the essence of placing a mark in space; each stroke contributes to and builds up a palpable form in space, with capabilities of nascent movement and flight. This two-dimensional flight into space also coincides with Tay’s breakthrough into the three-dimensional realm.
