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.Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Liu made numerous painting trips around Malaya. Drawn with extraordinarily expressive and flowing lines, the tree provides shade in which a group of locals gather. In the background is the Sultan Ibrahim Building, the state secretariat’s office which opened in 1942.
