Born in Fujian, China, Shi Xiangtuo (1906-1990) came from an eminent family of seal carvers and calligraphers, Trained by his father, he is best known for his calligraphy and seal work. In addition, Shi was an accomplished ink painter who counted the Shanghai School and, in particular, Wu Changshuo’s paintings as major influences. He emigrated to Singapore in 1938 and contributed immensely in the area of art education: first as a principal at a primary school and later as a lecturer at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. In 1979, Shi was awarded the Public Service Star by the Singapore government.Although Shi was trained in the classical literati tradition, he was open to venturing beyond tradition and exploring creative compositions in his work. Here, Shi adopts a non-traditional composition even as he includes traditional Chinese symbols of the lotus and stork. Another departure from tradition is Shi’s use of white: the petals of the lotus are painted where traditionally they would have been left unpainted.
