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.Lim’s paintings of trades such as this old barber shop that have all but disappeared since the end of 20th century often evoke a sense of nostalgia in his viewers. His deft and intricate brushwork afford us a detailed description of the interior of the shop.
