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.The bustling street life of early Singapore provided Lim with endless subject matter for his art. Often painting on site in Chinese ink as it allows him to paint with speed, his keen eye for detail and masterful handling of the medium have produced works that capture the energy and dynamism of the streets. Now Lim’s paintings serve as reminders of a bygone era as many of these sights have vanished due to urban renewal.
