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 streets of Singapore provided Lim with endless subject matter for his art. Often painting on site, his keen eye for detail and masterful handling of the ink medium have produced many works depicting life on the streets. However as urban renewal swept through Singapore in the 1980s, these paintings of dilapidated shophouses, bustling streets and roadside stalls are invaluable reminders of a bygone era.
