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.Trees have a special place in Lim’s art and he has produced countless paintings with trees as the subject. Probably a scene from Bali, the majestic banyan tree dominates the composition. Through economical brush lines and liberal ink washes of varying intensities, Lim creates a towering canopy of leaves and roots where small windows open up to reveal strolling passers-by and distant temples in the background.
