Born in Fujian Province, Liu Kang (1911-2004) received his formal training in Shanghai Academy of Fine Art, where he was exposed to Chinese paintings. In 1928, he went to Paris where he was influenced by art movements such as Fauvism and Post-Impressionism. Not only was he one of Singapore’s pioneer artists, he was also a leading figure in the Society of Chinese Artists and the Singapore Art Society. In 1970, he was awarded the Public Service Star for his contributions in the field of art.For Liu who is known for his representational depictions of landscape, ‘Johore Bahru’ is an unusual work as it shows his experimentation with new ideas: the fracturing of the picture plane and angular forms hint of Cubist tendencies.
