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.Liu’s sketches are a way to search and explore pictorial composition as well as to study and record detail: at the bottom right of the paper is another attempt at detailing the volcanic crater. Unlike Liu’s other sketches of Bali, this one is notable for the angular geometic forms and stylization.
