Born in 1931, Choo Keng Kwang is widely recognized for realistic renditions of landscape, animals and nature in the oil medium. Sympathetic to local working classes, Choo features them in many of his works. Graduating in 1953 from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), he worked as a teacher, eventually returning to NAFA to helm the Art Education Department in 1984. Choo has since held many solo exhibitions and has participated in group art exhibitions in Southeast Asia, Japan, Europe and USA. Since the 1950s, Choo has received many awards for his many contributions to art and education, among which is the Public Service Medal (PBM) in 1976.Although Choo is best known for his oil paintings, he is also skilled in the technique of woodcut. ‘Wayang Kulit’ is a woodcut print. The term ‘wayang kulit’ (literally theatre skin in Indonesian) refers to puppets made from buffalo hide.that is pierced with intricate design. The puppet show is enjoyed by watching the shadows, cast by a light, on a white screen. This form of theatre has a long tradition especially in Indonesia and Malaysia.
