Born in 1931 in China, Chua Mia Tee migrated to Singapore in 1937. A graduate from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1957, Chua is a highly regarded master of portrait painting. Chua has painted portraitures of prominent public figures, including presidents and prime ministers of Singapore. Besides portraitures, Chua also paints nationalistic and local scenes of Singapore, which serve as historical documentations of the nation’s changing landscape.Kusu Island, one of the Southern Islands in Singapore, is the destination for many devotees for their annual pilgrimage to the Tua Pek Kong temple on the island. Here Chua captures the searing heat of the day with a palette of bright colours, and the use of strong shadow.. Like a snapshot, Chua stills the movement of people towards and from the temple.
