Born in 1933 in Singapore, Tan Choo Kuan was trained in Western Art at Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. A dedicated art teacher and prolific artist, Tan’s legacy was recognised in October 2005 with the Singapore Art Museum’s acquisition of 74 select sketches and drawings on paper completed between 1953 and 2005.Following on his drawings and sketches of the 1960s, Tan’s drawings from the 1990s in the collection reflect scenes of Singapore’s last remaining pockets of rural communities and iconic cultural landmarks in the busy metropolis, such as kampong Kranji, Thian Hock Keng Temple, Ann Siang Hill and Club Street, and Sembawang Shipyard. Each scene invites the viewer in to experience a particular way of life. Along side his prolific painting endeavours, Tan continued to sketch ‘en plein air’ from real life, criss-crossing all over the Island, always seeking to improve his skills of observation and draughtsmanship.
