Born in 1934 in Singapore, Chieu Shuey Fook graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1953. Initially a batik artist, he became intrigued by chemical reactions on metal and has since made a name for himself in metal relief art; his works are known for their rich textural qualities. He has held solo exhibitions and participated in important group exhibitions both in Singapore and in Germany, Australia, France, Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan. Chieu, a recepient of numerous awards, among which is the top prize in the Instant Asia Art Competition in 1970, also received major art commissions.‘Cat and Bird’, a metal relief work, shows the influence of Cheong Soo Pieng, one of Singapore’s pioneer artists, on Chieu in the use of the caged bird motif. In this work where a cat eyes a bird, the tension of the situation is further heightened by the juxtaposition of geometric shapes and organic forms.
