Born in 1942 in China, Tan Choh Tee graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1962. He worked as a designer between 1963 and 1976 before becoming a professional artist. Noted for his depictions of Singapore’s urban landscape, he was awarded the Cultural Medallion by the Singapore government in 2006. Tan has exhibited in China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Germany.The Singapore River, a popular subject with many artists, is portrayed in a refreshing manner by Tan. His painting offers a breathtaking aerial view of the important waterway, and captures at once the hustle and bustle of trading activities, shophouses that line the banks and the Elgin Bridge. This is a relatively early painting by Tan and shows his experimentations in synthesizing palette knife and paintbrush techniques.
