Writing in his 2006 publication, Lim reflects, ‘1950s Singapore was still under British Rule. It was an era of oppression and misery for the masses, the people had lost their freedom, and had no place in society, living inhumane lives akin to those of animals, a life that was miserable beyond words. Thus, the works that I made during that time aimed to reflect the bleak reality of an unjust society that was full of suffering.’ Translated from Chinese, these written sentiments are vividly evoked in the eight woodcuts dated between 1953 and 1954. The stark reality of the masses is thrown into high relief through the medium of woodblock printing, and parallels can be drawn between Lim’s approach and that of artist Tan Tee Chie, hinting at how artists drew upon a common language of woodblock printing to render visible the plight of everyday citizens in Singapore during its tumultuous pre-Independence era.
