Shophouses by the River

Lim Tze Peng, born in 1921 is an honourable 2nd generation Singaporean artist who has dedicated more than 70 years of his life to to fine arts in Singapore. For his unceasing contributions, he was bestowed the prestigious Singapore Cultural Medallion award in 2003; the nation's highest honour for an artist. This year, as Lim turns 100 years old, Christie's is proud to present an iconic work titled Shophouses by the River , painted in 2012. It is well-known that he enjoyed painting scenes of daily life and the developing landscape of Singapore. Although the influences of his artistic style was cultivated through exposure to Chinese ink techniques that encapsulated the art of Chinese calligraphy as well; Lim championed his own means of expression in his works. He often employed the use of colour to inject life and energy into the subjects he depicted, and he did so with meticulous brush techniques that were a mix of rendered vignettes and clear outlines. Lim's travels around the region also made it possible for him to reexamine and broaden his explorations of subject matter, composition, medium and approach to his oeuvre. There exists an interesting relationship between artists and their physical environment; in Shophouses by the River, Lim impressively preserves the history of the Singapore River; a bustling place of commerce, the heart of business dealings amidst the shophouses that served both as home and shopfront for many families. Coming from a generation who has experienced this progress personally, Lim presents this important tribute to the world.