Indomitable Spirit of Tan Choh Tee by Usha M Nathan

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I had the opportunity to meet this humble and highly acclaimed artist at a group show amongst his peers more than six months ago. During our discussion of his artworks, I discovered the vivid sensory experiences that stirred the creation of each of his paintings. And I could see how the creations depicted particular perceptions of colour and form formed by sensory intervention– rich, humane, individual.
Tan Choh Tee has created prolifically during his artistic practice that spans close to four decades. Practising as a full-time artist since 1976, he has done study tours in various parts of the world, including the famed Dun-Huang caves. He was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 2006. Tan Choh Tee’s works range from many varied landscapes from across the world and include still life studies that have the same meticulous engagement as the former. These include the familiar scenes of the Singapore River, Chinatown, and span his extensive travels to places such as Bali, Nepal, Paris, and his birthplace Swatou. Each creation offers vistas for visual experience; often touching on the certain elusive quality that fellow artist Choy Weng Yang calls the “spirit of his (the artist’s) environment.”
The artist paints plein air, often reflecting on the atmosphere and his distinct experience of the place. Colour is key to his compositions, which reflect a captivation with atmospheric light. The brushwork is agile and resonates with the mood of the place. The juxtaposition of forms reveals the creative synergies of Chinese ink, Western oil techniques and artistic innovation that the artist brings to his practice. Each composition hence emerges with a singularity, clarity of vision, and recreates for the viewer the allure of the locale with all of its nostalgia. The overall abundance of the artist’s oeuvre stands as a testament to his commitment to art, and it is easy to see why he is a revered artist not only in Singapore but elsewhere, too.

Written by Usha M. Nathan
Published by Singapore Art Gallery Guide Jun/July 2008

Visit to Chendu 20 Dec - 26 Dec 2009

Visit by courtesy of Mr. Tan Xiang Tong and Madam Frances Chan.

Visited Taiwan & Hongkong 3rd - 14th November 2009

Mr. Tan visited Taiwan by invitation of Mr. Ho Kuang Shang for the grand opening of Mr. Ho's Artist Brother's Art Exhibition for 6 days. Both of them visited Hongkong together by courtesy of Mr. Xu Li Peng.