Johor-born Teo Kim Liong studied both Western paintings at NAFA and obtained an Honours degree in Physics from the University of Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s. With a career in various managerial positions in marketing and engineering, Teo embarked on full-time painting at the age of 56. His artistic works combine both the European practice of outdoor painting with the Nanyang sojourner’s pursuit of inspiration. From Singapore and the region to China and Western countries, Teo’s landscape repertoire is a diary of his practice and travels.
Cropped in an enclosed vertical format, Teo depicts a towering perspective of Huangshan, a mountain range in China. Using marks that vary in weight, direction and tone, the artist accentuates the magnificence of Huangshan as it illuminates under sunlight. In the foreground, Teo employs the stippling method to bring both form and texture to rock, in this way embracing the organic contours of the mountain. The image is like a gateway opening on two sides to reveal a glimpse of heaven.
