Ong Tian Soo (b. 1937) is an alumnus of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and was trained by the iconic Nanyang artists Chen Wen Hsi and Georgette Chen. Ong was an early member of the now defunct Equators Art Society, a collective that advocated for the Social Realist art style and was active during 1956-1972. From 1957-1966, Ong was designated as the organisation’s Artistic Director. From the 1970s onwards, Ong spent most of his life in the advertising industry.
During the 1950s, many woodblock print artists were students of NAFA. At that time, these images –which often embodied socio-political messages—focused on blue-collared workers as heroic symbols of change. Akin to many of his compatriots from school, Ong actively used woodblock as a medium for his art pieces. In these prints, the artist was explicitly interested in depicting the harsh conditions experienced by working-class men. In Breaking Bricks, Ong creates stark contrasts on the figure’s face and limbs, accentuating his pained expression and muscular physique, respectively, presenting a powerful visual articulation of the man engaging in intense labour.
