Singaporean artist Thomas Yeo is renowned for his abstract landscapes made with gouache or acrylic paint. Trained at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Yeo was mentored by pioneer artist Cheong Soo Pieng. After graduating in 1960, he furthered his education at Chelsea School of Art and Hammersmith College of Art and Architecture in London. During his time in the UK, Yeo experimented with various techniques and artistic mediums in his creative process. This is evident, for instance, in the use of mixed media collages in his early abstract works. Yeo’s works are vital to the development and history of modern art in Singapore.
In The Dive, form and colour take centre stage. Yeo renders the subject with curvilinear shapes and employs a range of colours to create layers and depth in the composition. The colours in this artwork are relatively opaque compared to his earlier works, whereby paint was applied in thin layers. Thomas’ creative choice of colours, juxtaposing a vibrant orange with pastel green and blues, creates a visual sensation. Through experiencing these colours, viewers’ may grasp the emotions Yeo tried to convey in this canvas.
