Born in 1937, Singaporean artist Ho Kah Leong is known for his en plein air paintings and Chinese calligraphy. Trained at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) for one and a half years in the mid-1950s, Ho explored with various mediums such as outdoor sketching, woodblock printing, photography and painting. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Nanyang University in 1963, Ho continues to hone his skills and participates actively in the local art scene even when he was a teacher and politician. Serving as a NAFA’s principal from 1997 to 2003, Ho is passionate in working outdoor and painting on-site to capture the essence and life of a scene, which he believes can evoke emotional experience.

Ho documents one of the last standing old houses in Singapore known as kampong (village). Such traditional houses can only be found in the island of Pulau Ubin, Singapore. Away from the mainland of Singapore, Pulau Ubin is an idyllic rural region situated in the north east of the country, brimming with flora and fauna. Nestled in the natural environment, Kampong houses built with wood structures and metal zinc reflects rustic living in early Singapore. The work documents Singapore’s heritage that evoke the memories of the older generation, while it serves to enlighten the younger generation.