Born in China in 1963, Fan Shao Hua is known to be highly exploratory in his practice. He incorporates Chinese and Western painting concepts and techniques in his abstract works in oil and Chinese ink. At 10 years old, Fan trained under the tutelage of prominent Chinese art teachers like Lu Yanguang (Chinese ink) and Zhao Jizhao (sketching in Western art traditions). In 1978, he was selected to enroll in a High School affiliated to the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. Soon after, he was admitted to the Academy full time, specialising in oil painting.
From the late 1970s, China’s economic reforms compelled numerous Chinese nationals to sojourn into the region they knew as Nanyang, situated in Southeast Asia. In 1992, Fan arrived in Singapore. Drawing inspiration from the local environment, Kampung and Old Shophouses, are examples of how Fan employed his keen sense of observation to capture the atmosphere of his surroundings. Fan’s ability to translate the lighting conditions of his environment onto paper helps paint a nostalgic scene in the minds of those who share such lived experience.