Born in Singapore in 1947, Poon Lian is an artist who excels in creating works in oil, acrylic and Chinese ink painting. Poon is a NAFA alumnus who contributed actively to the academy’s development as an educator and Director of the NAFA Board. After retiring from his business commitments, he immersed himself in painting, travelling and seeing new worlds. He was named the Ngee Ann Artist of the Year in 2020 for his artistic achievement and leadership in the local art community.

In Peacocks by the Pond, Poon had an unexpected encounter with a pair of peacocks during his stay at the Rasa Sentosa Singapore and he made them the subject of his painting. The loud shrills of the birds caught his attention when their calls echoed through his room. One of them was a rare white peacock and the other was blue. For the Chinese, the peacock is a symbol of dignity and beauty, it is an intelligent bird that represents restraint, gracefulness and loyalty. In this work, he experimented with subtle shades of mica mixed in ink pigments to create a shimmer that mimics the peacock’s iridescent plumage. The iconic ‘eyes’ on the blue peacock’s tail are vividly captured in precise brushstrokes, in true gongbi style (or meticulous style) the execution requires delicacy and patience. Poon’s adept use of material and practice of painting from real-life encounters is a good example of the artistic process he employs, as well as technique, material use and spatial composition for large-scale works. This work is one of the largest works by Poon so far, that complements the range that exists within the NAFA Collection.