Singaporean artist Chua Ek Kay learnt Chinese calligraphy from his father at seven years old. He later became a student under Chinese ink painter Fan Chang Tien. Although trained in Chinese traditional art, Chua drew inspiration from modern art in Europe. His interest eventually led him to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Tasmania, followed by a Master of Arts at the University of Western Sydney in the 1990s.
After graduation, Chua began experimenting with quick and spontaneous brushstrokes, leading to his extensive collections of lotus paintings. These works offer an abstract reinterpretation of the lotus—a motif common in Chinese ink paintings. Reflections: Breeze Passing over Lotus Pond is one such work that encapsulates Chua’s combination of Eastern and Western influences. Using the traditional medium of Chinese ink, Chua captures the breeze of the scene using short and unconstrained brush strokes. The spontaneous quality of the work may also reflect Chua’s interest in Abstract Expressionism.
