Born in 1942 in Guangdong, China, Tan Choh Tee received his early art education in China before relocating to Singapore when he was 12. He graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1962, where he studied under pioneer artists Cheong Soo Pieng, Georgette Chen, Liu Kang and Chen Wen-Hsi. Tan has received numerous awards, including the Creative Visual Art Award 2005 from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and the prestigious Cultural Medallion from the Singapore Government in 2006.
Created during the time of rapid urbanisation in Singapore, Salt Yard No.4 captures a vanishing coastal scene in the impressionist style. Rows of wooden racks stretch across the foreground, likely used for drying salt or fish, while a lone figure carrying a basket stands beside a thatched hut, embodying the quiet rhythms of labour and kampong life. In the distance, a line of fishing boats and towering industrial cranes mark the horizon, signalling a city in transition. Through expressive brushwork and an earthy palette, Tan contrasts the rustic textures of traditional livelihoods with the stark silhouettes of modern development, offering a poignant reflection on change, memory, and the erosion of familiar landscapes.
