Cheah Thien Soong is a celebrated artist born in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. He graduated from Chung Hua High School Seremban, Malaysia, in 1959 and NAFA, Singapore, in 1962. Cheah trained in Chinese ink and Western painting under Nanyang pioneer artists Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng, Chen Chong Swee, See Hiang To, and Georgette Chen, teachers who profoundly influenced his artistic sensibilities. He furthered his studies and received his doctorate from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico in 2002.
Like his mentors, Cheah is recognized for creating artworks in the Nanyang Style—combining the Chinese spirit with Western European aesthetics. During the twentieth century, artists from the Nanyang were often encouraged to draw inspiration from local motifs. Likewise, Cheah also drew inspiration from tropical plants and vegetation in Southeast Asia. Specifically, trees are a repeated motif in his digital prints. This illustration, among others, reflects the artist’s experimentation with viewing and illustrating scenes from different perspectives and compositions. His extensive collection of preparatory digital sketches demonstrates the artist’s laborious practice and observation.
