Born in Singapore in 1947, Poon Lian graduated from NAFA in 1969 and majored in Western Painting. He learnt Chinese ink painting under pioneer artist Chen Wen Hsi and is adept at Western and Chinese painting techniques. While running his own business, Poon Lian contributed to NAFA in various capacities as an alumnus and continued his art practice. He retired in 2003 and became a full-time artist to paint and travel. In 2020, he was named the Ngee Ann Artist of the Year for his achievements and contribution to the local artist community.
Influenced by his teachers at NAFA and his peers, Poon Lian enjoys travelling around the Southeast Asia region and further abroad to Nepal, Taiwan, and China to capture landscapes and imbibe the daily rhythms of life in his paintings.
The Shore in Evening attests to Poon Lian’s exploration of employing Chinese ink in rendering the Nanyang landscapes. Featuring distinctive elements of Asia, such as coconut trees and kelong, which are houses located at sea built on wooden stilts, the work evokes tranquil and idyllic qualities of a local landscape.
