Johor-born Teo Kim Liong studied both Western paintings at NAFA and obtained an Honours degree in Physics from the University of Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s. With a career in various managerial positions in marketing and engineering, Teo embarked on full-time painting at the age of 56. His artistic works combine both the European practice of outdoor painting with the Nanyang sojourner’s pursuit of inspiration. From Singapore and the region to China and Western countries, Teo’s landscape repertoire is a diary of his practice and travels.
Teo relishes painting oils in real life to the changing colours and contours of nature during seasonal changes. In various tones of green, the artist accentuates the highlights and shadows of trees as they relish the sun on a bright summer’s day. Teo does not only afford us the magnificence of trees but also their reflections. Depicted in a cool blue, the clear image of a tree’s outline appears in a body of water. With this reflection, we can assume the stillness in the air. This aesthetic choice attests to Teo’s ability to capture the atmosphere of a place.
