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.
The Tonle Sap is a large freshwater lake located in the floodplains of Cambodia, sandwiched between Siem Reap and Battambang. Capable of expanding to twice its size during the monsoon rains, the lake represents the life and heart of Cambodia past and present. Fishing thrives in the community. Teo carefully renders this flat, low-lying plain, and light permeates the landscape evenly, bringing bright hues to life at every inch of the land. By employing repeated patterns of short strokes, he creates a texture that imbues vibrancy into an everyday scene.
