Lim Yew Kuan was born in Xiamen in 1928. He was a distinguished alumnus, artist and educator who dedicated more than three decades to nurturing and transforming the arts in Singapore. He served as NAFA’s second principal from 1963 to 1979, succeeding his father, Lim Hak Tai. Lim trained at NAFA and graduated in Western Art in 1950. From 1958 to 1962, Lim went to the Chelsea School of Art, London, to study design and printmaking. For his talent and artistic achievements, he was awarded the Cultural Medallion, Singapore’s highest accolade for artistic excellence and contribution to the visual arts. The artist passed away in May 2021.
The work Yin Yang offers a glimpse into Lim’s technical repertoire and explorations from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, which gradually formed the hallmark of his artistic practice. The artwork depicts an abstract composition of shapes that embody his experimentations with etching techniques created during his studies in London.
