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Lim Tze Peng: A Conversation with Singapore's Oldest Living Artist
You are reading Lim Tze Peng: A Conversation with Singapore's Oldest Living Artist
ShareBy Sophie-Isabelle Tan and Tan Yuh Ting
Pioneering artist, Cultural Medallion awardee, living national treasure. These terms are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to describing the force of nature that is Lim Tze Peng.
At the age of 99, Mr. Lim continues to paint larger than life paintings with huge ink brushes the length of his arm in his studio. As Singapore’s oldest living artist and despite having painted for more than 70 years, his passion and enthusiasm for the art form never wavered, driving him to paint daily and even causing restless nights where he lays awake, thinking of what to paint and what next, to revolutionise in his painting.
Lim Tze Peng’s upcoming exhibition, Spirit of the Ink, at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai, India, depicts his journey from his paintings of early Singapore scenes to his current, life-size abstract works. The exhibition is held in conjunction with the Singapore Bicentennial and National Day as an effort to encourage cultural exchange within South and Southeast Asia.
In a dialogue with the artist himself, we asked about his thoughts on art, being an artist, the exhibition, and his relationship with our gallery.
OTA: What inspires your art? What inspires you to paint?
LTP: I have always been a diligent painter. In the early period when I was painting landscapes - kampong scenes and the Singapore River. I feel as an artist, there is beauty all around us. We can see beautiful landscapes everywhere. For example, in the gardens, there are beautiful flowers and we can choose to paint them. In life, there is a lot of beauty to be discovered and they can all be painted. In streets where old houses still exist, the imperfections on the walls can be quite beautiful and impressionable. This inspires me to paint. Sometimes, when I am walking and I see footprints and various colours, they attract my attention. The way an artist views things are quite different from a common person.For example, when I see old houses where they are dry hanging their clothes on the window sills, I feel as though they are colorful flags hanging; with such colours, they seem fascinating to me.
OTA: What do you think makes a good artist?
LTP: To be a good artist is difficult. To be a good artist, one first has to be a good man. Since last time, I have been very diligent at my craft and strives to be an upright person. To be a good artist, one needs to have good character. Then, one can produce a good artwork. I feel that if an artist does not have a good character, he or she won’t be able to produce a good piece of art. There is an old saying, painting is tied to how one lives.
OTA: Can you tell us more about your upcoming exhibition in India? The Spirit of Ink?
LTP: The exhibition happening in India is arranged by Jazz Chong - I feel very happy and proud about it. In the past about 7 or 8 years ago, I have exhibited in China and I was very happy. This time, with the opportunity to exhibit in India, I feel very happy and honoured. An artist who is recognised locally and has the opportunity to exhibit overseas shows the pedigree of an artist. A good artist should be able to exhibit worldwide.I would like to thank Jazz Chong for this opportunity to exhibit in India.
OTA: Can you tell us more about your relationship with the gallery/Jazz Chong?
LTP: I have known Jazz for ten years now. Through the acquisition of my works through the gallery, my works have had an increased exposure and publicity; a lot of people now know my works. This is happy news for me. An artist, should receive help from the media in order to be successful.
We are ever-humbled by the opportunity given to us to work with an artist such as Lim Tze Peng. He has shown us not only the power and beauty of art, but also the resilience and strength of the human spirit. It has been 11 years since he chose Ode to Art to partner him on his journey and 11 years we will always be sincerely grateful for.
At the age of 99, Mr. Lim continues to paint larger than life paintings with huge ink brushes the length of his arm in his studio. As Singapore’s oldest living artist and despite having painted for more than 70 years, his passion and enthusiasm for the art form never wavered, driving him to paint daily and even causing restless nights where he lays awake, thinking of what to paint and what next, to revolutionise in his painting.
Lim Tze Peng’s upcoming exhibition, Spirit of the Ink, at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum in Mumbai, India, depicts his journey from his paintings of early Singapore scenes to his current, life-size abstract works. The exhibition is held in conjunction with the Singapore Bicentennial and National Day as an effort to encourage cultural exchange within South and Southeast Asia.
In a dialogue with the artist himself, we asked about his thoughts on art, being an artist, the exhibition, and his relationship with our gallery.
OTA: What inspires your art? What inspires you to paint?
LTP: I have always been a diligent painter. In the early period when I was painting landscapes - kampong scenes and the Singapore River. I feel as an artist, there is beauty all around us. We can see beautiful landscapes everywhere. For example, in the gardens, there are beautiful flowers and we can choose to paint them. In life, there is a lot of beauty to be discovered and they can all be painted. In streets where old houses still exist, the imperfections on the walls can be quite beautiful and impressionable. This inspires me to paint. Sometimes, when I am walking and I see footprints and various colours, they attract my attention. The way an artist views things are quite different from a common person.For example, when I see old houses where they are dry hanging their clothes on the window sills, I feel as though they are colorful flags hanging; with such colours, they seem fascinating to me.
OTA: What do you think makes a good artist?
LTP: To be a good artist is difficult. To be a good artist, one first has to be a good man. Since last time, I have been very diligent at my craft and strives to be an upright person. To be a good artist, one needs to have good character. Then, one can produce a good artwork. I feel that if an artist does not have a good character, he or she won’t be able to produce a good piece of art. There is an old saying, painting is tied to how one lives.
OTA: Can you tell us more about your upcoming exhibition in India? The Spirit of Ink?
LTP: The exhibition happening in India is arranged by Jazz Chong - I feel very happy and proud about it. In the past about 7 or 8 years ago, I have exhibited in China and I was very happy. This time, with the opportunity to exhibit in India, I feel very happy and honoured. An artist who is recognised locally and has the opportunity to exhibit overseas shows the pedigree of an artist. A good artist should be able to exhibit worldwide.I would like to thank Jazz Chong for this opportunity to exhibit in India.
OTA: Can you tell us more about your relationship with the gallery/Jazz Chong?
LTP: I have known Jazz for ten years now. Through the acquisition of my works through the gallery, my works have had an increased exposure and publicity; a lot of people now know my works. This is happy news for me. An artist, should receive help from the media in order to be successful.
We are ever-humbled by the opportunity given to us to work with an artist such as Lim Tze Peng. He has shown us not only the power and beauty of art, but also the resilience and strength of the human spirit. It has been 11 years since he chose Ode to Art to partner him on his journey and 11 years we will always be sincerely grateful for.