5 key pieces in Singapore's National Collection

Date Created: 1975
Medium: Oil on canvas 

Ever wondered what the heartlands looked like in the 1970s? Liu Kang's Life By The River portrays a typical, local scene of village life in the 1970s near the Pasir Panjang area. The painting is set against a backdrop of lush tropical scenery and depicts the lively activities of the locals in the foreground. 

In his work, the pioneer artist also captures a typical aspect of the villagers feeding their domestic animals. Study the painting closely, as you can get a glimpse of what the architecture of the village houses was like in the past. 

Date created: 1910 - 1985
Medium: Chinese ink and colour on paper

Painter, educator, writer and critic Chen Chong Swee (also known as Chen Kai) is a known name from the pioneering group of artists of the Nanyang Style. In 1952, Chen, together with fellow artists Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng and Liu Kang, went on a trip to Bali in search of new inspiration and topics. As a result, he pioneered attempts to interpret local landscapes according to the Chinese concept of pictorial composition, blended with Western watercolour techniques. This signature style can be seen in Fishermen, one of his most prominent works. 

Date created: 1950
Medium: Woodcut 

Born in 1931, Choo Keng Kwang is known for his realistic renditions of landscape, animals and nature in the oil medium. But while he is recognised for his oil paintings, the artist is also skilled in woodcutting. Wayang Kulit, a prominent woodcut print in the National Collection, is an ode to the traditional form of theatre from Indonesia and Malaysia. It features the puppet show with shadows of puppets made from buffalo hide cast by a light on a white screen. 

Date created: 1900
Medium: Photography 

This one's for the photography fans. Kassian Cephas, the first known photographer of Javanese descent, is a name you should know. He eventually succeeded his Dutch instructor as official painter and photographer to the royal court of Jogjakarta. Untitled (Over the Balcony), depicting a lady in a sarong leaning over the balcony, is an example of the contrast between the intimate, engaging portrait photographs and almost documentary-inspired works he's known for.

Date created: 1934
Medium: Oil on canvas 

Of course, how could we leave out a self-portrait by Georgette Chen? Born Chang Li Ying, the painter is famed for her Post-Impressionistic styled oil paintings at the turn of the 20th century. A pioneer of the visual arts in Singapore, Georgette contributed to the birth of the Nanyang Style art movement. A painter who is immensely inspired by her surroundings, Georgette produced still lifes, portraits and landscapes from each phase. Out of which, her portraits of her first husband and herself function as painterly windows to her cinematic life.