Poh Siew Wah is a Singaporean artist known for his powerful abstract expressionistic styled paintings themed to Singapore and Southeast Asian landscapes. His Rhythmic Exuberance series of paintings also form the main theme for the interiors of the Farrer Park MRT station.[1]
Poh Siew Wah | |
|---|---|
| Born | 30 April 1948 |
| Nationality | Singapore |
| Education | Gan Eng Seng Secondary School Teacher's Training College |
| Known for | Abstract art |
| Awards | 1981: Consolation Prize, Innovation in Art, SIA/Ministry of Culture, Singapore 1984/89" Highly Commended UOB Painting of the Year Exhibition 1984/85: Commended in Australian Art Award, Singapore 1984/87/88: Distinction in Art Creation Award, NAFA Alumni, Singapore 1987: Tan Tze Chor Art Award, Singapore Art Society 1990: Merit Award, IBM Award, Singapore 1995: Singapore International Foundation (SIF) Overseas Arts Sponsorship Award National Arts Council (NAC) Travel Grant, Singapore. |
Both the abstract and the realistic works speak the language of rhythm and movement. When a person moves, say, by running across a soccer field, he leaves a trace of a line. This sense of movement starts in the brush strokes that draws the eye into the abstract work so that the lines and shapes extend from the realistic to the abstract and back again; creating a fluid, flowing movements that have a sense of harmony.[1]
Born in Singapore, Poh first received his art education in Gan Eng Seng Secondary School where he was taught by his teachers, artist S. Namasivayam and Yeong Ah Soo, both encouraging the young Poh to experiment with various art mediums.[2] In 1967, Poh entered the Teacher's Training College, majoring in art education.[3] Even then, this earnestness to experiment in his art-making followed him through College, which opened up his mind to newer techniques and ideas in art. Poh graduated from the college in 1970 and taught art with various schools in Singapore.[2]
Poh is a self-taught artist and inspired by works of the Impressionists and Cubism, which led him to develop his unique style exploring ideas about nature. His major influence came from the works by Spanish artist Antoni Tàpies and helped to embark Poh's personal journey into abstract art and free-form expression works of art in ink.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b Art Invitational (PDF), Art Outreach Singapore, 2005, p. 15, retrieved 2009-01-29
- ^ a b Poh Siew Wah: Biography, Singapore: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, archived from the original on 2011-07-14, retrieved 2009-01-29
- ^ Sheares, Constance, "Poh Siew Wah: an introduction", Poh Siew Wah, Singapore: Hansa Lithographers, pp. 3–11
- ^ Tan, Bridget Tracy; Lim, Iris, eds. (2008), Nanyang 70 years after - a reunion of artists in the academy, Singapore: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, pp. 114–115, ISBN 978-981-08-2057-2