Koeh Sia Yong
BORN: 1938
HOMETOWN: SINGAPORE
LIVES AND WORKS: SINGAPORE
Koeh Sia Yong plays an influential role in the shaping of Singapore’s art scene. He is one of the pioneers in the second generation of artists in Singapore. Born in 1938, he graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1958, majoring in Western Painting. Apart from being an independent artist, Koeh also assumed the roles of an art editor working for the Children Art Magazine in the 70s, and a graphic designer and political cartoonist for the Nanyang Business Newspaper in the 80s.
Koeh’s artistic career spans over 50 years, with his unique and excellent painting techniques displaying an intimate blend of light and colour. He excels at capturing the ambiance of his subjects with his realistic and expressive approaches. His paintings portray the rich cultural scenes of Southeast Asia and its people, notably in Bali and Singapore. Koeh has also successfully held many solo exhibitions and his works are sought after by collectors including MNCs, banks, Singapore Art Museum, National Museum of Singapore, Gakkai Malaysia Art Museum, Fukuoka Art Museum Japan, universities and art connoisseurs in the region.