The art librarians of the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library put together an exhibition in November, called The Nanyang Pioneer Artists: Paintings and Heritage Materials in the National Library’s Collection. This was part of the National Library’s Literary Heritage Showcase. The goal was to encourage more people to come forth and donate their books and ephemera, and help preserve Singapore’s published heritage on the arts.

Nanyang art was one of Singapore’s earliest modern art movements, which flourished in the 1950s and 1960s. The word Nanyang means “South Seas” in Chinese, and Singapore and Malaysia were popularly considered the heart of the Nanyang region. There are six widely acknowledged Nanyang art pioneers: Lim Hak Tai, Georgette Chen, Chen Wen Hsi, Chen Chong Swee, Liu Kang and Cheong Soo Pieng. These Chinese artists who made Singapore their home strived to create an artistic legacy for this region, and the result is “Nanyang art”, a style of painting which blends East and West in both technique and medium. Local scenery and subject matter were often portrayed. The artists also worked together to teach art and promote art activities. They all lectured at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore’s first major art institution, and helped create the Society of Chinese Artists and the Singapore Art Society.

Apart from paintings, heritage books, journals and ephemera on the Nanyang artists, the exhibition also showed newspaper clippings and images of the artists’ artworks, courtesy of the Singapore Press Holdings and the Singapore Art Museum. The exhibition ran from November 1st to 28th, and several members of the public penned their thoughts in a guestbook provided. “Fantastic…Nicely arranged and organised,” said one patron. “A most enjoyable walkthrough of Nanyang artists,” said another.

A select annotated bibliography on the artists has been launched online. It can be found at http://www.nlb.gov.sg/lkcrl, under the section Arts> Research Guides > The Nanyang Pioneers.

Contributed by Alicia Yeo, Lee Kong Chian Reference Library NLB

The Lee Kong Chian Reference Library staff involved in setting up the exhibition are (from left): Mary Peh, Tay Chiew Boon, Nabila Abu Bakar, Gee Miaw Miin, Sharon Foo, Roberta Balagopal and Alicia Yeo.

Books, journals, ephemera, and paintings from the library’s collection were shown.

The exhibition structure was fashioned like an open book, with the materials encased in glass on each side.

This batik painting by Liu Kang was one of the artworks owned by NLB on display. Entitled Bali Women, it is 122cm tall and 84cm wide.