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Choo Keng Kwang

Choo Keng Kwang (b. 3 June 1931, Singapore - ) outstanding first-generation Singaporean artist well-known for his oil paintings of landscape, animals and nature. A former teacher and school principal of Sin Hua School, he was Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)'s head of Art Education Department until his retirement. Public-spirited and a generous philanthropist, he has received awards for his contribution to education and art since the 1950s.

Early life
Born in Singapore on 3 June 1931, Choo Keng Kwang was the only son of a Teochew diamond trader, Choo Kim Kye. The elder Choo had wanted to be an artist but unfortunately failed in this aspiration.

As a young child, Choo Keng Kwang's interest for fine arts was sparked from comics and print-cartoons that he enjoyed reading. Sent to Catholic High School for his education, Choo braved criticism and disapproval from his school teachers by enrolling for art courses at NAFA. His entire day was occupied with studies and attending art courses. His hard work and determination paid off as in 1953, he graduated with two certificates, one each from Catholic High School and NAFA.

Choo, however, did not become a full-time artist upon his graduation. Instead, he began his career as a teacher and was subsequently made the school principal of Sin Hua School, at Upper Changi Road. Married by then, he had to support a family of nine, including his elderly parents, his wife and her six brothers. Despite this heavy responsibility, he spent his afternoons after work, indulging in his first love, painting.

Choo often paid tribute to his father's great support and encouragement to the development of his art. His father was the only one who encouraged Choo to pursue his passion in art. While his father was still alive, he would accompany Choo on his street-scene painting forays. Later on, as Choo began exhibiting his works, his father often helped him out during exhibitions.

Although Choo suffered from ill health due to a degenerative spinal cord condition, he continued painting. He first started selling his artworks at hotel lobbies and pasar malam or "night markets", earning S$150 for each painting sold. Today, his paintings can command six- figure sums.

Achievements
Although Choo is primarily known as an artist, he had spent more than 30 years of his life in the public education service. Even in education, Choo sought to improve the teaching of the arts. In 1982, in order to raise the standards of secondary school art teachers, the Ministry of Education started a four year Art in Education Diploma Course. Choo oversaw the programme and was its main lecturer. Through this programme, Choo trained up to 80 per cent of the art teachers in Singapore. In 1984, he was seconded to NAFA where he was appointed senior lecturer before becoming the Head of the Education Department.

As an artist, Choo is widely recognised as one of Singapore's first generation artists, along with his contemporaries like Georgette Chen and Liu Kang. His artworks have been commissioned by royalty, dignitaries and governments. For instance, the Singapore government commissioned his paintings as state gifts to foreign dignitaries. His paintings had been presented to the late Egyptian president Sadat and China's Chairman Mao Tse-Tung. His paintings have also adorned the late President Ong Teng Cheong's official residence at Kheam Hock Road. He has also received commissions from government ministries, statutory boards, businesses, hotels and other institutions to produce paintings, murals or bas- reliefs for them.

Choo has held and participated in numerous solo and group art exhibitions in Singapore and abroad. His works have toured Southeast Asia, Japan, Europe and US. For instance, in November 1990, he became the first Singaporean artist to participate in a cultural exchange exhibition in Jakarta, Indonesia. In July 1993, he was invited to exhibit his paintings in Brunei to commemorate Sultan of Brunei's 47th birthday. His artworks are eagerly sought after by art-collectors, national leaders, museums, public and private corporations. They have been sold at auction houses such as Christie's International and Sotheby's.

As a public-spirited person and philanthropist, Choo is greatly involved in community and charity work. His paintings have been sold to raise funds for charitable causes and organisations. For instance, sales proceeds of his paintings were contributed to St. Andrew's Mission Hospital and Touch Community Services. He participated in the "Presidents' Charity Art Exhibition- Choo Keng Kwang: An Artistic Path of His Own", which managed to raise S$160,000 for charity. In 1997, he donated oil paintings to the President's Star Charity Show. The sale of Choo's paintings for charitable causes have benefited community centres, institutions, associations, scholarships for the performing arts and even the ASEAN Secretariat office in Jakarta, Indonesia.

In addition, Choo's artwork have been reproduced on phone cards for fund-raising purposes by the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC). In 1989, his artwork was featured on first day cover postage stamps for the Singapore Telecommunications Authority. The four original oil paintings of Chinatown were then donated to Singapore National Museum for its permanent collection.

For his contribution to art and education, he was conferred with the Public Service Medal (PBM) in 1976 and the Long Service Award (PBS) in 1986 respectively.

Education
1953 : Senior Middle Three certificate, Catholic High School
1953 : Diploma (Fine Arts), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA)

Career
: Teacher and principal, Sin Hua School (Sin Wah School), Upper Changi Road
1984 : Seconded to Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA),
: Head, Art Education Department, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts

Awards/ honours
1976 : Public Service Medal (PBM), contribution to art, conferred by late President B. H Sheares
1981 : Community Award, Bundaberg Art Society, Australia
1983 : Special Award, National Day Art Exhibition
1986 : Voluntary Service Medal, contribution to art, Singapore ART '85 - 50th Anniversary, Society of Chinese Artists Award (?)
1986 : Long Service Award (PBS), for contribution to education
Apr 1989 : Selected artist for "Outstanding Singapore Artists Exhibition series", Ministry of Community Development

Family
Father: Choo Kim Kye (deceased), a diamond broker
Wife: Nah Chong Ngian
Children: Five children, three daughters, two sons



Author
Nureza Ahmad



References
Choo, K. K. (2002). The selected works of Choo Keng Kwang. Singapore: Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
(Call no. : SING q759.95957 CHO)

3 Choo Keng Kwang paintings on auction. (1994, September 28). The Straits Times, Life, p. 8.

CDAC to launch phone, MRT cards. (1996, May 7). The Straits Times.

Choo's donations. (1995, July 20). The Straits Times.

Lee, Y, L. (1995, October 20). Paintings on S'pore stamps- artists to be credited. The Straits Times.

Outstanding Artist a 'beacon to the young'. (1989, April 13). The Straits Times.

The perfect picture- that's Choo's aim. (1976, June 4). The Straits Times.

Phang, M. Y. (1994, November 25). President commissions two paintings for new official residence. The Straits Times, Life, p. 3

Tan, B. H. (1989, April 19). A principal man of art. The Straits Times.

Veloo, R. (1992, October 3). His teacher can eat their words. The Straits Times, Sunday Plus, p. 15.


Further Readings
Choo, K. K.(1995). An artistic path of his own. Singapore: Gallery.
(Call no.: RSING 759.95957 CHO) 

Choo, K. K. (1989). Choo Keng Kwang 1989. Singapore: The Museum
(Call no.: RSING 759.95957 CHO) 

Cheong, S. W. (1999, August 30). The Straits Times.

Work in progress. (2001, August 4). The Straits Times. 

The information in this article is valid as at 2004 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Personalities>>Biographies>>Artists
Artists--Singapore
Painters--Singapore
Philanthropists--Singapore
Arts>>Painting>>Oil painting



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