SINGAPOREAN
1936 — 2008

Tay Bak Koi, a second-generation Singaporean artist, was known for his oil and mixed media portrayals of stylised fishing villages, landscapes, waterfalls, people, and most notably buffaloes. A student of pioneer artist Cheong Soo Pieng, Tay’s unique identity was the product of the Nanyang style, which was a blend of modern Western art principles and Chinese painting traditions. Tay has exhibited in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and the United States of America, including two monumental exhibitions in the National Museum Art Gallery in 1976 and 1990. Tay’s paintings can be found in the collections of the National Gallery Singapore, Singtel Telecommunications Limited, as well as important private and public institutions.