TAN CHOH TEE 陈楚智

Tan Choh Tee (陈楚智) was born in China in 1942 and is regarded as one of the most outstanding second-generation artists in Singapore. He has often been described by Tatler Singapore as the “Matisse of the East,” a reflection of the Impressionist influence evident in his Singapore landscapes and still-life paintings. A graduate of the […]

Tan Choh Tee (陈楚智) was born in China in 1942 and is regarded as one of the most outstanding second-generation artists in Singapore. He has often been described by Tatler Singapore as the “Matisse of the East,” a reflection of the Impressionist influence evident in his Singapore landscapes and still-life paintings.

A graduate of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Tan studied under pioneering Singapore artists including Cheong Soo Pieng, Chen Chong Swee, Liu Kang, and Chen Wen Hsi. In 1976, he devoted himself fully to painting, dedicating his career to documenting the vanishing landscapes of old Singapore amid rapid urbanisation. In the same year, he received a Special Award at Singapore’s National Day Art Exhibition.

In recognition of his significant contributions to Singapore art, Tan was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 2006 by the President of Singapore, the nation’s highest honour in the field of visual arts.

Tan is best known for his evocative river scenes and still-life paintings. These works showcase both his mastery of oil painting and his deep admiration for masters such as Henri Matisse and Pierre Bonnard. He believes that art arises not only from direct visual experience, but also from an artist’s sensitivity to the fleeting emotions and subtle tensions of everyday life. This philosophy is reflected in his distinctive brushwork, luminous handling of light, and his lifelong commitment to painting en plein air.

After leaving art school in 1962 and becoming a full-time artist in 1976, Tan consistently pursued outdoor painting to record Singapore’s evolving urban landscape. His works, strongly influenced by Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, are characterised by rich, rhythmic brushstrokes. Since the 1990s, he has increasingly employed a palette knife, creating denser and more direct pictorial structures. In recent years, he has travelled extensively throughout Southeast Asia, China, Europe, and the United States for sketching and painting.