Biography

Chen Wen Hsi (b. 1906) is among the most influential pioneer artists in Singapore’s history. Regarded as a first-generation artist, Chen was at​ the forefront of the Chinese avant-garde movement in Singapore during the 1950s. He was a member of a group of five prominent artists that founded the Nanyang style, a landmark in the art history of Southeast Asia. A highly esteemed painter and art educator, Chen’s works have significantly shaped decades of creative development in the art community even prior to the establishment of Singapore as a sovereign nation. His endless inventiveness and creative excellence in Chinese painting have commanded the respect of the Chinese and the international art world.