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范昌乾

Fan Chang Tien

Master of Ink Painting

1907 - 1987

范昌乾

FAN CHANG TIEN

Master of Ink Painting

1907 - 1987

Fate and destiny had led Fan Chang Tien to become a Singaporean artist. Born in 1907 into a wealthy business family in Jieyang, Guangdong China. Fan graduated from the Xinhua Academy of Fine Arts in Shanghai, in 1928. As a young man, he was already a renowned artist in Guangdong China. He taught art and ran an art school before the local Chinese government sent him to Thailand in 1947 to seek donations from the overseas Chinese for the rebuilding of a teaching college which had been destroyed during the war.
Unfortunately, while he was in Bangkok, the civil war in China escalated and overnight, he lost everything he had, including his loved ones. Both his parents and brother’s family were persecuted as landlords. Fan was stranded alone in Bangkok for the next 8 to 9 years (1948-1956). It was there that he met and befriended the artist Zhang Daqian.
Fan was 49 years old when he arrived in Singapore in 1956. He married Madame Heng Siew Leng, a Singaporean midwife, who owned a popular maternity clinic in Balestier Road. She was capable, and supported Fan financially in the pursuit of his passion. She helped set up an art studio named ‘The Pure Orchid Studio’(素兰室) in Balestier Road, where Fan could teach Chinese-ink painting to young Singaporeans without charging any fees.
During the 31 years he spent in Singapore, Fan was not interested in fame or self-promotion. In his poems, he would often describe his sentiments, philosophy and outlook in life.
Fan devoted himself wholeheartedly to his work and his students, imparting the tradition of Chinese-ink painting and core values of Chinese culture to a generation of Singaporeans who later became distinguished artists and art teachers themselves. Fan taught and encouraged his students to follow their own individual passions. They included Nai Swee Leng, Lim Kay Hiong, Tan Oe Pang, Tan Siow Aik, Wong Pik Wan, Lee Soo Chee, Low Eng, Ng Yong Choon, Henri Chen Kezhan, and the late Lim Cher Eng, and the late Cultural Medallion awardee Chua Ek Kay.
Fan was instrumental in the flourishing of a new Shanghai School of Art here in Singapore by propagating its creativity and diversity. This is evident in the many different individual styles of contemporary ink works from his students. This ink art has a direct lineage from the Shanghai School of Art grandmaster Wu Chang Shuo (1844-1927) who modernized Chinese ink art by infusing radiant colours to the mainly black and white traditional ink paintings.

Fan's artistic legacy in the development of Singapore art is immense, significant and of great consequence.

CHOY WENG YANG, Art Curator & Critic

Fan's artistic legacy in the development of Singapore art is immense, significant and of great consequence.

CHOY WENG YANG, Art Curator & Critic
命运和命运让范昌田成为了一名新加坡艺术家。 1907年出生于中国广东揭阳的一个富裕商人家庭。 1928年，范毕业于上海新华美术学院。年​​轻时，他已是中国广东的著名艺术家。他教授艺术并经营一所艺术学校，1947年中国当地政府派他前往泰国寻求华侨捐款，重建一所在战争中被毁的师范学院。
不幸的是，当他在曼谷时，中国的内战升级，一夜之间，他失去了一切，包括他的亲人。他的父母和兄弟一家都因地主身份而受到迫害。接下来的八九年（1948-1956），范独自滞留在曼谷。正是在那里，他结识了艺术家张大千并成为朋友。
1956年，范抵达新加坡时已49岁。他与新加坡助产士王秀玲女士结婚，她在马里士他路拥有一家颇受欢迎的妇产诊所。她有能力，并在经济上支持范追求他的激情。她协助在马里士他路设立了一间名为“素兰室”的艺术工作室，范氏可以免费向新加坡年轻人教授中国水墨画。
在新加坡度过的31年里，范先生对名誉或自我推销不感兴趣。他在诗中常常抒写自己的情感、人生哲理和人生观。
范先生全心全意地投入到自己的工作和学生中，将中国水墨画的传统和中华文化的核心价值观传授给一代新加坡人，他们后来成为杰出的艺术家和艺术教师。范教授并鼓励他的学生追随自己的个人热情。他们包括奈瑞令、林继雄、陈锷鹏、陈孝益、黄碧云、李秀智、刘英、黄永春、陈克展、已故林子英以及已故文化奖章获得者蔡益凯.
范先生对新加坡艺术发展的艺术遗产是巨大的、重要的和具有重大影响的。
蔡永扬，艺术策展人和评论家
范先生通过宣传上海艺术学院的创造力和多样性，为新加坡新上海艺术学院的蓬勃发展发挥了重要作用。这一点在他的学生创作的许多不同个人风格的当代水墨作品中可见一斑。这种水墨艺术与上海艺术学院大师吴昌硕（1844-1927）有直接血统，他通过向以黑白为主的传统水墨画注入绚丽的色彩，使中国水墨艺术现代化。
THE LIFE OF

FAN CHANG TIEN

1907-1987
FAN CHANG TIEN'S LIFE
July 1978
FAN CHANG TIEN’S PARIS EXHIBITION
1907-1987
PAST ACTIVITIES OF THE ARTIST
Fan Chang Tien's

ARTWORK COLLECTION

Five Beautiful Geese

Ink on Paper

LOT 1

Size

119 x 36cm

Price Range:

SGD $93,600 – $138,000

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork

Red Rock with Beautiful Wisteria Blooms

Unspecified

LOT 2

Size

139 x 135cm

Price Range:

SGD $96,000 – $198,000

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork

White Chrysanthemum and Blue Rock

Unspecified

LOT 3

Size

5 x 46cm

Price Range:

SGD $34,800 – $52,000

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork

Yellow Chrysanthemum with a Slim Rock

Unspecified

LOT 4

Size

106 x 35cm

Price Range:

SGD $34,800 – $52,000

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork

Five Beautiful Geese

Unspecified

LOT 5

Size

82.5 x 38cm

Price Range:

SGD $102,000 – $122,000

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork

The Autumn Bamboo

Unspecified

LOT 6

Size

83 x 38cm

Price Range:

SGD $15,600 – $19,300

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork

Rugged Rock and Gentle Orchids

Unspecified

LOT 7

Size

81 x 37.5cm

Price Range:

SGD $39,000 – $68,000

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork

Thick-Stem Bamboo and Sleeping Rock

Unspecified

LOT 8

Size

138 x 65cm

Price Range:

SGD $39,000 – $68,000

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork

Fine-Stem Bamboo and Rock

Unspecified

LOT 9

Size

135 x 57cm

Price Range:

SGD $58,000 – $69,000

Biography

Born in Singapore in 1921, Lim Tze Peng (林子平) is one of Singapore’s most significant artists and the longest living and working artist who had passed on in 2025, at 103 years old. Lim is renowned for his Chinese ink creations of post-independence Singapore, and his signature modern Chinese calligraphy – 糊 涂字.

Lim has been bestowed several awards including the Special Prize at the Commonwealth Art Exhibition in England in 1977 and the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore in 2003. In May 2012, he had broke the auction record for the highest price for a work by a Singaporean living artist with the artwork “Singapore River Scene” (1978) having sold at US$160,392 on hammer at a Christies auction sale in Hong Kong,

Alongside local and international exhibitions, his masterpieces are exhibited in prominent Singapore institutions and is part of many prestigious collections.

Register interest for this artwork
Visual Arts Centre

  • Dhoby Ghaut Art Studio

    10 Penang Road,
    #01-02 Dhoby Ghaut Green,
    Singapore 238469

  • MacPherson Art Studio

    140 Paya Lebar Road,
    #03-04 AZ@Paya Lebar Building,
    Singapore 409015

  • 6255 0711

  • info@visualartscentre.sg

  • 62550711

  • 67332155

  • Opening Hours

    Dhoby Ghaut Art Studio
    Monday to Sunday: 11am – 8pm Closed on Public Holidays, except by appointment.

    MacPherson [Office & Storage]
    By appointment only

VISUAL ARTS CENTRE

Visual Arts Centre is an exhibition gallery and art studio at Dhoby Ghaut Green supported by Singapore government.

Since its initiation on 31 January 2016, Visual Arts Centre has trained 18,000+ students & provides 20+ professional art courses. Visual Arts Centre Exhibition Gallery has hosted over two hundred international and local art and design exhibitions, boasting a diverse range of art styles and programmes.

Email:
info@visualartscentre.sg

Phone:
+65 6255 0711
+65 6733 2155

Art Courses 艺术课程

Featured Courses 推荐课程

  • Art Immersion 3 Medium Course 综合媒介绘画课

  • Drawing & Sketching Course 素描课程

  • Acrylic Painting Course 丙烯画课程

  • Watercolour Painting Course 水彩画课程

  • Oil Painting Course 油画课程

  • Chinese Ink Painting Course

  • Trial Sessions 试课

  • Chinese Calligraphy & Ink Painting

  • Graffiti Spray Painting Course

Portfolio Preparation Art Courses

  • Portfolio Preparation Course (Process) 作品集 (DSA)

  • Portfolio Preparation Course (Process) 作品集 (Diploma)

Specialised Art Courses

  • Professional Manga Drawing & Digital Painting Course

  • Professional Interior Design & Freehand Rendering Course

  • Outdoor Urban Landscape Sketching Course

  • Private Art Classes

Adult Art Courses
Kids Art Courses

  • Creative Kids Art Immersion Course 儿童创意绘画课程

Holiday Art Courses & Bootcamps

  • 2025: Holiday Art Course for Kids & Teens 儿童和青年假期课程

  • 2025 Kids (6-9YO) Holiday Art Course 儿童假期课程

  • 2025 Teens (10-18YO) Holiday Art Course 青年假期课程

Art Competition

  • 2025 Art Competition ( Life in an AI-Era ) Open for Registration!

  • 2025新加坡“AI时代的梦想”儿童与青少年绘画大赛开始报名！

Workshops & Events
工作坊与团建

Team Bonding Programmes

  • Team Building Art Jamming

  • Art Jamming Team Bonding Catalogue

  • Team Bonding

  • Gala Dinner Art Workshop

  • Batik Painting Workshop (Mural / Individual)

  • Graffiti Spray Painting on Canvas Workshop

Themed Workshops

  • Kids Birthday Party - Art Jamming

  • Kids T-Shirt Painting Art Party

  • Batik Painting Workshop

  • Graffiti Spray and Paint Workshop

  • Therapeutic Mental Health Workshops

Current Art Workshops

Exhibitions 展览

Current & Upcoming Exhibitions

Venue Hire 场地出租

  • Hire of Visual Arts Centre Exhibition Gallery @ Dhoby Ghaut

  • Visual Arts Centre Exhibition Gallery @ Dhoby Ghaut

  • Visual Arts Centre Gallery and Studio @ MacPherson

OUR BLOG

Special Art Jamming Themes

  • Chinese New Year Art Jamming

  • Art Workshops for Singles and Dating

  • Women's Day

  • Labour's Day

  • National Day

  • Mid Autumn Festival

  • Deepavali Art Jamming

  • Halloween Art Jamming

  • Christmas Art Jamming

  • Racial Harmony Day & SG60 National Day Art Workshops

  • Best Team Building Activity

  • Art Jamming Team Bonding Catalogue

  • 零基础自助绘画（Art Jamming ）工作坊

Kids Art Jamming Birthday Party Workshops

  • 艺术生日派对-DIY粘土主题

  • Art Birthday Party With Diy Clay

  • Art Birthday Party With Tote Bag Painting 艺术生日派对-画托特包主题

  • Birthday Party With T-shirt Painting

  • 艺术生日派对-画T恤衫主题

Art Competition and Affordable Art Fair Workshops

  • Children and Youth Art Competition 2025 – “Life in an AI-Era”

  • (Embracing Nature) Children and Youth Art Competition

  • Workshops & Fair Activities

Venue Hire

  • 10 tips for a successful pop-up flea market event

  • Beautiful Space in the City Central

  • A Perfect Art Venue for Hire

  • What to consider when renting a venue for your fashion shows and pop-ups?

Art Course

  • Where to learn Professional Chinese calligraphy course in Singapore?

  • 艺术疗愈如何让你心理更健康

  • Best Professional Art Courses In Singapore

  • 在新加坡哪里能学专业素描／速写、油画、水彩、丙烯、水墨、艺术作品集准备、儿童美术、儿童青少年书法等专业美术绘画课？

  • 在新加坡哪里学习专业书法课程？学习书法对儿童青少年的好处

  • Art Portfolio Preparation - DSA (Kids)

  • 凭什么，新加坡乌节路寸土寸金的商业宝地竟给国人当画室? 快!带你去看看!

  • Singapore Holiday 2025 - Learn Digital Landscape Painting and Manga Drawing

  • 成人画画课就在视觉艺术中心

  • Applying into Art Schools - How does one build an art portfolio?

Others

  • Best Professional Manga Drawing Drawing Course in Singapore

  • 对南洋画派新加坡第一代艺术先驱作品的印象

  • 定制贵宾晚宴的艺术项目

  • Art Buzz: How to Appreciate Art?

  • 《纪念刘抗诞辰111周年—刘抗书画遗作展》

  • 10 Reasons to Learn Drawing and Sketching

  • Art Therapy Course in Singapore!

  • Overseas Students Art & Cultural Exchange

  • Commissioning Custom made portraits/nude life by professional artists

  • FAQs for Art Portfolio Preparation - DSA, Diploma & Higher Education

© Visual Arts Centre. All rights reserved.

Foundation In Digital Art

Embark on a captivating journey into the vibrant world of digital art! Our Foundation in Digital Art workshop invites budding creatives aged nine and above to unleash their imagination and hone their artistic skills in a dynamic, supportive environment. From mastering basic digital tools to crafting mesmerizing digital masterpieces, children will explore a spectrum of techniques guided by seasoned mentors. Through hands-on activities and interactive sessions, participants will discover the endless possibilities of digital expression while fostering creativity and critical thinking. Join us for an exhilarating adventure where young artists transform ideas into stunning visual realities, igniting a passion for digital art

Colour & Texture Exploration With Acrylic Painting & Collage

Prepare to unleash your inner artist in a kaleidoscope of color and creativity with ‘Colour Blast: Acrylic Painting & Collage Techniques’! Dive into a whirlwind adventure where vibrant hues and mesmerizing textures collide in a symphony of imagination. From mastering the art of seamless color blending to discovering the magic of mixed media collage, this journey is a playground for your artistic soul. With each brushstroke, explore new techniques that breathe life into your canvas, transforming it into a vibrant tapestry of expression. Join us and let your creativity run wild as you embark on this colorful escapade!”

World of Manga [Foundation & Styling]

A manga art workshop for children and teenagers sounds like a fantastic idea! Here’s how you might structure it:
Introduction to Manga: Begin by introducing what manga is, its history, and its influence on popular culture worldwide. Show examples of different manga styles and genres to give participants an overview.
Basic Drawing Techniques: Start with the fundamentals of drawing, such as line work, shapes, and proportions. Provide step-by-step instructions on how to draw basic manga characters, focusing on simple shapes that can be built upon.
Character Design: Move on to character design concepts, including creating unique characters, designing their personalities, and developing backstories. Encourage participants to get creative and think outside the box.
Expression and Emotion: Teach how to convey emotions and expressions through facial expressions, body language, and positioning of characters. This can be a fun and interactive exercise where participants practice drawing various emotions.
Storytelling and Paneling: Explore the basics of storytelling in manga, including paneling techniques, pacing, and layout. Show examples of different panel structures and discuss how they affect the flow of the story.
Inking and Coloring: Introduce participants to inking techniques using pens or markers. You can also cover digital inking for those interested. Then, demonstrate basic coloring techniques using markers, colored pencils, or digital software.
Feedback and Collaboration: Provide opportunities for participants to share their work and receive feedback from their peers and instructors. Encourage collaboration by having them work together on short manga projects or collaborative drawings.
Final Showcase: End the workshop with a showcase of participants’ work. This could be in the form of an exhibition, digital gallery, or printed booklet. Celebrate everyone’s creativity and progress throughout the workshop.
Remember to create a supportive and encouraging environment where participants feel free to express themselves and explore their creativity. And don’t forget to have fun! Manga is all about imagination and passion, so let that spirit shine through in your workshop.

Academy Drawing Traditions

The academy drawing and sketching tradition, rooted in centuries of artistic practice, emphasizes disciplined study of form, proportion, and technique. Originating from Renaissance workshops and formalized by institutions like the Royal Academy, it prioritizes meticulous observation and mastery of fundamental skills. Students progress from basic exercises to complex compositions, learning to depict still life and common objects with precision and expression. This tradition values both classical principles and innovation, encouraging artists to push boundaries while maintaining a deep respect for tradition. Through rigorous training and critique, artists within this tradition cultivate a strong foundation for creative exploration and artistic excellence.

Chinese Ink Painting and Calligraphy

This course on Chinese ink painting and calligraphy introduces young learners to the rich traditions of Chinese art. Through hands-on activities, students explore the basics of brush techniques, ink control, and the delicate art of Chinese script. They learn to appreciate the cultural significance of calligraphy and painting, developing skills in creating elegant strokes and expressive brushwork. The course fosters creativity, patience, and fine motor skills, while also providing insights into Chinese history and aesthetics. By the end, children gain confidence in their artistic abilities and a deeper understanding of Chinese cultural heritage.

Funk with Graffiti

Funk With Graffiti Workshop for children is an engaging and creative program aimed at introducing young artists to the vibrant world of graffiti and funk-inspired street style art. Participants learn the basics of graffiti history, techniques, and safety. Guided by professional graffiti artists, children explore the art of designing their unique tags, emphasizing creativity, expression, and individuality. The workshop includes hands-on activities, from sketching concepts to creating final designs with spray paint on provided surfaces. By the end of the session, children gain confidence in their artistic abilities and an appreciation for graffiti and funk as legitimate forms of street art. Each child completes two original artworks, which they proudly take home, showcasing their newfound skills and personal style.

Batik Tales

In the Batik Introduction Handkerchief Painting workshop, participants will learn the traditional art of batik, a wax-resist dyeing technique originating from Indonesia. The workshop begins with a brief history and overview of batik, highlighting its cultural significance and various techniques. Participants will then observe a demonstration of applying wax with tjanting tools and dyeing the fabric. Following the demonstration, each participant will design and create their own batik handkerchief, applying wax to create patterns and then dyeing their fabric. The workshop concludes with a group discussion, allowing participants to share their creations and reflect on their learning experience.