Ong Kim Seng

Ong Kim Seng is an acclaimed watercolorist renowned as a "maestro of light."

Biography of Ong Kim Seng

Ong Kim Seng was born in 1945 in Singapore. He attended Radin Mas Primary School in 1959 and later Pasir Panjang Secondary School. Although he had shown an early interest in art, his mother hoped he would pursue a more conventional career as a clerk or teacher, dismissing the idea of him becoming an artist. Nevertheless, Ong began experimenting with painting, starting with pastels and oil before focusing more seriously on watercolor in 1960. He soon became a regular participant in a painting group at the Singapore River.

Ong left school in 1962 and began working at an advertising agency as a bill collector. After four years, he took a job as a policeman at the British Naval Base in Sembawang but lost this position in 1971 when the British withdrew their troops from Singapore.

He then worked as a welder, line technician, and audio-visual/graphic technician. Throughout his working life, Ong never stopped painting. In 1974, he had his first opportunity to showcase his watercolor artworks at a group exhibition with artists Wan Soon Kam and Tan Jeuy Lee at the Meyer Gallery. In 1986, Ong decided to pursue his passion and became a full-time professional artist.

In 1993, his painting "Bhaktaphur" became the first Singaporean watercolor to be auctioned by Sotheby's in Hong Kong.

His work has been exhibited in various countries, including Singapore, the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Belgium, Germany, France, the Middle East, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the ASEAN countries.

Ong Kim Seng has received many prestigious awards, such as the Cultural Medallion (1991) and the Public Service Star for the Arts (Bintang Bhakti Masyarakat) conferred by the President of the Republic of Singapore (2004). Other notable recognitions include the Excellence for Singapore Award (2000) by the Singapore Totalisator Board, the Singapore International Award (2001) by the Singapore International Foundation, and the Supporter of the Arts Award (2001) by the National Arts Council, Singapore. He has also been honored with the acclaimed Dolphin Fellowship (2000) and nine other awards from the American Watercolour Society between 1983 and 2019.

Currently, Ong Kim Seng serves as the honorary President of the Singapore Watercolour Society, following a long term as its President from 1991 to 2001. He actively promotes watercolor art worldwide and is one of the founding members of the International Masters of Watercolor Association based in Shanghai.

Ong Kim Seng's Art Style

Ong Kim Seng is a self-taught artist with no formal art training. As a realist painter, his work centers on inanimate objects, architectural forms, masonry, foliage, and landscapes.

A masterful use of light and shadow, thoughtful composition, and meticulous attention to detail distinguishes his signature style. As an avid traveler, Ong is renowned for his keen understanding of cultural intricacies, which he vividly captures in his watercolor paintings.