Chua Ek Kay (1947 – 2008, Singapore) received his training in ink painting under the tutelage of Fan Chang Tien from 1975-1985. His practice extended in art lecturing and curatorial engagements; throughout his artistic career, Chua sat on various art committees, and was also a published poet.

In September 2002, STPI invited the Cultural Medallion recipient to be the first Singaporean artist to participate in its distinguished Visiting Artists Programme. The artist unquestionably delivered one of the most compelling and exhilarating Chinese ink practices in Singapore. In early 2007, Chua got reacquainted with the print and papermaking processes at STPI, culminating in a new series of paper pulp works and prints that erupted with vitality and energy. The works bear a strong testament of Chua’s distinctive handling of traditional Chinese ink painting techniques in a contemporary manner.

Chua’s most prominent accolades included the Grand Prize for the UOB Bank’s 10th Painting of the Year Award; the Juror’s Choice for the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards in 1998; and the Cultural Medallion from the National Arts Council in 1999.

He has exhibited widely, starting with his first solo exhibition at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Singapore, in 1988, before showing at Being and Becoming, Singapore Tyler Print Institute (2003); Yixi: Recent Paintings of Chua Ek Kay, Shanghai Art Museum, China (2005); Chua Ek Kay @ Art Forum, Art Forum Gallery (2006); Solo exhibition, Lotus Pond & Water Village, Cape of Good Hope Art Gallery (2007).

His works have been posthumously exhibited at Re-visiting Chua Ek Kay: Tribute to the Ink Master, Singapore Tyler Print Institute (2010); Old Campus Revisited: A Chua Ek Kay collection of the Catholic High School, The Private Museum (2012); and Chua Ek Kay: After the Rain, National Gallery Singapore (2015).