Chinatown is a favourite painting spot for Singapore's Nanyang artists in the 1970s and 1980s.
The Story of Chinatown
Chinatown in Singapore is called 牛车水, which literally means ox cart water. This is because Chinatown's water supply was transported mainly using carts driven by ox in the 19th century.
In his 1822 master Town Plan, Sir Stamford Raffles allocated the area southwest of the Singapore River for a Chinese settlement, creating Chinatown. Chinatown consists of Telok Ayer, Kreta Ayer, Bukit Pasoh and Tanjong Pagar.
Within Chinatown, each dialect group occupied its own area: Hokkiens at Telok Ayer Street and Hokkien Street, Teochews at Circular Road and South Bridge Road, Cantonese at Smith Street, Temple Street and Mosque Street.
Chinatown was bursting with people and activities until the mid 1960s, when urban renewal projects began. Residents were re-housed into other housing estates, street hawkers were moved into Kreta Ayer complex in 1983 and the upgrading works were carried out.
The Story of the Painting
Nanyang artist Low Hai Hong experimented painting oil on paper and loved the effects. Painting oil on paper meant he could leave white spaces, similar to Chinese ink painting and even watercolour painting.
In this painting, the background of the painting is pure white space, placing a spot light on the old shophouses in Chinatown and the colourful canvas coverings of the street stalls bustling with people and activities.
Title: Chinatown (1988)
Artist: Low Hai Hong
Medium: Oil on Paper
Year: 1988
Dimensions (with frame): 56cm x 42cm
Buy: $2,400
Rent: $24 per week
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Rent Chinatown because
it is an iconic Nanyang painting.
Learn more about the painting.
Exhibition
This painting was part of the "This is my Country" art exhibition held at ARTualize art gallery in July to August 2021.
"This is my Country" National Day exhibition continues, with The Stalls at Chinatown.
One people, one nation, one Singapore
Thats the way that we will be forever more
Every creed and every race, has its role and has its place
One people, one nation, one Singapore
- One People, One Nation, One Singapore, NDP 1990