ABOUT SEAH KANG CHUI
Seah Kang Chui was born in the tumultuous year of 1945 in Singapore. When Singapore fell to Japan, his parents were hiding in a remote kampong (Malay word for village) in Jurong. After the Japanese surrender, his family moved to Yio Chu Kangs' Sihua kampong where important milestones of his early life such as his early education, his marriage, the birth and the raising of his young children took place. In 1975, the Sihua kampong was requisitioned by the Government and all villagers were moved to Housing Development Boards. Despite no longer living in kampongs, it came as no surprise that Seah Kang Chui have a special place for them in his heart.
SCHOOL YEARS
During Seah Kang Chui's High school years, he organised several art classes with his classmates. Through self-learning, knowledge sharing and by visiting exhibiions, these group of like-minded youngsters cultivated a strong interest in painting. Seah Kang Chui also took time off work to attend part time class in the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art College. Since 1968, he has been teaching art in the Government high schools until his retirement. In 1989 he joined the Singapore Watercolour Society (SWS). where he was appointed general secretary during Mr Ong Kim Seng's term as President of SWS. in 1997, they organised the "Asian Watercolours Convention cum Exhibitions" which attracted participants from many Asian countries. In 2009, he was elected the President of SWS and to date, the affairs of society have interwoven into his life.
ACTIVITIES
Since then, Seah Kang Chui has been invited to take part in numerous local and overseas art exhibitions, He is also busy in other art activities including giving lectures, organising student competitions, demonstrations, weekly outdoor painting activities, assisting in member's solo-exhibitions, organising overseas and local exhibitions. These countless activities, made possiblle by the voluntary efforts of SWS's members have made Singapore Watercolour Society thrives in reputation. Today, the SWS play an important role in the Singapore Art scene.
WORKS
Seah Kang Chui's works was selected for the National Day Art Exhibition held by the Ministry of Culture in 1971. His painting often uses watercolour as his medium and while he paints landscape as his theme, one can often spot people activities and their relationship with the scenery in his works. Seah Kang Chui's protrayal of warm sunshine, sharp shadows, the colours of South East Asia, can be glimpsed in his paintings. For 50 years, he persevered in painting watercolour and it has become an integral part of his life.