Jamus pays tribute to an artist. 
This week, Ho Ho Ying—one of Singapore’s pioneering modern artists—passed on. He was a Sengkang resident. After the pandemic struck, Mr Ho had contracted COVID-19, and had to undergo mandatory quarantine at the Expo facility. But while he survived the ordeal, his health was never the same, and he succumbed to ill health, just a few months shy of his 87th birthday.
A student of local masters Liu Kang and Chen Wen Hsi, Mr Ho left behind a remarkable legacy, not just of beautiful art pieces—which adorn galleries and private collections around the world—but also of his pioneering spirit, in pursuing an art form he felt passionately about, but for which society was not yet prepared to accept. Today, it would be shocking to hear that his unique style—which blends post-Impressionism (especially inspired by Van Gogh), abstract, expressionism, and Pollock-style drip painting) with more traditional Eastern influences—would not be immediately recognized for its trailblazing nature. But it wasn’t, at least initially, and it was only in his later years when he became more (justifiably) celebrated, winning a Cultural Medallion in 2012.
Even today, some may question the value that arts and the humanities bring. For me, I think that any society, however richly endowed with material goods and financial wealth, remains impoverished without the corresponding gifts that stem from sporting achievements, artistic creations, musical compositions, and the accomplishments of the written word. It is such intangible elements that make a modern society truly attractive to live in.
We sometimes forget the difficult road that pioneers in any field have to traverse, especially when they push for ideas before their time. But we can all be thankful that they persisted, and that their efforts, while unappreciated by their contemporaries, have made the world a better place today.
Postscript: You may see some of his artwork on his Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook.com/sg.hohoying
Jamus Lim
4 h ·This week, Ho Ho Ying—one of Singapore’s pioneering modern artists—passed on. He was a Sengkang resident. After the pandemic struck, Mr Ho had contracted COVID-19, and had to undergo mandatory quarantine at the Expo facility. But while he survived the ordeal, his health was never the same, and he succumbed to ill health, just a few months shy of his 87th birthday.
A student of local masters Liu Kang and Chen Wen Hsi, Mr Ho left behind a remarkable legacy, not just of beautiful art pieces—which adorn galleries and private collections around the world—but also of his pioneering spirit, in pursuing an art form he felt passionately about, but for which society was not yet prepared to accept. Today, it would be shocking to hear that his unique style—which blends post-Impressionism (especially inspired by Van Gogh), abstract, expressionism, and Pollock-style drip painting) with more traditional Eastern influences—would not be immediately recognized for its trailblazing nature. But it wasn’t, at least initially, and it was only in his later years when he became more (justifiably) celebrated, winning a Cultural Medallion in 2012.
Even today, some may question the value that arts and the humanities bring. For me, I think that any society, however richly endowed with material goods and financial wealth, remains impoverished without the corresponding gifts that stem from sporting achievements, artistic creations, musical compositions, and the accomplishments of the written word. It is such intangible elements that make a modern society truly attractive to live in.
We sometimes forget the difficult road that pioneers in any field have to traverse, especially when they push for ideas before their time. But we can all be thankful that they persisted, and that their efforts, while unappreciated by their contemporaries, have made the world a better place today.
Postscript: You may see some of his artwork on his Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook.com/sg.hohoying
