Untitled (Girl with Birdcage)

Cheong Soo Pieng (1917-1983) is regarded as a pivotal figure in Singapore's modern art development. Born in Xiamen, China, he was part of a group of artists that attempted to articulate a style identifiable and pertinent to post-war Singapore, then known collectively with Malaysia, as Malaya. This style, later crystallized as the Nanyang Style, provided a foundation upon which future generations of artists learned and expanded on. A key element of the Nanyang Style was the synthesis of Chinese pictorial elements and the diverse formalistic qualities from the School of Paris. Cheong was one of the most experimental amongst the pioneer artists; he often astounded the art scene with his avant-garde works. This painting shows influence from Cubism. Although undated, the grid overlay, brown palette and stylization of the human figure date the work from the mid 1950s; 'Goats, Figures and Jugs' from 1959, in the SAM collection, shows similar qualities.