Teo Eng Seng 張永生 b. 1938
The role of art-making is to make people think and work in their own ways. — Teo Eng Seng
Teo Eng Seng is one of the most respected second-generation artists in Singapore and awardee of the Cultural Medallion, Singapore’s highest arts accolade. With a career spanning over seven decades, the artist is celebrated for his socially engaged practice, bold expressions and tireless experimentation of a wide range of materials. Having had taught art for 25 years and held a number of advisory roles in art institutions and government bodies, his contributions to art education and the shaping of the region’s cultural identity have earned him numerous recognitions in both Singapore and the United Kingdom. In 2024, the National Gallery Singapore organized a major retrospective exhibition for the artist to celebrate his remarkable achievements in art.
Best known for his invention of “paperdyesculp”, a unique technique of using dyed paper pulp to create works that fuse painting, collage and sculpture, Teo sees paper as an important element to affirm his Asian identity. Behind his playful expressions in a wide range of media is his deep engagement with global events and cultures. By embedding humor and irony into his expressions, his art calls for independent thinking about the complexity of our world as well as the appreciation of everyday reality and its imperfection.
After his first solo exhibition in 1959, Teo hitchhiked to Britain to pursue his artistic career. He studied arts at Central School of Arts and Crafts, London and Birmingham College of Art and Design. An advocate of art education, he also attained a teacher’s diploma at Birmingham College and taught in London and Birmingham for 2 years before returning home in 1971. Back in Singapore, he continued to push the boundaries of artistic expressions; besides teaching art, he actively organized art festival and exhibitions to nurture the local art scene, all the while tirelessly exploring new expressions with different materials to this date.
Paperdyesculp
The invention of paperdyesculp practically stopped all references to other artists. Until today, nobody has ever mentioned anything about other artists and they just talked about me.
In the late 1970s, Teo Eng Seng discovered a new language of expression that would come to define his entire career. Coined by the artist to emphasize the uniqueness of his personal medium and also its role in his creative process, paperdyesculp involves sculpting dyed paper pulp into dynamic forms, either on flat surfaces (such as paper, canvas, or net) or as freestanding three-dimensional works. By merging elements of painting, collage, relief, and sculpture, paperdyesculp challenges conventional artistic categorizations.
Sometimes mixed with natural fibers, fiberglass, concrete, and even plastic waste and other found materials, this experimental and versatile approach imbues the works with striking textures and powerful visual impact that straddles between the playful and the grotesque. The heightened tactility and spontaneous forms prompt the viewer to rethink the surrounding reality and lived experience, reflecting the artist’s deep engagement with global events and the broader theme of sociocultural commentary in his works.