Celebrating the success of our pioneer Teochew artists

Dr George Quek, President of Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan
Mr Chua Thian Poh, President of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clans Association
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen          

1. Let me first say a few words first in Mandarin and then I will continue very briefly in English after that.

   各位尊敬的来宾们
   先生们，女士们：
   大家晚上好！

2. 今晚非常荣幸能和大家共聚一堂，一起庆祝新加坡潮州八邑会馆的85周年庆典。

3. 1929年成立的新加坡潮州八邑会馆，除了照顾潮乡亲的福利，给予社会的贡献主要有慈善、社会还有文化活动三大方面。

4. 在30年代期间，当时会馆才刚成立不久。会员们便积极的参与筹赈救济水灾，和协助解决华侨汇款等族群福利事务。新加坡建国后，会馆更积极参与本地社会事务，如参与捐献国防基金等活动。

5. 在1983年，会馆正式成立文教组，全面推广文化活动，包括举办潮人书画展为推广潮州文化掀开一页页的新篇章。

6. 在新加坡，潮州社群人才济济。要说在作画的领域有成就的潮州画家，相信在座的各位也熟知。比如说先驱画家陈宗瑞，在中国传统水墨画中融合南洋题材；还有获得新加坡文化奖章的画家陈建坡(Tan Kian Por)，以中国篆刻艺术的经典笔墨表现现代艺术精神；另一位文化奖章的画家是李福茂(Lee Hock Moh)，是本地第一位专画工笔胡姬花的画家；还有很多画家比如说擅长以西方油画表现东方风格的油画家朱庆光(Choo Keng Kwang)；擅长人物肖像和描绘历史景观的油画家蔡名智(Chua Mia Tee)；擅长中西结合的抽象现代中国新水墨的陈克湛(Henri Chen Ke Zhan)等等。这些画家他们都能利用新加坡多元文化的创作条件，融合东西方与南洋艺术特色，大胆创新、创造自己新风格，创造我们独特的新加坡的“南洋风格”。

7. 我希望新加坡潮州八邑会馆再接再厉，通过组织文化，体育，学术及公益活动，以宣传推广潮人传统文化，积极为社会作出根大的贡献。最后呢祝大家，身体健康，万事如意。

8. Let me just continue on in a few words in English because I think this is a very important occasion when we can celebrate and I want to congratulate the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan on its 85 years of promoting Teochew heritage, tradition and culture.
   

Contributions by the Teochew community in the arts

9. The Teochew community has contributed greatly to the development of the arts in Singapore and we have many examples of this. Our Teochew pioneers started schools and groups to cultivate arts in the community. We had the Nanxing Art Society, which was the first Teochew group to promote art activities in Singapore, and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts which was established in 1938, and many of its founders and early teachers were Teochew.

10. So over time, our Teochew artists developed their distinctive styles in ink and oil, in calligraphy and painting, and they created a unique Singaporean Nanyang style, which integrated new elements with the basic forms and discipline of Chinese art.

11. A good example is Mr Chen Wen Hsi who was part of this generation of Teochew artists, who painted in the Nanyang style. And others which I mentioned in Mandarin just now, like Henri Chen, have brought together Eastern and Western art to capture the rich cultural diversity of Singapore and South East Asia in their works.

12. We will get the chance later to see these works first-hand at this exhibition and we also have the privilege of viewing some of the private art collections. I understand that this is made possible by many of our Teochew art collectors, many of you are here, including the Vice President of the Culture and Education Group Mr Chan Kok Hua who has given permission for his and all of your works to be displayed. So thank you very much.
    

Sharing the past with the generation of the future

13. I’m also very glad that Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan will be engaging participants in the 8th International Teochew Youth Conference, being held in Singapore, in order to make this exhibition part of their overall conference programme.

14. And I think this is a very positive move because it will give our young people the opportunity to learn how visual arts has developed in Singapore, and appreciate the contributions of our art pioneers.

15. This celebration of the legacy of our early pioneers in the arts is very timely because we are approaching Singapore’s 50th birthday next year, our 50th anniversary of independence. So I hope an exhibition like this will help Singaporeans, especially the younger generation, to connect to this part of our heritage, deepen our understanding of our cultural traditions, and the experiences of our pioneer artists.

16. So, on this note, let me once again extend my heartiest congratulations to the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and I wish you every success for your 85th anniversary celebrations. Thank you very much.