Born in Fujian Province, Liu Kang (1911-2004) received his formal training in Shanghai Academy of Fine Art, where he was exposed to Chinese paintings. In 1928, he went to Paris where he was influenced by art movements such as Fauvism and Post-Impressionism. Not only was he one of Singapore’s pioneer artists, he was also a leading figure in the Society of Chinese Artists and the Singapore Art Society. In 1970, he was awarded the Public Service Star for his contributions in the field of art.Pastel was Liu’s favoured medium for portraits after the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945), when he used it to replace oil paints which were not available then. Depicted in this work is the artist and art educator, Shen Yan, also known as Sun Yee. A student of Liu when he was teaching in Shanghai Academy of Fine Art in China, Shen Yan arrived in Singapore in 1955 and was the principal of the Singapore Academy of Arts.
