Born in 1931, Choo Keng Kwang is widely recognized for realistic renditions of landscape, animals and nature in the oil medium. Sympathetic to local working classes, Choo features them in many of his works. Graduating in 1953 from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), he worked as a teacher, eventually returning to NAFA to helm the Art Education Department in 1984. Choo has since held many solo exhibitions and has participated in group art exhibitions in Southeast Asia, Japan, Europe and USA. Since the 1950s, Choo has received many awards for his many contributions to art and education, among which is the Public Service Medal (PBM) in 1976.Sungei Road is home of one of the oldest flea markets in Singapore. Popularly known as Thieves Market, street peddlers selling second-hand items line the lanes near Rochor Canal. Although the market had its heyday in the 1980s it is still frequented these days by bargain-hunters. This painting by Choo takes an unusual view of Sungei Road as it does not show the street peddlers but instead focuses on the architecture of a two-storey building on that street.
