Born in 1940 in Singapore, Leo Hee Tong graduated from Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1960, and from Japan’s Ashiya Art College in 1973. A recipient of numerous awards since 1975, Leo has exhibited his paintings in exhibitions and cultural exchange festivals around the world.In the four 1991 works "Celebrate", "Harmonious", "Melodious" and "Happiness", Leo’s stylistic maturation is obvious. His confidence leads to experimentation, incorporating collaged paper within some of his paintings. Although thematically diverse (still lifes and his signature pigeons and figures in various settings), his pictorial narratives are all grounded in highly textured surfaces that allow previous layers of colour to be seen while creating shimmering movement. Form is reduced to elemental shapes and planes of colour intersected with gestural strokes, creating the barest recognisable representation of objects, figures, landscapes, buildings and birds. Interestingly, the titles seemingly denote the artist’s apparent state of satisfaction.
