Tan Swie Hian
Artist, Poet, Writer, Sculptor,
Calligrapher, Philosopher
Telok Kurau Studios, Singapore

"My painting is a vision. Colours and shapes come into the frame of my mind suddenly - ideas present itself in shapes and colours, and at times with sounds and fragrances from a state of mind through meditation."

Singapore's Picasso

Internationally acclaimed with awards from France to Romania to Korea and China, Tan Swie Hian is Singapore's peerless artist-philosopher who still works from a humble studio in a converted primary school.

In January 2003, Tan Swie Hian won the Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum, which held a major exhibition of his works at Davos. Most recently, at the Venice Biennale in July 2003, Tan Swie Hian wowed the world with his enormous calligraphic work and poetry created in a burst of lightning in the middle of San Marco Square.

He has had 36 books of his Chinese poetry published and his paintings are regularly sold to collectors throughout Asia although a select few are given priority in acquring his works.

His genius is evident and he believes that creativity thrives on freedom. "Many artists in Singapore feel very stifled because they are materialistic; they don't read Plato or Shakespeare, they only read numbers." However, at the same time, Tan Swie Hian doesn't feel restricted by Singapore's uncreative environment. "When you have a free mind you can live in Singapore or a prison cell ... you can live very lavishly but you can also live in fasting."