Chuah Thean Teng

Born, 1912 - 1916 (probably 1914) in China. Died, 2008

From the catalogue Commonwealth Artists of Fame 1952 - 1977 (Commonwealth Art Gallery, London, 1 June - 3 July 1977): “Born in China where he received his formal art training. Chuah Thean Teng arrived in Malaya at the age of 18 and he has lived in Penang ever since. His early years in the country were spent in varying occupations besides his art which may account for his wide range of subject matter. He held his first exhibition in 1955 and since then his work has been shown many times in Malaysia and all over the world. In 1965 the National Art Gallery of Malaysia honoured the artist by a major exhibition prior to his European tour during which a one-man showing of his batiks was held at the Commonwealth Art Galery. In 1967 the United Nations Children’s Fund published ‘Two of a Kind’ as a greeting card. More recently he has carried out murals for the Malaysian High Commission in Canberra, Australia, the University of Malaya and for other patrons.

Chuah Thean Teng is one of Malaysia’s most distinguished artists: his adaptation of the traditional batik process of dyeing cloth to the art of painting has been widely acclaimed and influential.”

»  Commonwealth Artists of Fame 1952 - 1977 - catalogue

Catalogue relating to an exhibition, 1977