Lee Choon Kee 李运启 is a plein-air fanatic, declared his fellow artists, during the opening of "City Views in Watercolour - Lee Choon Kee Solo Exhibition 市景 - 李运启水彩个展". Indeed, the second generation Nanyang artist who is in his 80s, continues to religiously go around Singapore to paint almost every day, carrying his painting tools, sometimes going about on his bicycle.
To him, painting on the spot, exactly where the scene is, is how he paints life. Through attentive observation of what is happening, from how the sun is casting its light, to the smells and sounds around him, from people going about their day, to the traffic rushing to their destinations, he captures these careful observations vividly on the paper, using the lightness of watercolour.
Lee graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1965 and was a founding member of the Singapore Watercolour Society. This art exhibition showcases his watercolour paintings of Singapore's cityscape over the years, but I particularly like his series of Singapore painted in the 2000s; street scenes of old shophouses in vivid colours with delicate details of human activities around them.
For example, this 2008 watercolour painting of Serangoon Road. The pristine white wall against the blue roof top of the shophouse crystallises the feeling of a moment in time, captured in eternity. Also frozen are the people walking, and traffic of cars and motorbikes.
In this watercolour painting of Lavender Street also in 2008, the bright orange roof top draws you in, together with the long canvas canopy sheltering the diners at the eateries on the ground floor of the shophouse. A common sight that suddenly becomes a classic scene.
The softness of watercolours can be seen in the buildings in this 2007 painting of King George Avenue, constrasting the sharp lines of the plastic red chairs which are ubiquitous outdoor seating for coffee shops in Singapore, in addition to his characteristic human figures.
Every painting is Lee’s record of life in Singapore, painted fresh from the streets, straight into history.
"City Views in Watercolour - Lee Choon Kee Solo Exhibition 市景 - 李运启水彩个展" runs from 2 to 24 March 2024 at Orchard Rendezvous Hotel in Singapore.
What do you think? Tell us what you feel about the exhibition, review or artist! or
If you want to reach out to #sgartist Lee Choon Kee, drop us an email! or
Share this post and spread the word by clicking these icons: