Artist Biography

Loo Foh Sang graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art (NAFA) in Singapore in 1965, inspired by early Nanyang pioneers like See Hiang To, Chen Chong Swee, and Tay Kok Wee. The following year, he studied at the École Nationale Supérieure Des Beaux-Arts in Paris, graduating after four years. He then understudied printmaking with Stanley William Hayter, founder of Atelier 17 in Paris, who worked with renowned artists such as Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, and Jackson Pollock.

Loo’s primary inspiration, Hayter, mentored him in printmaking, though Loo is also proficient in oil painting, Chinese ink painting, and sketching. Devoted to printmaking, he continually innovates techniques, especially silkscreen, woodcut, etching, and engraving. Loo stayed in Paris for over two decades, opening a studio there. In 1988, he returned to Malaysia to teach printmaking. He lectured at the Malaysian Institute of Art, Kuala Lumpur, and later headed the Printmaking and Fine Art Departments at the Central Academy of Art, Kuala Lumpur. At the Central Academy of Art, he initiated the International Annual Printmaking Exhibition in 1996, which evolved into the Malaysian Annual Exhibition of International Contemporary Prints, securing 400 valuable art prints for the academy’s Printmaking Research Centre.

In 2000, Loo was a jury panelist for the 3rd International Triennial of Graphic Arts in Macedonia and an in-house artist for the Romania Art Museum. He has been a visiting professor at various Chinese art institutions, including Yunnan University of Finance & Economics’ School of Modern Design and Art (2008) and Hunan Zhengshan International Design & Art School (2011). His awards include the Asia-Pacific Art Golden Award (2009), Global Golden Brand Award (2010 & 2011), Blossom Arts Award (2017), and Artespree Art Awards - Lifetime Achievement Award (2018).

Loo has hosted over 30 solo shows so far since his first one in 1966, right after he graduated from NAFA. Notable one-man shows include ‘In Full Flight I & II’, Sutra Gallery, KL (2005 & 2011), and ‘Malaysia Master Printmaker: Loo Foh Sang Solo Show 2013’ at Samadee Studio, KL (2013), which was officiated by Ms Zanita Anuar (former deputy director-general of National Art Gallery), with the then Singapore High Commissioner - H.E. Ong Keng Yong as guest of honour. His major retrospective exhibitions were hosted by SGM Cultural Centre, KL in 2004 and 2014 respectively.

Loo has also been incredibly active in the international art scene. He joined the '1ère Biennale Internationale d'Alençon', Alençon, France (1968); the 6th & 7th edition of ‘Paris Biennale–Biennial and International Manifestation of Young Artists’ (otherwise known as Paris Youth Biennale), Paris, France (1970 & 1971); ‘Alpha Twelve’, Alpha Gallery, Singapore (exhibited together were Cheong Soo Pieng & Khoo Sui-Hoe - 1972); ‘Warna-warna Ilham’, Bank Negara Malaysia (1997); ‘16th Biennale International de la Gravure de Sarcelles’, France (2013); ‘Beautiful Life’, ASWARA (2017); ‘The Art of Printmaking: Lasting Impressions’, Bank Negara Malaysia (also featured were Chuah Thean Teng and Latiff Mohidin - 2018); The 3rd Qingdao International Contemporary Art Exhibition, China (2020); and ‘Integration & Diversity - Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Malaysian Figure Paintings of Eminent Artists’, China Cultural Centre, KL (2023), among others.

Influenced by Eastern cultures including Malay Wayang Kulit and Indian Odissi dancers, his works are collected across Europe and Asia, including the Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris, Bibliotheque Royale de Belgique, Montreal Museum, and National Art Gallery Malaysia. Loo is the permanent Honorary Chairman of the Asia Artists Association Malaysia.