Artist Biography

Born in 1953 in Johor, Tay Poi San is a Malaysian Nanyang Style third generation Chinese brush painting artist, an art movement founded in Southeast Asia around the 1950s inspired by local indigenous culture. He is also the advisor of South Johor Chinese Ink Painting Society and the lecturer of Dessin Professional Academy, Johor Bahru.

Tay has been exhibiting his works of art since the 1980s. He held his first solo exhibition at the Ideal Arts and Craft Centre, Johor Bahru in 1995. He further held more than 10 solos in Johor including at Landmark Hall, Johor Bahru (1999), Puteri Pacific Hotel, Johor Bahru (2006), Neo Art Institute, Johor Bahru (2007), Art 52 Gallery, Johor Bahru (2014) and Dessin Professional Academy, Johor Bahru (2015). His 13th solo exhibition - “Asal . Anak Gunung Ledang” took place at Sunway Iskandar Event Gallery, Johor in 2019.

Tay has joined group exhibitions held in the National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur (1996, 2006 & 2012), Maybank Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur (1984, 1988 & 2006), Johor Art Gallery, Johor (2003 & 2009), Cao Tang Men Eastern Arts Society Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur (2006 & 2012) and expos like Artists Art Fair Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (2014 & 2015). He also exhibited overseas in Taipei (1993), Seoul (1996), Amsterdam (1997), Singapore (2001 & 2008), Xiamen Art Museum, China (2002) and Bangkok (2004).

Tay has published two art catalogues – “Nanyang Brush – Tay Poi San” and “Asal . Anak Gunung Ledang” in 2016 and 2019 respectively. His artworks are collected by institutions like Johor Art Gallery and the Korea Culture Art Research Institute as well as private collectors worldwide including Japan, the United States and France. It is no wonder that his painting was selected as one of the World’s 500 Best Chinese Ink Masterpieces by Ink Global in 2020.