Artist Biography

Tew Nai Tong pursued his education in Singapore and graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1958, where he built a solid foundation under the tutelage of renowned Nanyang art pioneers like Georgette Chen and Chen Wen Hsi. He then embarked on a transformative artistic sojourn in Paris to study oil painting and figurative art at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts de Paris in 1967 - 1968. This period in Europe exposed Nai Tong to diverse influences and inspirations, enriching his artistic palette and infusing his works with the charms of the Parisian school of arts, such as post-impressionism and Cubism.

Tew held solo shows at the British Council, Kuala Lumpur (1964), National Library Singapore (1978), Sarawak Museum, Kuching (1987), Shenn’s Fine Art Gallery, Singapore (1994), Art Salon, Kuala Lumpur (1999), Sunjin Gallery, Singapore (2001), City Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur (2003), Balai Berita, The New Straits Times Press (2004), Cape of Good Hope Art Gallery, Singapore (2008), and KL Lifestyle Art Space (2012). His retrospective exhibition – “Odyssey” was held at the National Art Gallery in 2007, while his solo – “Nanyang Impressions” was held at Loh Gallery, Shanghai in 2012.

Tew’s paintings were exhibited in a multitude of group shows locally and abroad, such as Europe (1967), Australia/New Zealand (1969), China (1985 & 2001), Seoul (1988), Osaka (1997 & 2000) and Bangkok (2002 & 2003). In 2009, Tew was awarded the prestigious Asia Art Award in Seoul, South Korea. His works have been auctioned at Sotheby’s and Bonhams, and collected by the National Art Gallery Malaysia and National Art Museum Singapore.

张耐冬被誉为二十一世纪南洋画风之中坚力量与代表性人物。1957至1958年就读于新加坡南洋美专，师从南洋画派先驱张荔英与陈文希；1967至1968年负笈巴黎国立高等美术学院深造油画与人物造型，浸淫巴黎艺坛多元风华。他曾于吉隆坡英国文化协会（1964）、新加坡国家图书馆（1978）、韩国首尔（2009）等地举办个展。2007年于马来西亚国家美术馆举办大型回顾展，2012年首度在华个展"印象南洋"于上海Loh Gallery亮相。其作品展迹遍及欧洲、澳新、中日韩及泰国，并屡现本地拍卖及苏富比、邦瀚斯等国际拍场。作品为马来西亚国家美术馆、新加坡美术馆典藏。


ART EDUCATION 艺术教育
1968 - 1967
École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts, France

1958 - 1957
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore


ROLES & POSITIONS 职位及职务
1994
Co-founder & Advisor, Contemporary Malaysian Watercolourist Association（马来西亚现代水彩画家协会）

1988–1986
Department Head, Saito Academy of Art

1985–1982
Lecturer, Central Academy of Art, Kuala Lumpur

1982
Co-founder, Malaysian Watercolour Society

1980–1969
Lecturer, Malaysian Institute of Art, Kuala Lumpur

Advisor
International Watercolour Exhibition of Asia
Klang Art Society

SOLO EXHIBITIONS 个展
2013
“Glories”, Pinkguy Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

2012
《印象南洋 》Nanyang Impressions, Loh Gallery, Shanghai, China (First solo exhibition in China; later continued in Qingdao)
“A Golden Era”, KL Lifestyle Art Space, Kuala Lumpur (Officiated by Datuk Mohd. Yusof Ahmad, then Director-General of the National Art Gallery Malaysia)

2009
Seoul Art Centre, South Korea

2008
Cape of Good Hope Art Gallery, Singapore

2007
“Odyssey: Tew Nai Tong Retrospective”, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

2006
“Joie de Vivre”, Metro Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur

2004
“A New Expression”, Balai Berita, The New Straits Times Press, Kuala Lumpur

2003
Metro Fine Art, Legend Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
City Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

2002
Elm Quay Fine Arts, MiCasa Shoppes, Kuala Lumpur

2001
Sunjin Gallery, Singapore

2000
Artfolio Gallery, Singapore
Wah Peng Gallery, Penang

1999
“From Paris to KL”, Art Salon, Kuala Lumpur

1994
“Reminiscences of the South Seas”, Shenn Fine Art, Singapore

1992
“Malaysia Image in Oil”, The Art Gallery in Penang, Malaysia
“Malaysia Image in Oil”, GaleriCitra, Kuala Lumpur

1987
“A Solo Exhibition in Oil”, Dewan Tun Razak, Kuching, Sarawak

1984
“A Watercolour Creation Show”, British Council, Kuching, Sarawak

1978
“Malaysia Image”, National Library, Singapore

1974
“Beautiful Malaysia”, Samat Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

1964
1st One-Man Show, British Council, Kuala Lumpur

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 重要联展
2025 - 2022
“NUSA: National Permanent Collection Exhibition”, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

2014
“Nanyang: A Private Selling Exhibition”, Curate Henry Butcher, Kuala Lumpur & Singapore

2010
“The 2nd Art Exhibition of the International Visual Artist Association of Thailand”, Queen Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
“The 6th National Artists Travelling Phatthalung with Invited Artists from Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia”, Phatthalung, Thailand
“Magnificent Seven”, Chinwoo Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

2006
3rd New Expression of Asian Exhibition, Soka Gakkai Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Invited Malaysian Watercolour show, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

2005
Asia International Watercolour, Singapore
Malaysian Watercolours, Penang
Asian Watercolour Exhibition, ARMA, Agung Rai Museum of Art, Pengosekan, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

2004
16th Asian Watercolour Exhibition, Soka Gakkai Malaysia
New Expression Asean Art Exhibition, Taiwan

2004 - 2001
Nippon Modern Art, Osaka, Japan

2003
Malaysia & Thailand Art Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur & Bangkok
Asia Erotic Show, Bangkok, Thailand
“Bare - A Look at The Nude”, Townhouse Gallery (Wei-Ling Gallery), Kuala Lumpur

2002
Mekong River Trip Art Exhibition, Bangkok, Thailand
‘Pont des Arts 2002’, SGM Cultural Centre, Kuala Lumpur

2001
Invited Group Show, China
“Pont des Arts”, Galerie Bernanos, Paris, France

2000
Invited Show, Fine Arts Museum, Osaka, Japan

1999
Asean Art Exhibition, Kuching, Sarawak
CMWA Exhibition ‘99, Artfolio Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

1998
17th Modern Arts Association Show Honour Award, Osaka, Japan

1997
International Watercolour Show ’97, Osaka, Japan
Pont des Arts Singapore & Malaysian Artists Group Show, Galeri Petronas, Kuala Lumpur

1996
11th Asian International Watercolour ‘96, Galeri Petronas, Kuala Lumpur

1994
“Pont des Arts: Nanyang Artists in Paris, 1925–1970”, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore (Now Singapore Art Museum), work exhibited alongside prominent Nanyang artists including Georgette Chen, Liu Kang, Chia Yu Chian
“Vision and Idea: ReLooking Modern Malaysian Art”, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
CMWA Exhibition ‘94, Menara Maybank, Kuala Lumpur

1992
“Ratt-Help Art Exhibition”, Institute HELP, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur

1991
“Une Touche: An Exhibition of Paintings by Malaysian Artists Schooled in French Institutions”, National Art Gallery Malaysia & The French Embassy, Kuala Lumpur
“The Malaysianess of Malaysian Art: The Question of Identity”, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1990
CMWA Show City Hall, Hong Kong

1989
4th Asian Watercolour ‘89, Bangkok

1988
Olympic Games Art Exhibition, Seoul, South Korea
The 3rd Asian Watercolour Confederation in Malaysia

1986 - 1983
“Cat Air Malaysia: Malaysian Watercolour Society Annual Exhibition”, Australian High Commission, Kuala Lumpur

1985
“ASPACAE '85 Asian Pacific Conference on Art Education: Nanyang Art Exhibition”, RELC Centre, Singapore
Asian Watercolour Exhibition, Tianjin, China

1983
Dunlop Best Awarded Watercolour Artist, Kuala Lumpur

1979
“Pameran Retrospektif Pelukis-Pelukis Nanyang” (Nanyang Artists Retrospective Exhibition), National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1973
ISPAA Group Show, Bangkok, Korea, Tokyo and Kyoto
“Malaysian Trio: Cheah Yew Saik; Tew Nai Tong; Yan Sook Leong”, Alpha Gallery, Singapore

1972
“Landscape Malaysia”, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1972 - 1971
ISPAA Group Touring Exhibition to Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, Tokyo

1969
Touring exhibition, Australia and New Zealand

1967
The Malaysia Contemporary Art Exhibition (the first major travelling Malaysian exhibition to Europe)

1966
13 Malaysian Artists Group Show in Paris, France

1964
The 7th National Art Exhibition, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1962
The 5th National Art Exhibition, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1961
The 7th Malayan Artists exhibition, British Council Hall, Kuala Lumpur
The 4th National Art Exhibition, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1960
The 3rd National Art Exhibition, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1959
The 2nd National Art Exhibition, National Art Gallery Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

1958
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore

AWARDS & ACCOLADES 获奖经历
2009
Grand Prize, The Asian Art Award, Seoul, Korea

1983
Grand Prize, Dunlop Watercolour Art Competition

1982
Best Award, Esso Art Competition

1981
Grand Prize, Shell Watercolour Competition

1964
Second Prize, Chartered Bank Mural Design Competition

COLLECTIONS 收藏单位
National Art Gallery of Malaysia（马来西亚国家美术馆）, Bank Negara Malaysia（马来西亚国家银行）, Royal Selangor（皇家雪兰莪）, Ilham Collection（Ilham 收藏馆）, the Sarawak State Museum（砂拉越州博物馆）, and the Singapore Art Museum（新加坡美术馆）