Nyonya May Oon started painting at the age of 40, and later took formal lessons from James Holdsworth, a practising artist, curator and university lecturer.
As independent researcher and Peranakan historian, Peter Lee wrote in the foreword of the exhibition catalogue, “Peranakan painting though, is a more recent phenomenon, and its raison d’etre has moved even further from these origins. This would refer to the body of painted works created by Peranakans since the 1980s in response to their heritage. The visualization of the past with many of its symbolic elements has been a key characteristic of this. The artistic pool has been relatively small, including pioneer Martin Loh, and those from other creative domains such as the playwright Desmond Sim and the musician Dick Lee. May Oon developed her interest in painting through one of the more tangible routes to the past: black and white photography. It was a process through which she paid tribute to the important personalities in her family, especially the women.“
Come see May’s paintings at Design Orchard, from 27 Oct – 9 Nov 2022.
