Chia Yu Chian was born in Malaysia in 1936, and spent his formative years pursuing his education in Singapore.  He graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in Singapore, and went on to become the first artist from the Straits Settlements to receive a scholarship from the French government, advancing his Fine Art training at the École Nationale des Beaux Arts de Paris.  Chia took much of his artistic inspiration from familiar local scenes, painting mostly episodes from daily village life, and the vast tropical landscapes of the region.

Having studied in both Paris and Singapore, Chia’s works straddle the divide between East and West – bringing together the subtle gradation of colours typical of the Chinese palette, with...