kOH HONG TENG CV
Hong Teng's compositions are uniquely Singaporean, focusing on the common landscape of Singapore highlighting the interesting features that are often unnoticed. These features are constantly and progressively erased, particularly the disappearing elements of heartlands and glimpses that can only be found in the old HDB (Housing Development Board) estates, to make way for something contemporary.
Koh obtained his honours degree in Graphic Design (Illustration) at London College of Printing in 1994. After a short stint as a graphic journalist with The New Paper, Hong Teng embarked on a 2-year collaboration to illustrate a graphic novel, titled 01321, which won the gold award in the digital art category at the inaugural Siggraph Asia Pacific Animation and Digital Art Competition 2001. Koh has since gone on to be a full-time comic artist and painter. He continued winning accolades for his work which include a Bronze Award at the 7th International MANGA Awards for Ten Sticks and One Rice and Best Illustrated Non-Fiction and Book of the Year 2017 Awards by the Singapore Book Publishers Association for Building Memories.
Koh’s series of works shares a common theme which depicts dreamlike landscapes inhabited by biomorphic forms. These forms are shown contorting and merging in a phantasmagoric space, creating a disposition between the figurative and abstractive. He hopes to draw viewers into a realm that is familiar and strange. Reflecting the ambivalent relationship between them and the world they live in.
