Footnotes

• Provenance
  Eagle's Eye Art Gallery, Singapore
  Acquired directly from the above by the present owner
  Private Collection, Singapore
  
  鄭木奎
  春天里的草原
  一九九六年作
  
  簽名：Bak Koi 96
  油彩畫布
  
  來源
  新加坡Eagle's Eye畫廊
  現藏家得自上述畫廊
  新加坡私人收藏
  
  Spring Pasture by Tay Bak Koi is an archetypical example of his oeuvre, the water buffalo being one of his favourite subjects—a lingering memory from his childhood during a time when buffaloes still roamed his village in Potong Pasir (Singapore). Tay's buffaloes are stylistically distinct, simplified into fluid geometrical shapes. They captivate the eye, invoking both modern abstraction and ancient cave paintings simultaneously, demonstrating the artist's extraordinary versatility. The figures in the painting play secondary roles, almost diminutive compared to the large herd of buffalo. The colours are earthy and deep, set against a sea of dark olive with patches of white, possibly pools of water reflecting the sky. Tay's works are unmistakable for their whimsical and romantic approach to familiar local themes, as he plays on the knife-edge between figuration and abstraction.