We know our Picassos, we know our Dalis, and even our Hirsts. But how many of us know the artist behind the painting of that particular Drying Salted Fish on the back of the Singapore $50 note?

Born in China – like most of our Chinese forefathers, Cheong Soo Pieng was a pioneer in Singapore’s art scene from as early as 1947, when he first started teaching at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. After leaving the Education world to embrace his passion as a full-time artist from 1962 onwards, he continued shaping generations of Singapore artists after him.

Cheong Soo Pieng, Drying Salted Fish, 1978. Chinese ink and watercolour on cloth, 55.5 x 88.5cm. Collection of National Heritage Board.

Cheong Soo Pieng, Weavers, 1981. Oil on canvas laid on paper board, 82 x 106cm. Collection of National Heritage Board

It is difficult to classify Soo Pieng into any painting technique or style. An experimenter who constantly re-invented himself throughout his artistic career, Soo Pieng’s painting styles ran the gamut from Realism to Abstract, combining the best he knew from his training in both Chinese and Western techniques.

Soo Pieng was fond of painting simple subjects. The everyday life of Singapore was a key focus for his art. He portrayed common folk and their daily activities, even going as far as painting rubbish dumps. I suppose, if he was an artist of the Present, he would probably be painting Singaporeans queing for Thunder Tea Rice at Lau Pa Sat.

So there you go. The next time you hand over a Singapore $50 note, you know you’re handing over Art.