Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
Encyclopedia
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (abbreviation
: NAFA; Chinese: 南洋艺术学院; ) is one of the oldest and most established tertiary arts institution in Singapore
.
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) was founded in 1938 with an inaugural batch of 14 Fine Art students. NAFA has since been widely recognised as Singapore’s pre-eminent tertiary institution for artistic studies.
The academy has 3 Campus and are all located along Bencoolen Street
with an area combined of approximately 8631 m² (0.008631 square miles).
In the 1930s, Japan
ese-trained artist
Mr Huang Suiheng visited Singapore. On his return to China, he approached Mr Lim Hak Tai
and persuaded him to establish the first arts school in Singapore. However it was only in 1937, following the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, that Mr Lim immigrated to Singapore. With the financial support of Mr Tan See Siang and the alumni of Jimei, he set up the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
The school's minimum admission requirement was completion of secondary school
education. However, those who did not meet the minimum entry requirement would still be considered for admission to the school as long as they had a keen interest in the arts. The Nanyang Fine Arts College opened on 10th March 1938. Mr Lim Hak Tai was appointed as Principal by the School Management Committee with Mr Kao Fei Tse, Chang Ming Tse and Qiu Yingkui being assigned as teachers. The School was located at Lorong 167 Geylang, a two storey old bungalow just opposite the then "Gay World" building.
, Mr Lim Hak Tai, supported by two members of the board of directors, Mr Tseng Chee Chang and Mr Tsai Yen Fu, re-opened the school. It was then situated at 49 St. Thomas Walk. After the Japanese occupation many Chinese immigrated to Singapore in search of a better life, and the School attracted well-known artists like Cheong Soo Pieng, Chen Wen Hsi and Chen Chong Swee as teachers.
Between 1954 and 1956, NAFA applied to the Ministry of Education
for a subsidy and received a funding level usually awarded to primary schools. Additionally, the Singapore and Malaysia Education Bureaus did not recognise the graduation certificates issued by NAFA. With poor job opportunities upon graduation, student enrolment decreased gradually, threatening the school’s survival.
In 1963, Lim Hak Tai died at the age of 70, putting an end to his ambitions for the school. His son, Lim Yew Kuan assumed the position of deputy principal and became principal in 1970.
Between 1983 and 1987, artistic talents who graduated from the school returned to their alma mater to teach and international art celebrities were invited to conduct lectures and arts demonstrations. In 1983, the Ministry of Education sent the first batch of 20 teachers to NAFA to upgrade their skills in fine art.
In 1988, Wu Tsung Kan resigned. Two years later, Dr Gwee Yee Hean was appointed principal of NAFA. In 1992, Dr Gwee Yee Hean resigned with no successor, and Chng Heng Tiu, chairman of the board of directors, stood in as temporary principal. In 1994, Dr Soh Kay Cheng was appointed the fifth principal of NAFA, resigning in 1996.
In April 1999, NAFA’s status was upgraded by the Singapore Government to that of a tertiary institution. Since then, NAFA has received polytechnic-level funding for all its diploma
programmes from the Ministry of Education.
In 2004, NAFA moved to its S$115 million, purpose-built new campus at Bencoolen Street. Three times the size of the old campus, the new campus is in the heart of Singapore’s bustling civic district.
The President of NAFA is Choo Thiam Siew, who joined NAFA in 2003. The Academy operates eight departments and one school, namely, the Department of 3D Design, Department of Arts Management and Education, Department of Dance, Department of Design and Media, Department of Fashion Studies, Department of Fine Art, Department of Music, Department of Theatre and School of Young Talents. It offers 11 diplomas and 18 degrees (consisting of 14 Bachelor of Arts
with honours and four Master's degree
) programmes.
NAFA has produced outstanding artists, including eleven Cultural Medallion recipients and ten Young Artist Award winners. In 2009, NAFA students and alumni garnered over 100 awards in competitions both in Singapore and worldwide. These included three Platinum and one Highly commended awards at 28th UOB Painting of the Year Competition; a Special Mention at the 53rd Venice Biennale; the conveted President's Young Talents' Award; the First Prize at the 2009 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod; and last but not least, the Cultural Medallion.
In 2010, NAFA hosted visits by Singapore's Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong and Dr Michel Destot, Mayor of Grenoble and President of the Group of Mayors of French Cities, an active politician in the Socialist Party in France. Mrs Kofi Annan, wife of former Secretary-General, United Nations was also in NAFA for a masterclass with our illustrious alumni lecturers over three days. In addition, the academy was honoured to have Singapore's first lady, Mrs Nathan's presence at a pre-concert event at NAFA. The concert was held in collaboration with Singapore General Hospital to raise funds for needy children with hearing impairment.
.
There are 6 Skylight Studios which allow painting in natural, evenly distributed daylight and 4 Master Painters’ studios. 2 Photography Studios are located in Wing A which equips with advanced studio flash systems and professional digital cameras. There are also Jewelry Workshops with casting, processing and setting facilities, Interior Design Material and Project room, Drafting Studios and 3D Model Workshops and 3 spacious Art Galleries equipped with state-of-the-art lighting and exhibition facilities with a total exhibition area of 850 sq m.
A 2-Storey library is located at Wing A. Named as the People’s Scholarship Fund Library, it houses an impressive collection of arts-related publications and journals where only members and students can loan. The public have to pay a fee to loan the books from the library.
Cultural Medallion
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
: NAFA; Chinese: 南洋艺术学院; ) is one of the oldest and most established tertiary arts institution in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) was founded in 1938 with an inaugural batch of 14 Fine Art students. NAFA has since been widely recognised as Singapore’s pre-eminent tertiary institution for artistic studies.
The academy has 3 Campus and are all located along Bencoolen Street
Bencoolen Street
Bencoolen Street is a street in Central, Singapore that starts at the junction of Rochor Road and Jalan Besar and ends at the junction of Fort Canning Road, Stamford Road and Orchard Road. The street houses several landmarks including Sim Lim Square, Bencoolen Mosque and Albert Complex...
with an area combined of approximately 8631 m² (0.008631 square miles).
Before 1937
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese-trained artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
Mr Huang Suiheng visited Singapore. On his return to China, he approached Mr Lim Hak Tai
Lim Hak Tai
Lim Hak Tai was one of Singapore's pioneer artist at the turn of the 20th century, and was the person who inspired the Nanyang School of art form, to reflect the 'Nanyang' region, both in painting style and subject matter....
and persuaded him to establish the first arts school in Singapore. However it was only in 1937, following the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, that Mr Lim immigrated to Singapore. With the financial support of Mr Tan See Siang and the alumni of Jimei, he set up the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
1938–1940
The Society of Chinese Artists supported Mr Lim in establishing the school. At its 12th Council Committee meeting, the members of the Society formed a Drafting Committee to assist Mr Lim in his efforts. On 10th February 1938, the Committee placed advertisements in the local Chinese daily newspapers to recruit students. As the response was not good, the Committee put up another advertisement on 2 March in another local Chinese daily newspaper. Following the recruitment drive, 14 students were admitted to the arts school.The school's minimum admission requirement was completion of secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
education. However, those who did not meet the minimum entry requirement would still be considered for admission to the school as long as they had a keen interest in the arts. The Nanyang Fine Arts College opened on 10th March 1938. Mr Lim Hak Tai was appointed as Principal by the School Management Committee with Mr Kao Fei Tse, Chang Ming Tse and Qiu Yingkui being assigned as teachers. The School was located at Lorong 167 Geylang, a two storey old bungalow just opposite the then "Gay World" building.
1946–1972
In 1946, one year after the Japanese surrenderedSurrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, Mr Lim Hak Tai, supported by two members of the board of directors, Mr Tseng Chee Chang and Mr Tsai Yen Fu, re-opened the school. It was then situated at 49 St. Thomas Walk. After the Japanese occupation many Chinese immigrated to Singapore in search of a better life, and the School attracted well-known artists like Cheong Soo Pieng, Chen Wen Hsi and Chen Chong Swee as teachers.
Between 1954 and 1956, NAFA applied to the Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
for a subsidy and received a funding level usually awarded to primary schools. Additionally, the Singapore and Malaysia Education Bureaus did not recognise the graduation certificates issued by NAFA. With poor job opportunities upon graduation, student enrolment decreased gradually, threatening the school’s survival.
In 1963, Lim Hak Tai died at the age of 70, putting an end to his ambitions for the school. His son, Lim Yew Kuan assumed the position of deputy principal and became principal in 1970.
1973–1996
The global recession and inflation in 1973 affected the financial status of the school, a problem that was solved by a fund-raising sale of paintings by alumni from Singapore and Malaysia. In 1979, the school faced another financial crisis and the board members resigned en bloc. Tang Liang Hong came in to organise a new board of directors and engaged Wu Tsung Kan as the new principal. In 1982, the school shifted to a new office at 107A, Sophia Road.Between 1983 and 1987, artistic talents who graduated from the school returned to their alma mater to teach and international art celebrities were invited to conduct lectures and arts demonstrations. In 1983, the Ministry of Education sent the first batch of 20 teachers to NAFA to upgrade their skills in fine art.
In 1988, Wu Tsung Kan resigned. Two years later, Dr Gwee Yee Hean was appointed principal of NAFA. In 1992, Dr Gwee Yee Hean resigned with no successor, and Chng Heng Tiu, chairman of the board of directors, stood in as temporary principal. In 1994, Dr Soh Kay Cheng was appointed the fifth principal of NAFA, resigning in 1996.
Post-1997
In 1997, Dr Ho Kah Leong, the sixth principal of NAFA took office and NAFA was re-divided into three major schools: School of Visual Arts, School of Performing Arts and School of Fashion Studies. NAFA purchased two adjoining studios located in Paris in January 1998 and February 1999 respectively. Today, NAFA is the only tertiary intuition in Singapore that owns studios in Paris.In April 1999, NAFA’s status was upgraded by the Singapore Government to that of a tertiary institution. Since then, NAFA has received polytechnic-level funding for all its diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
programmes from the Ministry of Education.
In 2004, NAFA moved to its S$115 million, purpose-built new campus at Bencoolen Street. Three times the size of the old campus, the new campus is in the heart of Singapore’s bustling civic district.
The President of NAFA is Choo Thiam Siew, who joined NAFA in 2003. The Academy operates eight departments and one school, namely, the Department of 3D Design, Department of Arts Management and Education, Department of Dance, Department of Design and Media, Department of Fashion Studies, Department of Fine Art, Department of Music, Department of Theatre and School of Young Talents. It offers 11 diplomas and 18 degrees (consisting of 14 Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
with honours and four Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
) programmes.
NAFA has produced outstanding artists, including eleven Cultural Medallion recipients and ten Young Artist Award winners. In 2009, NAFA students and alumni garnered over 100 awards in competitions both in Singapore and worldwide. These included three Platinum and one Highly commended awards at 28th UOB Painting of the Year Competition; a Special Mention at the 53rd Venice Biennale; the conveted President's Young Talents' Award; the First Prize at the 2009 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod; and last but not least, the Cultural Medallion.
In 2010, NAFA hosted visits by Singapore's Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong and Dr Michel Destot, Mayor of Grenoble and President of the Group of Mayors of French Cities, an active politician in the Socialist Party in France. Mrs Kofi Annan, wife of former Secretary-General, United Nations was also in NAFA for a masterclass with our illustrious alumni lecturers over three days. In addition, the academy was honoured to have Singapore's first lady, Mrs Nathan's presence at a pre-concert event at NAFA. The concert was held in collaboration with Singapore General Hospital to raise funds for needy children with hearing impairment.
Campus
Unlike other institutions in Singapore, NAFA's Campus is spread among 3 separate buildings - all located along Bencoolen StreetBencoolen Street
Bencoolen Street is a street in Central, Singapore that starts at the junction of Rochor Road and Jalan Besar and ends at the junction of Fort Canning Road, Stamford Road and Orchard Road. The street houses several landmarks including Sim Lim Square, Bencoolen Mosque and Albert Complex...
.
Campus One
This is the main campus of NAFA which covers approximately 5,078 m². It is divided into 2 wings with a linking bridge - Wing A & Wing B. The department of 3D Design, Design & Media and Fine Arts are under this building. The main campus boasts a High Definition Studio with full HD editing direct from server (via fibre channel connection) and colour grading stations with the capability of previewing full HD clips on 24” HD broadcast grade monitors. In Wing A, there is a Creative Media Studio with cutting edge technology for 3D animation and special effects, and sophisticated audio-video production facilities - mainly for Video Production students. Altogether there are 21 Computer Labs in this building.There are 6 Skylight Studios which allow painting in natural, evenly distributed daylight and 4 Master Painters’ studios. 2 Photography Studios are located in Wing A which equips with advanced studio flash systems and professional digital cameras. There are also Jewelry Workshops with casting, processing and setting facilities, Interior Design Material and Project room, Drafting Studios and 3D Model Workshops and 3 spacious Art Galleries equipped with state-of-the-art lighting and exhibition facilities with a total exhibition area of 850 sq m.
A 2-Storey library is located at Wing A. Named as the People’s Scholarship Fund Library, it houses an impressive collection of arts-related publications and journals where only members and students can loan. The public have to pay a fee to loan the books from the library.
Campus Two
Covering almost 1,169 m², this campus houses the Department of Fashion Studies. Among the 3 campuses, this is the only campus where only students with permitted school id pass are allowed to enter. It has a Fashion Boutique Gallery for staging fashion shows and displaying students’ designs, 5 Textile Workshops for Batik printing, textile development and embroidery design, 4 Quality Control Workshops with sophisticated steamers and specialised garment machines and workshops for drafting, draping and project work.Campus Three
The department of Music, Dance and Theatre are located under this building. It covers approximately 2384 m². Here, there is a plush 380-seat Lee Foundation Theatre with a rotating central platform on stage, an adjustable orchestra pit with superb acoustics and two Steinway Model D grand pianos. The school's famous Studio Theatre or “Black Box” with 196 retractable seats is also located here. There's also a Recital Hall (Recording Studio attached) with Steinway Model B and Yamaha S6 grand pianos, Music Technology Suite with 20 iMac computers, Rooftop Amphitheatre with tiered seating for outdoor performances, Television Production Studio, Percussion Studio, 22 soundproof Music Practice Studios and 5 Dance Studios.Future Campus
There have beens sources stating that NAFA will be adding another campus space just beside the main campus. It is said that the new campus will be ready by 2017.http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110426-0000488/NAFA-takes-major-step-forwardAcademic Departments & Courses
NAFA has eight academic departments, consisting of more than 20 courses and majors.Partnerships
NAFA collaborates with four universities from United Kingdom, United States and Singapore to offer degree programmes. Through these collaborations, it aims to provide a superior education that is student-specific while at the same time, strives to push their students beyond their own boundaries. These programmes also promote independent learning, originality and creativity.Artists
- Aw Tee HongAw Tee HongAw Tee Hong is a Singaporean artist who is known for his oil paintings of the old Singapore River, as well as for numerous public sculptures themed towards Singapore heritage, like the marble relief titled Singapore Poetry found in Tanjong Pagar MRT Station.Born in Wenshan village at Huiwen,...
(Painter and Sculptor) - Chua Ai Hua (Arts Restoration Artist and Graphic Designer)
- Goh Boon Teck (Young Artist Award recipient and Art Director)
- Lim Chin Huat, (Young Artist Award recipient and Artistic Direcor at ECNADECNADECNAD is a contemporary dance company founded in 1996 in Singapore with a multi-disciplinary approach. It was formerly known as Dance Dimension Project. ECNAD is one of the first non government professional creative dance company that mushroomed amidst the then cultural desert of Singapore...
) - M. NasirM. NasirMohamad Nasir Mohamad or M. Nasir , is a Malaysian poet, singer-songwriter, composer, producer, actor and film director.-Career:...
, (Award-winning Singer, Composer, Producer, Actor and Film Director) - Ng Eng TengNg Eng TengNg Eng Teng , The Grandfather of Singapore Sculpture was a sculptor in Singapore known for his figurative sculptures, many of which are found in public locations around Singapore...
, (Sculptor) - Joakim Gomez (Singapore Idol Season 2 finalist)
Cultural MedallionCultural MedallionThe Cultural Medallion is a Singapore cultural award conferred to those who have achieved artistic excellence in dance, theatre, literature, music, photography, art and film....
recipients
| Year Awarded | Name | Discipline | Year of Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Wee Beng Chong | Art | 1958 |
| 1981 | Ng Eng Teng Ng Eng Teng Ng Eng Teng , The Grandfather of Singapore Sculpture was a sculptor in Singapore known for his figurative sculptures, many of which are found in public locations around Singapore... |
Art | 1961 |
| 1981 | Lee Hock Moh | Art | 1970 |
| 1982 | Georgette Chen Georgette Chen Georgette Chen, born Chang Li Ying is a Singapore painter known for her Post-Impressionistic styled oil paintings at the turn of the 20th-century. She was a forerunner of the visual arts in Singapore, who contributed to the birth of the Nanyang art style in Singapore.Chen was born the fourth of 12... |
Art | - |
| 1984 | Thomas Yeo | Art | 1960 |
| 1985 | Tay Chee Toh | Art | 1960 |
| 1988 | Lim Fei Shen | Dance | - |
| 1990 | Anthony Poon Anthony Poon Anthony Poon was one of the pioneer abstract artists in Singapore best known for his "Wave" series of paintings which he began working on since 1976.-Biography:... |
Art | 1964 |
| 1995 | Han Sai Por Han Sai Por Han Sai Por is a Singaporean sculptor. A graduate of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts , East Ham College of Art, Wolverhampton College of Art and Lincoln University, New Zealand, she worked as a teacher and later as a part-time lecturer at NAFA, the LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, and the... |
Art | 1977 |
| 2001 | Tan Kian Por | Art | 1970 |
| 2005 | Chng Seok Tin | Visual Arts | 1972 |
| 2006 | Toh Choh Tee | Visual Arts | 1962 |
| 2009 | Ang Ah Tee | Visual Arts | 1962 |