Chua Soo Bin
Chua Soo Bin (1932 – ) Singaporean photographer Chua Soo Bin led a diverse career throughout his lifetime, excelling as a renowned photographic master, artistic director, art dealer, and art patron. These varied roles seamlessly intertwined due to his deep-rooted connection to the arts. In his early twenties, he was an active member of the Singapore Photographic Society and obtained the Associate Distinction from the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain in 1955. His work Harvesting the Beach was featured in the annual publication Photograms of the Year, showcasing the best photographic works from around the world. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Chua Soo Bin found success as an advertising photographer, producing creative campaigns for clients such as Singapore Airlines, earning recognition for his innovative concepts and imagery. Starting from the mid-1980s, he embarked on ambitious personal projects, notably gaining fame for his portraits of artists. His contributions to the arts led to him being awarded the Cultural Medallion by the Singaporean government in 1988. Chua Soo Bin’s portrait of Wu Guanzhong has been exhibited at the former Parliament House Art Gallery (Singapore, 2017), Tsinghua University Art Museum (China, 2020), and is now part of the collections of the National Gallery Singapore, Tsinghua University, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and private collectors. Legends—Capturing the Timeless Images of Art Masters with the Lens In the 1990s, Chua Soo Bin photographed the lives of 14 Chinese painting masters, including Zhu Qizhan, Liu Haisu, Huang Junbi, Zhao Shao’ang, Chen Wenxi, Wang Jiqian, Li Keran, Ye Qianyu, Wu Zuoren, Lu Yanshao, Xie Zhiliu, Li Xiongcai, Tang Yun, and Guan Shanyue. Using his unique perspective, he documented the elegance and demeanour of these contemporary Chinese painting masters, leaving an important visual record in the history of Chinese art. These photographs have become precious historical image documents. Life of Art, Art of Life In addition to his work in photography and curating, Chua Soo Bin is a person who deeply loves life. His works are imbued with a passion for life and a pursuit of beauty. His attitude towards life and his work ethic have set a benchmark for art enthusiasts in Singapore and around the globe. His achievements and contributions extend beyond the realm of photographic art; they have had an indelible impact on the dissemination and promotion of culture and art. Artist Liao Fangyan once remarked that Chua Soo Bin’s life and art are inseparable. Whether it is his family, photography, gallery affairs, or collections, they are all integrated. “Soo Bin is art!”