Calligraphy Master

Yong Cheong Thye was born in Singapore in 1946. After graduating from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1966, his keen interest and search for the deeper meaning of Chinese art brought him under the pupilage of the late Master Calligrapher Tsue Ta Ti in 1967. His vast artistic talent was soon revealed through the expert guidance of Master Tsue. Yong’s own vision of the artistic order soon blossomed into new art forms, which have won wide acclaim both locally and internationally.

Master Yong’s calligraphic talent was first shown when he won first-prize in nation wide Chinese calligraphy competitions in 1976 and 1977. Unwilling to let art be appreciated by only a few, he accepted invitation by the Singapore Tourism Board to introduce Singapore through his art exhibits overseas. His brushes have travelled with him to milestone exhibitions in Canada, Germany, Finland, Sweden, China, France, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, England, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Japan and Korea.

Locally, Master Yong has also accepted commercial invitations through both his art exhibits and calligraphy demonstrations and even the applications of calligraphy in advertisements which most artists would shun away.

With the in-depth understanding of the Chinese Calligraphy both as a discipline and an art, Master Yong’s views and opinions have always been sought after both in locally and internationally.

 

Local Appointments:

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•  Senior Judge for The Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore

• Vice-Chairman for Federation of Art Societies (Singapore)

• Vice-Chairman for Shicheng Calligraphy and Seal-Carving Society

• 2010-2012 Appointed Assistant Treasurer Kreta Ayer Community Club Management Committee

 

International Appointments:

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• 1995 Appointed “Artistic Consultant” by the Shandong Weifiang International Artistic Committee in Shandong, Chin

• 2001 Director for the Taiwan Chinese Oracle Script Society (Singapore Office)

• 2009 Steering Committee of the First International Calligraphy Carving Festival Korea

 

Competition Judge:

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•  1st Ponggol Secondary & Primary School Calligraphy Competition (8th January 2004)

• Judge for the SAS & Dr Tan Tsze Chor Art Competition 2004 (19th September 2004)

• Judge for the National Calligraphy Competition for Secondary & Primary Schools (13th March 2005)

• Dr Tan Tsze Chor Art Award 2005 cum SAS 56th Annual Exhibition (13th November 2005)

• 2005 National Calligraphy Competition for Nanyang Technology University

• 2006 National Calligraphy Competition for Nanyang Technology University

• 2012 Ulu Pandan Calligraphy Competition

• 2012 Zhang Shou Shi National Secondary and Primary Schools’ Calligraphy Competition, Chung Cheng High School (Main)

• 2012 Wei De Zhi Hai National Pen Brush Calligraphy Competition, Fo Guang Shan (Singapore)

• Year 2012 Hong Wen School CNY Couplets Competition

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Awards:

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• 1975 2nd Place , National Chinese Calligraphy Competition, Singapore

• 1976 1st Place , National Chinese Calligraphy Competition, Singapore

• 1977 1st Place , National Chinese Calligraphy Competition, Singapore

• 1978 Distinction Prize, Chinese Calligraphy Competition, Singapore

• 1978 2nd Prize, UOB Chinese Art Competition, Singapore

• 1979 Tan Kheng Cheow Calligraphy Award

• 1981 Consolation Prize, National Chinese Calligraphy Competition, Singapore

• 1986 Gold Medal, Buddhist Art Competition, Singapore

• 2000 Silver Medal, International Oriental Art Exhibition, Holland

• 2007 Outstanding Award Exhibition in Aichi ,Japan

• 2008 Outstanding Award OAC Exhibition Japan

• 2008 Dr Tan Tsze Chor Art Award for the 59th SAS Annual Exhibition Singapore

• 2009 Outstanding Award Exhibition in Aichi ,Japan

• 2009 Outstanding Award OAC Exhibition, Japan

• 2010 Outstanding Award Exhibition in Aichi ,Japan

• 2010 Outstanding Award OAC Exhibition in Japan

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Selected Solo Exhibitions:

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• 1985 Kuching, Sabah, Malaysia

• 1998 Chicago, USA

• 2006 A Journey In Ink, Singapore

• 2010 Solo Exhibition International Art Fair Seoul,Korea

• 2011 Solo Ceramics Calligraphy Exhibition in Jingdezhen China’s Jiangxi Province

 

Local Selected Collections: 

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•  His Excellency, President S.R. Nathan of Singapore

• United Overseas Bank Group, Singapore

•  Du Pont Singapore Pte Ltd

• American Express

• Gerald Jordan, Associate Professor of History, Faculty of Arts, Toronto-Canada

• Buddhist Cultural Centre, Singapore

• UNICEF

• Hong Leong City Development (on display at Republic Plaza)

• Mr Loh Wing Siew, Director of Keppel Corporation

• Mr & Mrs Leonard, Estee Lauder Cosmetics Pte Ltd

• Confucius Institute-Nanyang Technological University

• National Art Gallery

• National Library Board

 

International Selected Collections:

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• Henan Calligraphy Society, China

• Xinan Calligraphy and Painting Society, Mongolia China

• The Society For The Studies Of Oracle-Bone Inscriptions , Jiangsu China

• The Chinese Oracle Scirpt Society, Taichung Taiwan

• Indonesian Calligraphy Society, Indonesia

• International Oriental Art Institute European Center, Rotterdam Holland

 

Calligraphic Participation:

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• 1986 10th International Calligraphy Exhibition, Korea

• 1987 International Modern Chinese Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition in Henan, China

• 1990 1st  International Chinese Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition, Singapore

• 1992 Asia Invitation Art Exhibition Seoul, Korea

• 1993 International Exhibition of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, China

• 1993 Beijing International Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition Beijing, China

• 1993 Japan-Singapore Calligraphy and Ikebana Cultural Exchange Exhibition, Singapore

• 1993 2nd International Calligraphy Exhibition in Taipei, Taiwan

• 1994 Asia Invitation Art Exhibition Seoul, Korea

• 1995 International Calligraphy Exhibition Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

• 1996 12th International Lanting Calligraphy Exhibtion , Singapore

• 1997 15th Korea Exhibit of Letter Engraving Federation, Korea

• 1997 13th International Lanting Calligraphy Exhibtion Shandong, China

• 1997 2nd International Carving Art Exhibition Tokyo, Japan

• 1998 3rd International Calligraphy Carving Exhibition Wenzhou, China

• 1999 8th International Calligraphy Exhibition Hong Kong

• 1999 15th International Lanting Calligraphy Exhibtion by Korea Lanting Art Society, Korea

• 1999 Korea Exhibit of the International Letter Engraving Federation, Korea

• 1999 China Xian International Calligraphy and Sealcarving Exhibition Xian, China

• 2000 6th China National Arts Festival Jiangsu, China

• 2000 International Pen Calligraphy Cultural Exchange Exhibtion Singapore

• 2000 4th International Korea, China and Singapore Calligraphy Exhibition Korea

• 2002 2nd China (Tientsin) Calligraphy Art Festival Tientsin, China

• 2003 1st International Calligraphy Exhibition Gansu, China

• 2003 “International Calligraphy Exhibition”,by Sun Yet Sen Memorial Hall, Singapore.

• 2004 Calligraphy Exhibition by International Calligraphers Association Taipei,Taiwan

• 2004 Thomson Chinese Cultural Festival, Singapore

• 2006 International Poetic Calligraphy Exhibition in Shandong, China

• 2006 Singapore Miao Hia Chinese Art Society 10th Anniversary Grand Art Exhibition 2006

• 2006 “Praises of Confucius” Calligraphy Exchange by Shicheng Calligraphy and Seal-Carving Society and NTU

• 2006 Thomson Chinese Cultural Festival 2006

• 2007 Busan Calligraphy Biennale, Korea

• 2007 1st Canadian International Calligraphy Exhibition

• 2007 Malaysia-Singapore-China Calligraphy Exhibition, Malaysia

• 2007 SEA Calligraphy Artist Exhibition in Dalian, China

• 2007 “Praises of Confucius” Calligraphy Exchange by Shicheng Calligraphy and Seal-Carving Society and NTU

• 2008 Gwangju Biennale, Asia Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition, Korea

• 2008 The 8th International Calligraphy Exchange Exhibition

• 2008 Chinese Cultural Festival by Geylang West Community Club

• 2008 Asia Pacific Exchange Art Program by Singapore Miao Hia Chinese Art Society

• 2008 Lanting Art Society 20th Anniversary Exhibition

• 2009 Busan Calligraphy Biennale, Korea

• 2009 International Oracle Art Exhibition in China

• 2009 “The Call of Tradition” Exhibition,by Federation of Art Societies (Singapore)

• 2009 CNY Art Exhibition by Shicheng Calligraphy and Seal-Carving Society

• 2010 International Art Fair , Korea

• 2010 4th OAC Exhibition in Japan

• 2010 3rd “Tradition and Modernism” Exhibition, China

• 2010 8th International Artists Exhibition, Taiwan

• 2010 International Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition, Singaopre

• 2010 The Chinese Cultural Festival, Singapore

• 2011 The Sankei 28th International Book Fair, Japan

• 2011 3rd International Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition Asan,Korea

• 2011 “Modern Creative Calligraphy Exhibition” , Singapore

• 2011 Reflections on Cambodia 2011 Exhibition, Singapore

• 2011 Ceramics Calligraphy Exhibition held in Jingdezhen China’s Jiangxi Province

• 2011 Ceramics Calligraphy Exhibition held in MICA Artrium , Singapore

• 2011 Art is a lie – Telok Kurau Studios 14th Annual Exhibition

• 2012 Blossom In Spring – FASS Art Exhibition Singapore

 

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Calligraphic Contributions:

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• 2002 Calligraphy Art Pieces to National Kidney Foundation CNY Fund Raising

• 2006 Calligraphy Art Charity Exhibition by Buddha Tooth Relic Temple (Singapore)

• 2008 Published “Calligraphy In Oracle Scripts by Yong Cheong Thye”

• 2008 Sichuan,China Quake Relief in Malaysia

• 2009 Heart Sutra Woodcarving Exhibition for Fa Hua Monastery Fund Raising

• 2011 Vesak Day Celebration, Buddhist Light Association (Singapore)

• 2011 Volunteered Calligraphy Teacher for Buddhist Welfare Services

• 2011 Volunteered Calligraphy Teacher for Fa Hua Monastery

• 2012 Calligraphy Art Pieces to Nanyang Academy Of Fine Arts CNY Fund Raising