In this mesmerising piece, Tew Nai Tong captures two distinct personas through a vivid interplay of colour. The birdcages in the background allude to the idea of home – a place of belonging. Positioned closely beside one another, the two sisters suggest a deeply bonded relationship, through shared experiences and memories.
Nai Tong returned to Malaysia and had his first solo at the British Council in Kuala Lumpur in 1964, the year he won 2nd Prize in the Chartered Bank mural design competition. He furthered his studies at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts (1967-1968). The 1980s saw him winning several awards including the Shell Best Award (watercolour, 1981), Esso Best Award (1982) and Dunlop Best Award (watercolour, 1983). He taught at various art academies namely the Malaysian Institute of Art (1969-1980), Central Academy of Art (1982-1985) and the Saito Academy of Art (1986-1988) before he decided to go full time in 1992. In 2007, he had a major survey exhibition at the National Art Gallery Malaysia, called Odyssey. In 2009, he won the Asia Art Award in Seoul, South Korea.