Tew Nai Tong’s celebrated series featuring female rubber tappers conveys a theme closely intertwined with the socio-economic fabric of Malaya. Drawing from his upbringing on a rubber estate, the artist conveys a profound respect for these women, whose labour has contributed to the growth of the rubber industry. Beginning their labour before dawn and returning with buckets of latex carried on poles, their daily routines reflect endurance and resilience. Framed by towering vertical rubber trees, the graceful forms of the female rubber tappers carrying their loads are rendered with remarkable sensitivity.