Kwan Shan Mei
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Wong Fang Yan (1922 – 8 May, 2012), better known by her pseudonym Kwan Shan Mei, was a Chinese-born Singaporean artist. She is most well-known for her illustrations in childrens' books and textbooks, including the Mooty the Mouse series and the Ministry of Education's Primary Pilot Project (PPP) series.
Early life and career
Kwan was born Wong Fang Yan in Jining, China. Influenced by her politician father who was an avid art collector, she was an understudy for the artist and prominent cartoonist Chow Han Mei in Shanghai for a year.[1]
From 1949, she worked as an illustrator in Hong Kong for Chinese publications, including the Sing Tao Daily, where she was a cartoonist. [2]
Career in Singapore
She arrived in Singapore in 1963, starting her career as Chief Figure Artist for the now dissolved Far East Publishing Company.[3]
In 1970, she moved on to illustrate for the Nanyang Siang Pau (Singapore), creating the complementary drawings of Chinese beauties for Chinese classical poems.
She then joined the Educational Publications Bureau, where she illustrated the covers of the PPP readers for Primary One.[4]
Outside of book illustration, she also designed costumes for the Ministry of Culture's National Dance Company in their Monkey God production.[5]
In 1980, she created the drawings made into teakwood carvings that formed the centerpieces of the Dynasty Hotel (now the Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel). Her previous experience in illustrating Chinese tales led to her being chosen to draw the panels of various Chinese legends.[6]
From 1984, Kwan joined the National Academy of Fine Arts, teaching illustration until her retirement in 1999. She remained a freelance illustrator for various publishers in Singapore before she moved to Vancouver, Canada.[7]
Her success as a Singaporean childrens' book illustrator has been noted to be rare, with the Mooty the Mouse and Moongate series being the only series to "make a splash" among readers, according to then National Library children's services co-ordinator Perumbulavil Vasini.[8]
Death and legacy
Kwan died on 12 May 2012, having taken a fall a few months prior.[9]
Awards
For her illustrations in the Moongate series, Kwan received an honourable mention in the 1973 Biennial of Illustration Bratislava. Locally, she won the two gold and and one silver medal in the Best Designed Book category in the Singapore Festival of books over 1974 and 1975.[10] In 1976, she was the inaugural recipient of the Singapore Book Council's Book Award in the Children's Books category.[11] In 1980, she was also awarded with the Grand Prize at the 2nd Noma Concours.
She was posthumously inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame in 2021 for her contributions to Singapore's arts and culture industry as a "pioneering illustrator". [9][11]
Illustrated Works
- Moongate Collection - Tales from the Orient series (1972 – 1983), retold by Chia Hearn Chek
- Folk Rhymes of China (1981), translated by Zhou Bianming and edited by Judy Kong [12]
- Animal Antics series, by Telma Robin[13]
References
- ^ Tan, Ban Huat (13 July 1979). "Flair and practice make Madam Kwan a top illustrator". The Straits Times. p. 1.
- ^ Li, Yi Jun (7 May 2021). "词画关山美". Sin Chew Daily.
- ^ "More staff for F.E.P. as the firm expands". The Straits Times. 29 May 1965. p. 5.
- ^ "Primary Pilot Project". Singapore Graphic Archives.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Chan, Margaret (30 June 1978). "Towards a S'pore identity..." New Nation. p. 19.
- ^ Tang, Geraldine (3 June 1980). "In grand style". The Straits Times. p. 3.
- ^ "Kwan Shan Mei: Drawing From The Heart 关山美：以心动笔". Asian Festival of Children's Content 2018. Singapore Book Council. 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Perumbulavil, Vasini (19 October 2000). "PERUMBULAVIL, Vilasini (Mrs)" (Interview). Singapore: National Archives of Singapore.
- ^ a b "KWAN SHAN MEI". Singapore Women's Hall of Fame. Singapore Council of Women's Organisations.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Tan, Florence (28 February 1976). "AUTHORS MUST REACH OUT". New Nation. p. 9.
- ^ a b Menon, Malavika (8 March 2021). "Seven women inducted into Singapore Women's Hall of Fame". The Straits Times.
- ^ Chow, Sook Yin (9 September 1981). "Pictures charm where words fail". The Straits Times. p. 1.
- ^ "Of immigrant tales and animal frolics". The Straits Times. 6 September 1986. p. 28.