Chua Mia Tee is one of Singapore’s leading realist painter, often known for his oil paintings, which portray Singapore’s culture. Having grown up during Singapore’s tumultuous years, his early paintings reflect nationalistic concerns that occupied Singapore during our early years. More specifically, his artist style has been called Social Realism, a school of art that responds to the industrial revolution and urbanisation, focusing more on working class realities. Many of Singapore’s social realists blended anti-colonial sentiment, nationalist aspirations and socialist concerns in various proportions in their work.

Chua believes that realistic art helps audiences to understand and identify with the work more easily, thus allowing the art to have more meaning and greater impact on viewers. To him, realistic art is not merely about recording what an artist sees, but it is the artist 's ability to distill the essence of a subject and to present its beauty, in a new composition, for others to enjoy. He also believes that his work plays an important role in fostering cultural exchanges and international understanding.

“Singapore is undergoing rapid social changes, so are her people’s way of life. A painting can stand the test of time only when it mirrors the life and outlook of the people at a particular era.” – Chua Mia Tee

National Language Class is one of Chua Mia Tee’s most iconic paintings. It captures an important stage of Singapore’s history where nationalist