Yeo Hoe Koon (b. 1935, Hainan, China) is one of Singapore’s most distinguished second-generation modernist artists, whose career spanning more than seven decades has contributed significantly to the development of abstract art and modern painting in Singapore and the region. Over more than seventy years of artistic practice, he has built a distinctive body of work that bridges Eastern philosophy and Western modernism, helping to shape Singapore’s post war artistic landscape.
Yeo immigrated to Malaysia during the Second World War and later moved to Singapore in his youth to pursue his aspiration of becoming an artist. From 1955 to 1957, he studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), where he received rigorous foundational training under pioneering Nanyang masters Liu Kang, Chen Wen Hsi, Cheong Soo Pieng, and Georgette Chen. The teachings of these pioneering artists laid the foundation for a lifelong pursuit of experimentation, artistic rigour and cross-cultural expression. In 1959, at the recommendation of Georgette Chen, Yeo furthered his studies in Paris at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, where he deepened his engagement with Western modernism whilst expanding his artistic horizons through exposure to Europe’s leading artistic movements. Between 1965 and 1968, he undertook an extensive study tour across Europe to further refine his creative philosophy and artistic direction.
Yeo's works are recognised for their lyrical abstraction and expressive use of colour, light and form. Drawing from both Chinese cultural traditions and Western artistic influences, he developed a distinctive visual language that remains uniquely his own. Across oil, acrylic and Chinese ink, his works reflect a lifelong commitment to innovation, experimentation and artistic excellence.
Since his debut solo exhibition in Paris at Gallery Horizon in 1961, Yeo has presented more than 100 solo exhibitions internationally and participated in over 80 group exhibitions worldwide. Among his most notable solo exhibitions are Long March Since 1955 at Echo Art Galerie, Singapore (2008), Illumination at DLR Gallery, Singapore (2011) and later at NAFA (2022), Indulgence: The Art of Yeo Hoe Koon at Museum of Contemporary Art Singapore (2016), and Looking Back, Forging Ahead! at Haihui Art Gallery and ION Art Gallery in 2021 and 2024 respectively. His exhibitions in Xiamen, China, including Love of Kulangsu at the Tan Kah Kee Memorial Museum and the Kulangsu Gallery of Foreign Artefacts from the Palace Museum Collection in 2019, further reflected his international artistic presence.
His group exhibitions include participation in the Salon d’Automne in Paris (1960), the Salon des Artistes Français at the Grand Palais in Paris (1986 and 1987), Pont des Arts: Nanyang Artists in Paris at the Singapore Art Museum (1994), and the Beijing Olympic Expo (2017). His enduring artistic influence is further reflected not only in these exhibitions, but also in the presence of his works in major public, institutional, and corporate collections across Singapore and the region.
His works are represented in the permanent collections of major public, institutional, and corporate organisations, including the Singapore Art Museum, National Gallery Singapore, NUS Museum, Singapore Airlines, United Overseas Bank, DBS Bank, Monetary Authority of Singapore, the National Art Gallery Malaysia, Maybank, the Brunei Istana, and Xiamen University.
In recognition of his outstanding artistic achievements and lasting contributions to modern art and cultural development in Singapore, Yeo is being conferred the 2026 NAFA Distinguished Alumni Award.