Text of the Label:

Ng Eng Teng
(b. 1934, Singapore; d. 2001, Singapore)
Mother and Child
1996
Bronze
Gift of the artist's family
Collection of National Gallery Singapore

Mother and Child reflects Ng Eng Teng's central interest in the human form and its expressive.possibilities. He once said that his main inspiration was "humanity, or life itself", and his works often draw on familial relationships to explore the human condition.

Over the years, Ng created many variations on the theme of parent and child such as this, experimenting with different compositions, materials and dimensions.

Here, the mother's large hands support and hold the child protectively close. The child's upright position, however, suggests its potential for growth and independence. The sculpture's sinuous, rounded forms are offset by the opposing angles of the mother’s arm, hair and feet, creating a balanced tension that reflects the subtle dualities of Ng's work.

One of Singapore's foremost sculptors, Ng was awarded the Cultural Medallion for Visual Arts in 1981. He studied painting at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, then trained in ceramics in the United Kingdom. Upon returning to Singapore in 1966, Ng set up his own workshop and studio to practice art full-time. Today, his work is held in important public and private collections around the world.