MG Kumar

Heritage & Modernity
Watercolour on Paper
33 x 48 cm

“Heritage & Modernity” is an evocative watercolour piece, showing the timeless charm of Singapore’s architectural heritage meets the towering presence of modern urban life. Kumar captures a vibrant street corner featuring a classic shophouse — its intricate façade, ornate windows, and red-tiled roof lovingly rendered in soft yet expressive washes.

Surrounding the shophouse, the lively street scene brims with human activity: pedestrians stroll, a vintage car adds a nostalgic touch, and a lone cyclist weaves through the frame, grounding the painting in everyday life. Looming in the misty background, abstracted high-rise buildings rise into the pale sky, subtly contrasting with the historic structure below.

The painting beautifully illustrates the dynamic interplay between old and new in contemporary Singapore, inviting viewers to reflect on the city’s evolving identity while celebrating its cultural roots.

Artist Description

MG Kumar, who received his fine arts training at Raja Ravi Verma College of Arts, is an expert at utilising the palette knife to create textured paintings that exquisitely depict the locations and people of Asia. He revitalises historic landscapes and time-honoured customs with his distinctive fusion of realism and impressionism. Kumar’s oil paintings have been displayed all over the world over the past thirty years and are currently found on the walls of homes in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Australia.

Through his paintings of iconic locations that encapsulate the country’s legacy, native artist MG Kumar, who is living in Singapore, has made a significant contribution to the country’s art landscape.

MG Kumar has got support by the National Library Board of Singapore for his active efforts to conserve Singapore heritage via his paintings. He has played a significant role in several of the biggest local artistic events, including the Migrant Writers of Singapore and the Poetry Festival Singapore.