Kow Deon

Biography

Born in Malaysia, Kow Deon moved to Singapore with her family at the age of three. Her early immersion in art and culture was shaped by her late father’s collection of calligraphy, painting, and Chinese antiques, which nurtured a deep appreciation for traditional aesthetics from a young age. After leaving school, Kow Deon studied watercolor and ink painting, and in the 1980s she committed to ink as her primary medium. Her work is recognized for its powerful brushwork and bold, distilled compositions, reflecting a contemporary approach grounded in classical Chinese ink traditions. She graduated from the Chinese Ink Painting Research Class at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1986. Kow Deon has exhibited widely in Singapore and internationally, receiving multiple awards and critical recognition. From 1976 to 2025, she participated in the National Day Art Exhibition and has remained actively involved in annual exhibitions and international exchange shows organized by art groups. Her practice represents a sustained and evolving contribution to modern and contemporary Chinese ink painting.