Dr Ho Kah Leong served as Principal of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts from 1997 to 2003, and was awarded the NAFA Distinguished Alumni Award in 2024.
Having learnt the art of woodcut printmaking in the 1950s, Dr Ho has maintained a lifelong passion for the medium. Over the years, he has witnessed the gradual decline in the popularity of woodcut printmaking in Singapore, particularly following the passing of pioneering artists such as Foo Chee San, Lim Mue Hue and Lim Yew Kwan.

Through this retrospective exhibition, Dr Ho hopes to inspire greater appreciation and renewed interest in woodcut printmaking among younger generations of artists. He also encourages practitioners familiar with the medium to organise more activities, exhibitions and educational initiatives to rejuvenate this important art form in Singapore.

The first section focuses on portraiture.
These works showcase Dr Ho’s distinctive interpretations of individuals from different walks of life, including prominent political figures such as Lee Kuan Yew, Halimah Yacob and Heng Swee Keat. The section also includes portraits of his wife Grace, family members, and close friends such as fellow artists Lee Choon Kee and Tay Chee Toh. These works reveal Dr Ho’s fascination with facial expression and character, as well as his exploration of how woodcut techniques can capture the individuality and emotional depth of each subject.

第一部分以人物肖像为主题，展现何博士对不同人物的独特观察与刻画。
其中包括李光耀、哈莉玛·雅各布及王瑞杰等知名政治人物肖像。此外，也包括其夫人Grace、家人以及艺术界好友如李运启与郑志道等人的肖像作品。这些作品充分展现何博士对人物神态与个性的敏锐观察，以及木刻媒材在刻画人物特征方面的独特表现力。

The second section highlights scenes of manual labour during Singapore’s early nation-building years.
These include workers repairing boats, rubber tappers cycling home after long hours under the hot sun, and labourers unloading and stacking goods in warehouses.
Through these works, Dr Ho pays tribute to ordinary working people whose perseverance and sacrifices contributed to the building of Singapore.

第二部分主要聚焦于新加坡早期劳动人民的生活场景.
包括修补船只的工人、在烈日下割胶后骑自行车返家的胶工，以及在仓库搬运与堆放货物的劳工等。
这些作品大多创作于1950年代，是何博士艺术生涯早期的重要创作。
通过这些作品，他向辛勤劳动、养家糊口的普通人民致敬，同时也以艺术记录了新加坡建国初期的重要社会面貌。

The third section explores Dr Ho’s impressions of modern Singapore.
He created depictions of doctors and nurses working tirelessly in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Through art, he honours the dedication of frontline workers who cared for the community during a difficult period.
He also portrayed passengers on the MRT wearing masks, capturing the everyday realities experienced during the pandemic years.

These works demonstrate Dr Ho’s continued attentiveness to contemporary social issues, even after stepping down from public service.

第三部分则展现何博士对现代新加坡的观察与感受。
其中包括描绘2020年冠状病毒疫情期间，医生与护士在医院中辛勤工作的作品。这些作品体现了何博士即使卸下公共职务后，依然持续关注社会议题，并通过艺术向前线医护人员致敬。

Dr Ho also celebrates Singapore’s achievements.
In a 2025 work titled In Commemoration SG60 纪念新加坡建国60周年, which depicts iconic landmarks such as Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay and Singapore’s modern financial district.
The work reflects both pride in the nation’s progress and optimism for its future.

The fourth section is Dr Ho’s response to the lives of displaced and marginalised communities seeking belonging, and the possibility of renewal.

In one work, migrants huddle together aboard a crowded boat, their uncertain journey evoking the desperation and hope of those forced to seek refuge beyond their homeland.

In another, a group of poorly dressed children gather joyfully around a single mobile phone, capturing a fleeting moment of happiness despite their difficult circumstances.

In Where Is My Home, a family of three accompanied by their dog stands before a barren landscape and crumbling buildings, confronting the fragility of shelter and stability.

Although Dr Ho lives and works in Singapore — a society largely removed from the immediate realities of war, displacement, and humanitarian catastrophe — his works reveal a deep empathy for the struggles of disadvantaged communities around the world.

Through these images, he reflects on universal human experiences of loss, resilience, hope, and the enduring search for a place to call home.

第四部分 何家良博士将目光投向流离失所与社会边缘群体的生活状态，关注他们对于尊严、归属感以及重新开始的渴望。
其中一件作品描绘了一群移民挤在船上，在未知的旅途中漂泊，令人联想到那些被迫离开家园、跨越边境寻求庇护的人们，既充满无助，也怀抱希望。
另一件作品中，一群衣着简朴的孩子围绕着一名举起手机自拍的孩子，虽然生活条件艰苦，却依然流露出纯真的快乐与温暖。
而在《我的家在哪里》一作中，一家三口与他们的狗站在荒芜的土地前，前方是破败的建筑，映照出人们对于家园、安稳与身份认同的迷惘与追寻。

Spanning more than six decades of artistic practice, this exhibition offers not only a retrospective of Dr Ho Kah Leong’s achievements in woodcut printmaking, but also a poignant visual chronicle of Singapore’s social and cultural transformation.

Through portraits, scenes of labour, and contemporary reflections, Dr Ho’s works remind us of the enduring power of art to document history, celebrate humanity, and inspire future generations. This exhibition stands as both a tribute to a master printmaker and a call to preserve and revitalise the rich tradition of woodcut art in Singapore.