NEWS
Beyond Assets: Reimagining Art Inheritance
Held at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, the Art Heritage High Tea concluded on a high note, bringing together diverse perspectives on cultural legacy and innovation.
Singapore, 11 April 2026 — The Art Inheritance High Tea Private, themed “The Artist, The Guardian and The Innovator,” was successfully held at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore. Organized by the Nanyang Succession Centre of Excellence, the event brought together high-net-worth individuals, art practitioners, and heritage custodians for an afternoon of meaningful exchange on art inheritance.
As the final instalment of the Centre’s three-part “Inheritance” series—following sessions on jewellery inheritance and the grand reunion dinner—the event focused on how artistic legacies can be preserved, reinterpreted, and carried forward across generations.
The event was hosted by veteran television presenter Donna Gao, whose professional delivery set a refined tone for the programme. Melvyn Goh, Co-Founder and Director of the Nanyang Succession Centre of Excellence, delivered the opening address, marking the conclusion of the series and reaffirming the Centre’s continued commitment to advancing conversations on cultural legacy and succession.
Through keynote sharing, personal experiences, and cross-disciplinary dialogue, the session explored themes such as family art stewardship, innovation in traditional craftsmanship, and the evolving role of guardianship in preserving cultural heritage. The event provided guests with a private, professional, and intellectually engaging platform for discussion.
Event Highlights: Three Next-Generation Perspectives
- The Guardian
A journey from accountant to steward of over 1,000 works of artistic heritage. - The Artist
A modern interpretation of an 800-year-old art form dating back to the Yuan dynasty, featuring works that recreate layered, torn calligraphy and paintings with striking realism. - The Innovator
A perspective on integrating artistic discipline and cultural cultivation into engineering, health and innovation.
At the event, three invited speakers, including one from Beijing, delivered insightful presentations, highlighting the depth, significance, and contemporary relevance of artistic heritage through personal experience and lived testimony.
The first guest, Ms. Low Sok Leng, daughter of Mr. Liu Haihong, a second-generation artist of Singapore’s Nanyang School, shared her transition from a professional accountant to a custodian of artistic heritage.
In her sharing, Ms. Low recounted her remarkable journey, from a senior professional accountant to a devoted steward of artistic heritage. This transition, she emphasized, was not motivated by material gain, but by an unwavering commitment to preserving her father’s artistic legacy while continuing his creative vision.
During the session, Ms. Low became visibly emotional as she spoke of her father’s lifelong dedication. Her sincerity and deep affection struck a chord with the audience, creating a profoundly moving atmosphere. Reflecting on the thousands of works her father left behind, she described them not only as the culmination of his artistic life, but also as the result of years of collective sacrifice and support from the entire family. Such a legacy, she stressed, must never be overlooked or forgotten.
Driven by this conviction, Ms. Low has taken on the meticulous work of cataloguing, restoring, preserving, and promoting her father’s complete body of work. Her efforts aim not only to safeguard a personal legacy, but also to contribute to the broader continuity and recognition of Singapore’s local art heritage.
Guest The Guardian, LOW SOK LENG sharing her testimony with tv anchor Donna Gao
Mr. Gu Kang of China studied traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy from a young age under the guidance of his aunt, Professor Kang Shoushan, a direct disciple of the renowned modern art master Xu Beihong and a senior art educator at Tsinghua University. Her teaching and artistic lineage were grounded in a well-established and clearly documented tradition.
Raised within this distinguished artistic lineage, Gu has devoted decades to the practice of calligraphy, continuing the second generation of the Xu Beihong–Kang Shoushan legacy. Alongside his artistic pursuits, he brings a multidisciplinary background, having served as the chief designer of the sound system for the National Speed Skating Oval, the “Ice Ribbon,” the main venue of the Winter Olympics, while also engaging extensively in the health and wellness field.
At the event, he spoke on the concept of “the common origin of calligraphy and medicine,” integrating traditional artistic practice with modern engineering and holistic health philosophies. He also shared his intention to internationalise his work at the intersection of art and health, offering a compelling and multidimensional perspective on the contemporary evolution of art and calligraphy.
Ms. Feng Jing, a third-generation inheritor of Jin Hui Dui, a recognized form of Chinese intangible cultural heritage, has devoted her practice to the excavation, preservation, and contemporary rearticulation of this rare artistic tradition.
At the salon, she elegantly traced the historical lineage of Jin Hui Dui, interweaving it with intimate accounts of her family’s multigenerational stewardship and their enduring ties with leading figures in the art world. Grounded in the discipline of traditional form and cultural essence, her work extends into contemporary expression, where design innovation and immersive handcraft experiences converge to recontextualize heritage for modern life.
In a specially curated interactive segment, guests engaged closely with the craft, gaining a heightened, tactile understanding of its quiet sophistication and relevance in today’s cultural landscape.
The event also marked a new milestone for the local art scene. Dickson Wang, a serial art entrepreneur in art education, art materials, and art galleries, officially announced the launch of U+ Gallery, unveiling a new space dedicated to exhibiting both local and international artworks, as well as facilitating collection exchange and art education.
Located within Singapore’s Arts & Heritage District, Stamford Arts Centre is a multidisciplinary arts space managed by Arts House Limited, a Singapore government-owned arts facility . The centre serves as a hub for artistic development and collaboration, bringing traditional arts closer to the community.
At the close of the event, other distinguished guests, Ms. Dan Hong, Director of the Xu Beihong Art Museum in Singapore, and Mr. Andrew Tjioe, President & CEO of the TungLok Group and a seasoned art collector, added perspectives on the theme.
Director Dan Hong congratulated the organizers on the successful conclusion of the private art heritage gathering. She affirmed the event’s significance in promoting the inheritance of heritage art and cross-border exchange. She also expressed appreciation for the organizers’ dedication to cultural preservation and their efforts in creating a platform for artistic exchange between China and Singapore.
Andrew spoke from his dual perspective as a seasoned art collector and entrepreneur, sharing insights into his personal and family collecting journey, which spans an estimated 3,000 pieces. He also commended the organizers for delivering an event of exceptional professionalism and cultural significance.
He highlighted the event’s rich and diverse content, which encompassed family art heritage, innovation in intangible cultural heritage, and the preservation of classical painting and calligraphy traditions. The presentations were both compelling and insightful, demonstrating the depth of traditional culture while exploring new directions for artistic inheritance innovation. Andrew added that such high-quality art exchange initiatives play an important role in promoting art collecting, fostering cultural continuity, and supporting the broader development of cultural heritage.
Attendees engaged in in-depth discussions on the practical significance, implementation pathways, and future directions of cultural heritage preservation, generating many valuable insights. Melvyn Goh expressed sincere gratitude to the supporting organizations, School of Arts, Science & Technology, Nanyang Institute of Management, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, G20YEA (Family Business Group) Singapore, AUG9 International Pte Ltd, and Art Legacy Steward.
Melvyn added that the center will continue to focus on nurturing the next generation of family business leaders, with emphasis on family entrepreneurship, AI transformation, philanthropy, family office management, and alternative investments, including art inheritance.
This is an initiative by Nanyang Succession Centre of Excellence.