Heart for Art

Many know architect Koh Seow Chuan as an art collector, but he also plays a pivotal role in furthering Singapore art as a cultural leader in philanthropy

- Seng Yu Jin

Born the youngest in a family of 11 children in 1939, Koh Seow Chuan’s formative years were shaped by Singapore’s tumultuous history, from the Second World War to the end of colonial rule, and the country’s merger with Malaysia and eventual independence in 1965. As a child, Koh learnt to embrace the values of trust and frugality, as Singapore was gradually rebuilding from the devastation of the Japanese Occupation. It was during this period of survival that he witnessed how the lack of resources was not an obstacle but instead a driving force for people to innovate. Koh recounts how people in need of money scraped gold‑painted items in their homes to create jewellery for sale, something he observed through his father, who was in the gold bullion trading business.

He started to collect stamps at the age of four instead of throwing them away. In these early years, Koh was also actively engaged in sports, which provided opportunities for valuable life lessons. In billiards, he learnt the importance of anticipating outcomes before taking action: that every move has consequences and that managing people’s reactions was a crucial skill. The need to harmonise one’s breathing when swimming according to different distances taught him to understand his own physical abilities and instilled a winning mentality that led to his success as a champion swimmer while competing for his school.