Trishaw Rider - The Background

The trishaw is parked in front of a green painted wall. The left side of the painting predominantly features slender horizontal lines and is grass green in colour. From the bottom to the middle of the right side of the painting, thick lines depict a darker green. The texture of the oil painting makes it challenging to distinguish whether this darker area is due to the shadows or if the bottom part of the wall progressively darkens in colour.

The upper right of the tactile has several rows of patterns. From the top, the horizontal rectangle with a thin outline of triangle patterns is presumably a window with a yellow frame. Below it, circle patterns represent a brick wall exposed behind the painted facade. Does this indicate the wall is in disrepair, reflecting the struggles of the working class at the time? Or is it unfinished, symbolising Singapore’s rapid urban transformation in the 1960s?

What remains certain is that the background is filled with deep shades of green and red, contrasting sharply with the brighter colours of the trishaw. This contrast draws attention to the trishaw rider, emphasising his carefree moment of music and self-expression amidst the challenges of daily life.