[1] He began his career as a press attaché for the French Embassy in Singapore, after graduating with a degree in English literature from the university.

It was only when the then–French Embassy cultural attaché Michel Deverge threatened to end their friendship if he did not pursue his art again, that Tan resume painting.

[3] Tan has been recognised as Singapore's most expensive artist after he sold his oil-and-acrylic painting, When the Moon Is Orbed, for approximately S$3.7m at an auction in Beijing in 2012.

In 2014, he surpassed his previous record after his ink on rice paper work entitled Portrait of Bada Shanren sold for S$4.4m.

[4] In October 2014, Tan completed a painting of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and his late wife Kwa Geok Choo entitled A Couple.