CALL it the ultimate fan tribute.

Painter Raymond Lau has created 23 portraits of his mentor, multidisciplinary artist and Cultural Medallion recipient Tan Swie Hian, depicting the latter's achievements and personality.

The series of paintings, called A Painterly Dissertation On Tan Swie Hian, are on show at the Tan Swie Hian Museum in Sims Avenue till April 1.

Incidentally, the works have all been bought by Lau's friend, businessman Ching Ling Seow, 37, for an undisclosed sum. He could not be contacted for an interview.

Lau, 39, a 2001 Young Artist Award recipient, says he regards Tan as a friend and mentor.

The artist, who suffers from Tourette's Syndrome, a neurological disorder marked by involuntary facial tics and sounds, says: "It's a challenge to myself to paint such a famous artist and to experiment with so many styles."

He started his first portrait of Tan in 2004, and took another two years to complete the rest. Tan posed for some of them.

The titles alone tell the story of Lau's admiration, and his "playfulness", which he says is necessary to capture the senior artist.

There is the realistic work called National Treasure, where a large heroic Tan, painted blue, lies against a backdrop of skyscrapers. Descending from the sky are parachutes.

In the semi-surreal Tan Swie Hian Discovers Young Talents, Tan's face is in profile in the foreground, while four babies crawl in the back.

Lau also toys with Pop art in a series of four portraits called Portrait Of Four Monochromes, where Tan is painted in flat colours and a stylised manner.

"People can say that I'm currying favour, but I can idolise who I like," Lau says. "He is an artist who has won international awards and is worthy of my admiration."

Tan, 64, says he is honoured to have a young artist paint him.

He adds: "I have taken care of Raymond very well. He is a talent though he is not very lucky in life. He is suffering and yet he still gets pushed around."

The two have known each other for more than 10 years. Both have studios in the Telok Kurau Studios, a space rented out to artists, in Telok Kurau Lorong J.

Lau has run into trouble several times. In 2006, he had a police case against him - filed by an unnamed artist tenant - for entering a woman's toilet. The case was dropped.

Last year, someone loosened the nuts on the left rear tyre of his van, which was parked at the Studios. Tan's studio also had four glass windows smashed in. The police are still investigating these cases.

A painting in the series refers to these trials. In Justice Bao Of The Telok Kurau Studios, Tan is dressed in the robes of the mythical Chinese magistrate, to symbolise Lau's perception of him as a peacekeeper.

He says: "I know my condition affects people sometimes, because I keep making a lot of noise. But I can't help it. I'm already unfortunate enough, so please be understanding.

"Tan has stood up for me all this time."

A Painterly Dissertation On Tan Swie Hian is on at the Tan Swie Hian Museum, 460 Sims Avenue, till April 1. Opening hours are 10am to 6pm from Mondays to Fridays, and the museum is closed on weekends and public holidays. Admission is free.