In this painting is a pair of doves that represent Dr. Wee and Mrs. Wee. In an interview 57 years into their marriage, both of them highlighted patience and compromise as the secrets to a lasting marriage. His give-and-take philosophy surfaced when he joked, “you live together for so long, you must be like Bugs Bunny. You win some, you lose some.”
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and his cabinet gifted this painting to Dr. and Mrs. Wee on the occasion of their 60th wedding anniversary in 1996. The artist, Choo Keng Kwang, was a prominent Singaporean painter known for his works portraying birds. He would often paint doves and pigeons as ambassadors of peace, engaging in calm co-existence and dialogue. This symbolism is a clear reflection of Dr. and Mrs. Wee’s shared roles in diplomacy and cultural ambassadorship in over two decades of public service.