An exhibition of artworks that stirs your soul and uplifts your spirit

It may very well be that artworks done in the more traditional style have had their time in the limelight, what with contemporary works being the current superstars of the art market. But even so, no one can deny the inherent appeal of classical paintings — these works are simply beautiful to behold.

In the exhibition Forte — Mere Beauty, at The Gallery @ Starhill, beauty is the common denominator in the 24 works by Malaysian artists who are prominent representatives of classical realism or traditionalist painting. Lau Wai Leng, Lui Cheng Thak, Lim Kok Peng, Lim Ah Cheng, Soon Lai Wai, Jack Ting, Ting Cho Chien and Eston Tan are all established artists who have been full-time painters for at least 10 years. Calling themselves Regroup, the eight artists were brought together by their shared love for painting and decided they wanted to put up a show together.

“All of them exude a sense of beauty in their works, versus some shocking paintings or those that dismantle the subject matter,” says Liew Chin Chin, gallery owner and curator for the show. “These works trigger your memory, draw you back [to a time in the past] and at the same time give you a warm feeling in your heart.”

There is no overarching theme that links the works, as the artists were free to choose their respective subject matters. “Each one has his or her forte... I told them you should paint whatever you wanted to but never had the opportunity,” says Liew. “One challenge I gave them was to push their limits, to do something different from what they’re used to doing.” In other words, to get out of their comfort zones and try doing something new.

Liew points to Jack Ting’s semi-figurative abstract acrylic work on the wall and reveals that the artist used to paint in oil. “But this one he paints in acrylic, and the process is a lot faster. As a result, you feel the movement, the gush of energy.” Another is Lui, who paints old buildings and usually does a wide panoramic view. But for the exhibition, he has zoomed in on his subject matter to paint works with a breadth of details. Lui employs the impressionist style, giving the works a charming old-fashioned quality.

Another artist who paints works with a muted, antique-like quality is Kok Peng, whose series of Chinese rice bowls and chopsticks still-lives, though deceivingly simple in depiction, are full of symbolism and meaning. One of the pieces depicts nine bowls, eight of which have bright red roosters on them, and one with blue flowers. An ocean of space separates the bowls from just one pair of chopsticks at the bottom.

He shares that the bowls represent people, and the chopsticks opportunity. The rooster bowls are too busy running around to see the chopsticks, but that isn’t so with the blue floral-print bowl. It sees the opportunity there and is awaiting the time to grab hold of it.

In stark contrast to Kok Peng’s contemplative works are those by Lau. She uses vivid and opulent colours to depict labouring women, every detail intricately and beautifully illustrated. Lau shares that this series is an evolution from her market series of women working behind stalls and counters in a wet market. Women are still her focus in her new series, but she has taken them outdoors into the fields.

“My paintings all deal with the woman figure. I feel that women are stronger than men on the inside, and I’m proud to be a woman,” says Lau.

Lau paints the hands and feet of these women disproportionately larger than their bodies. “They are ladies used to hard labour, and usually working ladies have rough hands and feet,” she explains.

Another artist in the exhibition who also paints highly detailed works in bright colours is Cho Chien, while Ah Cheng’s series of galloping horses is set against a lush red background. The strong, bold brush strokes he employs evoke a sense of power and might.

Three artists in the exhibition veer towards more abstract styles. Tan’s paintings of cityscapes, with their swirls and dots, express a lyricism that is effervescent. Spotted amidst Jack’s energetic strokes are his signature hornbill feathers that he says represent Sarawak, the state he was born in.

For Soon, the lotus plant has been his point of exploration for some time now, and he combines Oriental art philosophy with Western oil painting. His new series mixes watercolours and oil, and he shares that his move to a more abstract expression was a gradual process. Abstract works give viewers more room to form their own interpretation, he says.

The artist reveals that this series reflects a particularly lonely time in his life, and the colours in the works mirror that. The lotus plants are painted against a dreary backdrop of browns and greys. Coupled with the use of bold strokes, the effect is one of emotiveness.

“An artist’s work is very simple — just try to bring beauty so that people can stop for a short while, go into your world and share in the artwork,” says Soon. The body of diverse works in this exhibition allows viewers to do just that.  

Forte — Mere Beauty runs from Sept 1 to Sept 30 at The Gallery @ Starhill, Muse Floor, Starhill Gallery. Admission is free. For more information, call (03) 2143 3323.

This article appeared in Options, the lifestyle pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 770, Aug 31-Sep 6, 2009.