Liew Choong Ching is back with figurative paintings in ‘Tropical Reflections’ and TUNG ENG SWEE comes away suitably impressed.
AFTER his last solo venture into painting frangipanis and flames of the forest in Voices of Nature, Liew Choong Ching is back at doing what he does best — figurative painting.
In Tropical Reflections , 32-year-old Liew invites us to journey from Jah Hut villages in Jerantut, to the fishing villages of Kelantan and Terengganu,and Bali.
Liew’s signature strokes, using a small palette knife and employing earthy tones, are all there.
He not only brings out the expressions of his subjects as they go about their daily routine, but also exposes the features of the surrounding objects quite realistically ...the boats, cradle, straw hats, sarongs hung out to dry.
Take for instance, the fisherman’s straw hat in his piece entitled Under the Shadow 3, which was completed days before the exhibition opened at Badan Warisan in Kuala Lumpur.
The paint was still wet when it went on display that a gallery attendant was on duty to caution viewers against touching a very realistic looking hat.
Liew shows good mastery of tonal values in most of the pieces, particularly those in his Balinese series.
Legong Dancer 1 depicts a young dancer standing by the doorway to an ancient temple.
The slivers of sunlight coming from the roof accentuate the intricate designs on her attire, enhancing her deep introspective mood.
The Legong Dancer 1 took Liew close to five years to complete and is the largest piece being exhibited.
But capturing just what the eyes see is not what Liew is sharp at. His keen sense for detail is seen in many of the pieces as he weaves subliminal tales of the subjects’ daily lives and environment.
Symphony of the Sea Shore, which shows a boy blowing a tune from his cupped palms by the seaside, exudes an air of romance.
Anyone who has grown up in a the village would at once recognise what the boy was doing — imitating the call of the spotted dove (burung terkukur).
In A Child’s Dream which features a Jah Hut baby sleeping in a sarong cradle, Liew captures the innocence of a baby as it drifts into sleep and gives us a glimpse into the mechanics of the buai or sarong cradle.
Notice how the sarong is wrapped around the cradle hook. This is how the height of the cradle from the floor is adjusted quickly and without dismantling the buai.
The joy of childhood is perhaps best captured in Childhood with Star Fruits where two boys clutch starfruits and look contentedly from the window of their wooden house.
A staunch Buddhist, none of Liew’s East Coast series show fishermen with their catch although there are no shortage of fishing boats.
Liew said he does not paint subjects that depict or even suggest the taking of lives because of his beliefs.
Mentakab-born Liew is now based in Penang. An alumni member of the Kuala Lumpur College of Art, he has been a full-time artist since 1999.
He has participated in more than eight group shows and had done three solos to date, inclusive of his current show.
Tropical Reflections can be viewed at Badan Warisan (2, Jalan Stonor). Exhibition Hours: Mon-Sat, 10am-5.30pm. Closed Sunday and public holidays. Closed Sunday and public holidays. Ends Oct 28. Call 03-21449273, e-mail info@badanwarisan.org.my or fax 03-21457884.
