THE word “en plein air” refers to a manner of painting that’s done on site, as opposed to that done in the studio. Believed to have begun in the mid-19th century in France, plein air paintings, unlike sketching, are finished works in their own right. Spontaneous strokes capture the artist’s response to the subject before him and the resulting painting is usually full of character, which makes it so fresh unlike studio works which are often planned and have a more controlled result.
This very challenging manner of painting requires an artist’s mastery of his medium and an artistic eye that can pick up the nuances around the subject in order to capture its spirit. It’s similar to what a camera does except that the artistic licence is used to focus entirely on the subject, omitting what’s unnecessary.
Art lovers are in for a treat if they take a wander down to the University Malaya Art Gallery, KL. The gallery is currently hosting the exhibition, Different Strokes, which showcases the works of three artists working in watercolour. Chow Chin Chuan and Yong Look Lam, both 56, and Tang Mun Kian, 49, are collectively showing the works they’ve done over recent years in various parts of the country and overseas.
For the uninitiated, Chow is famed for his “bicycle” series while Yong is known for his fishing boats. Both are full-time artists. Meanwhile, Tang, who is a creative director at a design firm, paints mostly cityscapes.
The trio have been meeting up over the weekends to paint. Their subjects are gleaned from busy streets to rustic villages captured in quick strokes and lively colours depicting the artists’ impressions of the subject they capture on site, en plein air.
LURE OF THE OUTDOORS
Painting outdoor, says Yong, is part of the journey to becoming a good artist. “Impressionist Cezanne once said that nature is the best teacher and the painter must get close to nature by painting outdoor to gain inspiration. No doubt skills and materials are important but an artist learns best by doing it outdoor.”
The biggest challenge that this Seremban-based artist faces is how to derive a good composition and capture the nuances of light on the subject. “You need patience and to improve you have to paint more and more,” he shares, adding: “Today, more artists are going outdoors to paint whether locally or crossing borders. This is a good development for art as well as for artistic communication.”
Through painting plein air, Yong has also made friends who are not artists. Showing his piece of a Minangkabau house in Negri Sembilan, he confides that he had been to the site of the old house to paint its unique architecture.
“I’ve also taken many Singaporean artists to paint this house whose owner is believed to have come from a royal lineage,” he shares.
“There was a time when we were caught in a downpour while painting here and the owner of the house graciously invited us into his premises and served us tea. He even showed us his art and craft collection. His family is so hospitable and he has since become a friend.”
Yong’s plein air painting adventures have taken him overseas too. Smiling, he tells me that his most memorable trip was to paint at Huize, Yunnan, China. “I was invited to paint at the Shiban Village in Huize. This was a small village of about 15 families comprising senior citizens.”
The houses, he recalls, were built of stones entirely, including the roofs. To reach the village, he had to travel through mountain paths. “This village was precariously located high in the mountains and throughout the trip we literally had our hearts in our mouths,” shares Yong.
Enthusiastically, he adds: “I discovered that although the local government had built free houses for these families on the lower section of the mountain, the senior folks chose to stay in the old Shiban Village. If not for that journey up the mountain, I would not have known that such a wonderful place exists.”
BEAUTY OF THE URBANSCAPE
Meanwhile, Tang, who paints whenever he can find the time, is more interested in capturing the urban landscape on his canvas. One of his favourite pieces in the show is the view he captured underneath the LRT track that snakes through Jalan Tun Perak.
“It was a Sunday morning and I was looking for a subject to paint. This scene caught my eye, standing out from the noise and traffic,” he recalls, adding: “I wanted to capture the spontaneity of the moment and the rhythm of life picking up that morning. Working in a deliberate but economical manner, and using a limited colour scheme, I got down to composing the scene and capturing what I saw and completed it in just 90 minutes.” The result was Interchange (53x38cm) which depicts the view beneath the monorail station.
For Chow, it is buildings that are closest to his heart. “Buildings have a history and through time, its character will become more interesting. When painting them, I try to capture their vibrant spirit.”
Outdoor painting, says Chow, is getting more popular around the world. “There are groups that go out for outdoor painting or sketching sessions. It promotes an artistic culture and appreciation of the things we see around us. It’s also a healthy activity.”
For someone who has been bringing students outdoors to sketch and paint since the 1990s, Chow feels that the outdoor plein air artist’s greatest challenges are the weather and the atmosphere that surround the subject, which can sometimes be quite overwhelming.
“I think all these can be overcome if one is not afraid to give it a try and take on a subject, however complex it is,” he says, before concluding earnestly: “When you’re confident in what you’re doing, and by doing it often, it will come easily and naturally.”
WHAT: Different Strokes
WHEN: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Until June 15, 2018
WHERE: University Malaya, Art Gallery, Level 5 Bangunan Chanselor, Lingkungan Budi.
DETAILS, CALL: 03-7967 3780