Sarawakian traditional Chinese painter showcases his eye-catching works in KL

Wong posing next to Kueh’s paintings.

THERE is a Chinese saying, “Do not be afraid of a long road to success, only be afraid of a shortage of ambition.”

Traditional Chinese artist Kueh Chai Phiaw embodied this principle well as he did not attempt to simplify any of the delicate steps needed to create his ink paintings.

It is well worth the time to view and develop a deep appreciation for Kueh’s eye-catching works at a solo exhibition themed “Back to Traditional.”

The 78-year-old was among a group of students selected by the Sarawak state government to further their education at the Normal University of Taiwan, where he graduated from in 1962.

During his time there he was able to hone his ink painting skills to the fullest as he came under the tutelage of traditional Chinese artists such as Huang Jun Bi, Fu Xin Yi and Lin Yu Shan.

On the Way Home’ features trees with varying shades of green.

These people were certainly admired within the Chinese-speaking world as evidenced by the fact that Huang’s piece, “Scene in Jialing” went under the hammer at Christie’s, a prestigious auction house.

With such illustrious teachers, it was only natural to expect Kueh to be counted among the best Chinese ink painters.

This belief was validated as he and his fellow students were recognised as “The First Generation Artists in Sarawak” by their state government back in 2008.

Eventually, he met gallery owner Wong Younie who persuaded him to display some of his works in Kuala Lumpur.

Works such as “Beautiful Scene” and “Mountains in the Mist” focus on the landscape that one normally finds in China.

Kueh’s ‘Magnificent Waterfall’.

The best way to appreciate these pieces is to stand from afar and gaze into them as though they are a window to the real thing.

Other pieces such as “The Brilliance of Red and White Peony” showed the artist’s skill in creating depth by employing light and dark strokes.

“Do you notice how the artist uses different shades of colour to highlight the position of the objects?

“For instance the lighter petals in the painting indicate that they are positioned in front because they are reflecting sunlight,” Wong explained, adding that viewers should be able to get a three-dimensional feel as a result.

A piece titled, ‘The Life in Rainforest’.

Furthermore, Kueh shows fondness for his native homeland of Sarawak by including a longhouse at the bottom right in one painting, “Poetry of Farewell.”

The exhibition ends on Dec 27. Opening hours are from 11am to 5pm daily except Tuesdays.

The paintings are priced between RM1,800 and RM8,000.

Younie Gallery is at L101-R10, KPJ Tawakkal Health Centre, 202A, Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur.

For details, call 03-4021 7388.