Atmospheric landscapes rendered in Chinese ink and calligraphy anchor the Nanyang New Frontiers exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, with scenes of rustic kampung life, birds among oil palm trees and depictions of rambutan, hibiscus and lotus ponds. Poems, Mandarin song lyrics and Buddhist scriptures accompany the visual works, introducing literary and spiritual dimensions.
Held across three floors of Wisma Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) in KL, the exhibition presents a survey of Nanyang art while commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Cao Tang Men Eastern Arts Society, founded by the late Dr Cheah Thien Soong (1942-2024), a revered Malaysian artist and educator.
“This exhibition has taken two years of planning. During that time, sadly, the Cao Tang Men lost its founder, Cheah. Yet it now provides an opportunity to celebrate his legacy,” says calligrapher Ong Chia Koon, 53, making his debut as a curator for the show.
As a dedicated art teacher, Cheah, during his tenure at the Malaysian Institute of Art in the 1990s, contributed to the National Unified Ink Painting Examination Programme, producing six textbooks.
In many ways, the Cao Tang Men Eastern Arts Society traces its outreach initiatives to this programme, organising national art camps, sketching workshops and touring exhibitions across Malaysia.
A legacy in ink
As a milestone, Ong notes that the Nanyang New Frontiers exhibition provides a moment of reflection, tribute and a step forward. It is among the society’s most ambitious projects, with ink, calligraphy, and seal engraving as its core mediums.
The exhibition, running through April 12, brings together 54 artists presenting 134 works – 81 ink paintings and 53 seal carvings – showcasing the diversity and creativity of Cao Tang Men members from across Malaysia.
Nanyang art is a mid-20th-century style, developed in Singapore and Malaysia, that blends Chinese and Western techniques to depict South-East Asia’s landscapes, people, and culture, and is recognised as a significant art genre in the region.
“A Cao Tang Men members’ exhibition without Cheah’s presence leaves a profound void. He was one of the country’s foremost Nanyang art practitioners, a name that also went beyond our borders,” says Ong.
“Yet his spirit and philosophy endure within us, carried forward through our brush and ink works, as the society continues to uphold his progressive vision,” he adds.
At the start of the exhibition, visitors encounter Cheah’s Autumn Lotus (2024), an ink on rice paper artwork and one of his late-career masterpieces, displayed alongside a selection of his works from the SGM collection.
This tribute section tells the shared story of a mentor and his community, underscoring the enduring bond between Cheah and the Cao Tang Men members.
“Shouldering the responsibility of Cao Tang Men after losing such a guiding figure brought an overwhelming sense of sorrow.
“I later reflected that leading a nationwide community of ink painting enthusiasts united by Cheah was not only a heavy duty, but also a tremendous honour,” wrote Chong Choy, the president of Cao Tang Men Eastern Arts Society, in the exhibition catalogue.
New directions, fresh ideas
As a calligrapher, Ong has pushed the boundaries of the art form, incorporating contemporary elements into his oeuvre.
His curatorial approach to Nanyang New Frontiers follows a similar path, allowing traditional, lyrical techniques to co-exist with new subjects and abstract directions in ink and brush.
“This exhibition not only carries forward the spirit of Nanyang, but also seeks to explore new languages and perspectives within the tradition. We do not aim to be avant garde, we simply strive for sincere creation.”
Ong, with a smile, even entertains the idea of “Nanyang” taking on a fresh, contemporary appeal, drawing a hip crowd from KL’s Ilham Gallery and the Zhongshan building.
“Visitors accustomed to contemporary art shows in KL may even be surprised by how some of the works here express an experimental vision,” he says.
In 2005, Cao Tang Men held its first exhibition at Wisma Kebudayaan SGM, embodying the aspirations of a new community of ink painters. Now, 20 years later, the society’s evolution reflects two decades of growth and creative exploration.
Nanyang New Frontiers, featuring a mix of formally trained and self-taught artists, includes many names familiar to the gallery.
Veteran artist Chan Thim Choy, whose mixed media work draws inspiration from the Rukun Negara, has incorporated paper cutting to introduce new dimensions to the artistic process.
Meanwhile, Leong May Meng and Chua Siaw Choo both bring contemporary colour to the ink-on-rice-paper medium, expanding its expressive possibilities.
Amid the zodiac animals and domestic pets, all depicted in exquisite ink, Jin Toh’s eagles rest, poised and ready, within a surrealistic setting, commanding attention with their striking presence.
In calligraphy, Lim Ken Peng explores abstraction in his Linear Space work, while Ong presents Sleep-Lar, incorporating “fluorescent ink” that reveals its effects from certain angles, alongside lyrics by Chinese folk singer Chen Li.
Seal engraving also receives significant focus in the exhibition, with the top floor dedicated to the medium, which has grown in prominence in recent years through the work of Cao Tang Men members.
Ong reveals that seal carving education was one of Cheah’s enduring passions, and he sought to address existing gaps in the discipline, with many Cao Tang Men members now demonstrating considerable proficiency in this medium.
“Ink and calligraphy are the obvious entry points for exploring Nanyang art. Yet seal engraving remains a vital and evolving dimension of the tradition. This show offers a glimpse into the skill, creativity and innovation inherent in the medium,” he says.
With a diverse array of seal engraving works, alongside essential tools such as seal stones, copper spoons, sandalwood seals and wooden cake moulds, visitors can explore a whole new world as they lean over to examine the glass-displayed exhibits.
Over the coming weekends, exhibition walkthroughs and workshops will be featured as part of the exhibition programme.
Nanyang New Frontiers is showing at Wisma Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia in KL until April 12. Free admission to the exhibition, closed on Mondays.
