RENOWNED artist Teh Hock Aun (internationally known as Hock Aun Teh) is in the midst of setting up an art gallery in his hometown of Taiping, Perak.
The 75-year-old Teh, along with his close friend Kevin Lee, is turning the latter’s mansion at No 13, Lorong 4, Jalan Dato Sri Ahmad into the Hock Aun Teh Gallery of Modern Art.
“If I do not bring my art back, I do not think the people in Taiping will have the opportunity to see them.
“The gallery will also be my connection to my hometown and the people,” said the artist who is now based in Glasgow, Scotland.
“I hope it will also be my small contribution to the local culture and nation as a whole.
“I think our nation struggles to appreciate modern art because there is very little contact with it.
“So I think it is important for Malaysians to experience it,” he told StarMetro.
Teh’s works are featured in various art exhibitions, including at the National Visual Arts Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, National Art Museum of China and The Gallery of Modern Art in Glasgow.
He has had numerous solo and group exhibitions over the years in Germany, Bulgaria and the UK.
Some of his works have been purchased by the late Queen Elizabeth II and actor Sean Connery.
He also has a sculpture named “The Energy Of Life” which was commissioned in conjunction with the 2008 Olympics, located near the National Stadium in Beijing, China.
Teh hopes the gallery can generate more interest in modern art.
He said people often have the misconception that it is something far-fetched and detached from reality.
“Many think that art is for someone highly intellectual, but it’s not.
“It’s about our environment and the way we live.
“A lot of people, when they look at modern art, they always try to seek an explanation and want a story,” he said, adding that art is not supposed to be narrative.
“It is just like looking at a beautiful flower and you cannot explain why you like it.
“If a certain colour or shape makes you happy, that’s it. That’s art.”
The key element of being a good artist is having imagination, he said.
“As an artist, it’s so important to have the eyes of a child.
“When you have that, you see the world in a very fresh and original way.
“And once you have your own subject matter, you find your own techniques and expression.”
Teh said he would go through a spectrum of emotions whenever he paints.
“When I paint, I do not paint what I see, but how and what I feel.
“I would question myself and challenge my own thoughts and decisions,” he said, adding that he would paint about 30 paintings yearly, but only six would be kept.
“I would destroy most of them.
“If the painting doesn’t speak to me, that’s no good.”
He also said that as an artist, one needs to be exposed to the world and not confined to one place.
“They should go out to observe, study and feel the whole atmosphere and surroundings, and be inspired,” he said, adding that art also needs to be personal.
“As for children, they need to be given courage, challenged and just let them express themselves freely.”
Teh said the gallery is expected to be opened in August.
“There will be 12 paintings in watercolour and acrylic, pencil drawings as well as eight sculptures created using metal and wood.
“The collection is from the last six years.
“After the opening of this gallery, I plan to give talks from time to time whenever I come back, helping folk understand modern art.”
Lee, a retired businessman, said he allowed Teh to turn his place into a gallery as it was not in use.
“My family no longer live here and I do not need to sell it, so why not just turn it into a gallery?
“We want to inspire the locals and let them know that their lives can be changed by art.”
Lee, 62, said the concept for the gallery would be different from others.
“People can even stay overnight. They can have a cup of coffee while walking around enjoying the artworks,” he said, adding that there would be no entry fee.
“We want visitors to be immersed in the whole experience.
“Those who are interested could call us to make an appointment.”
Lee also paid tribute to Teh, whom he has known for 30 years, for his contributions to the art scene.
“Taiping has many ‘firsts’ and he should also be one of them.”
