The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

Posted: 04 Sep 2011 02:02 AM PDT

Common and mundane scenes inspire Calvin Chua's whimsical paintings, which are awash with sweet joy.

IN a world choked by modern trappings, the simple pleasures of days of yore can be rather appealing, especially for one who grew up in the embrace of pristine waterways, fruit orchards and paddy fields.

The passage of time may have taken full-time artist Calvin Chua far from his rural roots of Bukit Pinang, a quaint village in Alor Setar, but it has not changed his affinity for the sights and sounds he grew up with.

So much so that depictions of rural life have long been the central theme of the 50-year-old's oil and watercolour masterpieces. His latest solo exhibition, the fifth in an illustrious career that has spanned three decades, continues that trend.

Fruits Season – River Series II, presently on show at Galeri Seni Mutiara in Penang, features some 25 recent paintings, all bursting to life with depictions of carefree and cheerful kampung folk, juxtaposed against locals fruits, plants and waterways.

"I like to paint subject matter that I'm familiar with, and being a kampung boy who grew up near orchards and paddy fields, it does give me a tinge of nostalgia," Chua said at the opening of the exhibition last weekend.

The artist, now based in Shah Alam, looks back fondly on the days when one could frolic in the river and catch fish and prawns with simple nets – an activity that's all but impossible today, due to over development and pollution.

Several pieces, depicting people with beaming faces as they splash about in streams, rivers and ponds, reflect that longing. Through them, Chua hopes to give viewers a sense of how enjoyable the simple life can be, in the hope that it will spark a change and heighten awareness of conservation issues.

"We have to be sensitive to our environment and do our best to preserve it, otherwise it will disappear," adds the artist, who returns to his hometown every once in a while and has seen the changes through the years.

The other subject in his work, local fruits, is also close to his heart. He loves all kinds of local fruit, and believes they're as good as, or even better, than the imported ones.

"At times, I even go looking for fruits that I used to eat as a kid, but nowadays, they're increasingly hard to find," Chua says, referring to the orchards that have, over the years, made way for development.

A figurative painter by nature, his latest pieces exhibit a whimsical, and even surreal feel – where people, fruits and waterways come together in delightful compositions. A clever interplay of colours brings the entire piece to life.

"They're very Malaysian elements, and I just find a way to blend them all together. Besides, art is a medium of expression, and you're only limited by your imagination.

"I enjoy the challenge of taking a subject that is common and mundane to the average person, and present it in such a way that it becomes attractive and appealing," explain Chua, a fine arts graduate of the Kuala Lumpur College of Art in 1982.

He does a lot of sketching and study work on site, be it with pencils or charcoal, before adding splashes of colour that correspond to the particular mood of the scene. Warm reds, oranges, yellows and browns dominate; it also helps the green flora stand out.

"Colours dictate the mood of the entire piece, and I try to inject a sense of sweetness and joy into my works," adds the Malaysian Young Contemporaries Award and Yayasan Seni Selangor Award winner.

Chua's works grace numerous private and corporate collections. He has taken part in countless art events both locally and abroad, in countries like Sweden, Brazil, Jordan, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Despite all that, he is still as passionate about art now as when he first picked up a brush in his childhood. He works the canvas for six to 12 hours a day now, and cannot envisage himself doing anything else.

"It's funny – when you start painting, you will never feel tired nor want to stop," he says.

Galeri Seni Mutiara director-cum-curator Koay Soo Kau finds Chua's conceptualisation of fruits and rivers both exciting and mesmerising.

"The multiple washes of colour create a fluidity that is flimsy and transparent, yet refreshing. The figurative facial expressions and bodily gestures of children in the water express his own emotions, making for beautiful images and an insightful peek into the artist's carefully studied perception.

"Beauty from an artistic vision comes from seeing with the eyes, and with true passion and feelings from the heart," Koay adds.

Fruits Season – River Series II is on till Sept 11, 11am to 6pm daily. Galeri Seni Mutiara is at No. 118, Armenian Street, Geroge Town. For details, call 04-262 0167.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Ahad, 4 September 2011