theSun | THURSDAY DECEMBER 18 2008 15

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HIMANSHU BHATT/THESUN

Chuah with two of his sons, Siew Teng (left) and Seow Keng, who are also artists, in this 2006
photograph. Behind them is a mural Chuah made in the early 60s called “Malaysian Life”.

Tribute to an art icon

LATE last month, a legend When his collection was taken
3.9 % p.a.*

among modern artists died to Universiti Malaya in Singapore

quietly on our own shores. While in 1956, artists were taken aback.
art circles poured out their One prominent critic called
tributes, there was little fanfare the display “the most unusual
among ordinary Malaysians. one-man show ever to be seen in Let your returns bloom the Syariah-compliant way.
And it must reflect on the sorry Singapore.”
state of our social and education “In Chuah Thean Teng,” UM Earn higher competitive returns with General Investment Account-i,
systems that most people are art lecturer Dr Michael Sullivan regardless whether you are a Muslim or non-Muslim.
hardly aware that the nation has TheNutmeg excitedly announced, “Malaya
lost one of its most iconic sons. claims to have found her first
For Datuk Chuah Thean Verses national painter.” So striking Tenure Profit Sharing Ratio Investor’s
Teng, who passed away on Nov by Himanshu Bhatt were the works that a university (Investor:Bank) Indicative Profit*
25 in Penang at the age of 96, librarian named Wilfred J.
was no ordinary figure. A glance Plumbe personally paid for all
at his batik paintings would show the costs for bringing the paintings down 6-month 68:32 3.4% p.a.
deep power of his legacy. His historic south. 9-month 70:30 3.5% p.a.
introduction of the batik medium in fine And when his paintings were then
art set up a new path for generations to shipped for a solo exhibition at the
follow – even though he had a singular Commonwealth Institute in England, it
style that was difficult to imitate. became the most successful display the Exclusive offers from now until 28 February 2009
When Chuah held his earliest institute had hosted. Sign up at our new Standard Chartered Saadiq Financial Centre at
exhibition in 1955, it caused a stir in global For decades after that, celebrities and 50 – 54 Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.
art circles. It was the first ever viewing of artists from around the world visited the
art paintings made in batik. affable Chuah at his modest art gallery
The Daily Mail in Britain hailed him called Yahong in Batu Ferringhi. Tenure Profit Sharing Ratio Investor’s
as a revolutionary in the world of art. Even then, ask the average Malaysian (Investor:Bank) Indicative Profit*
“Finding an entirely new and immediately on the street who his country’s pop stars
convincing method of pictorial expression are, and chances are you would get an 6-month 76:24 3.8% p.a.
is a rare occurrence,” wrote its critic, answer in a flash; but ask him to name his
Pierre Jeanneret. “The last I can think of nation’s artists, and you would get a muted 9-month 78:22 3.9% p.a.
was the invention of lithography between reply.
1796 and 1798. Now comes another.” Chuah’s legacy has spawned a line Alternatively, you can sign up for a Saadiq$aver-i, an All-in-One account that
Chuah created such an impact that he of artists labouring to emulate his lofty gives an indicative return of up to 3.4% p.a.* and cheque-issuing facilities.
was asked to do the interior mural for the and very singular standard of finishing.
august hall of Parliament house in Kuala For batik making is an arduous, drawn- * Investor’s Indicative Profit rates are based on historical data and are not indicative of future profit rates.
Lumpur by the building’s British architect. out experience. It requires repeated
He came up with a resplendent design that applications of dyeing, waxing and drying, For more information, visit any of our branches today.
depicted the varied people and cultural each a time-consuming process.
life of Malaysia. But strangely enough, the And thus he gradually experimented, Terms and conditions apply. These special offers are only applicable for funds from non Standard Chartered
work was never allowed to be executed on honing his technique. He came to accounts only.
the Parliament wall after the British left. ingeniously use sunlight to induce delicate
But the rest of the world continued to changes in colour; he discovered just the
recognise the significance of his works. right temperatures for wax to be placed on
Unicef famously used the images of his cloth to preserve tonality.
paintings for its greeting cards, as have For his place in our nation’s history, it
publications like Reader’s Digest. is only apt that we give due recognition to
Chuah’s images have become icons the legacy of Chuah. It is time that Chuah’s
of an unadulterated Asian romance with profound contribution to our culture and
rustic tranquillity. There is a strange, art is celebrated, perhaps in the same vein
gentle intensity permeating the people that Holland takes pride in Van Gogh,
in Chuah’s colourful worlds. His human Spain in Salvador Dali and China in Xu
figures, particularly children and women, Beihong.
are rounded and beautiful, exuding a
sense of guileless innocence and warmth. www.standardchartered.com.my
His works, packed with robust The National Art Gallery is holding a
geometric outlines and vivid colours, retrospective exhibition on Chuah Thean
radiate with serene celebration of rural Teng until February. Details, call 03-
life, with themes like pastoral labour. 40267000.