Ng Bee Solo Exhibition@ Gallery Seni Mutiara

The usual 'Artists' crowd was at the oppening of the Ng Bee Solo Exhibition plus of minus a few and i made one or two more new acquaintances involved in the Art Scene. Ng bee's pieces were very captivating in style and the balance of colors and lines,solids and spaces and they are mostly abstract paintings originating from sketches as their sizes are a factor to be considered whether they are sketches or to classified as paintings, if one is into classifying things in life. I like his works and I enjoy th artist as he seemed real and down to earth, its hard to come by genuine items these days with alot of pseudo Artists who have gained their fame and fortune through the ability to master a technique just like and electrician or a plumber has mastered his tools and techniques of trade.
What entails an Artist in my book is off course not what Artist is for most others as it is as relative an issue as asking the question of, Who am I? On this subject i had a good dialogue with and Chinese Artist whose seemed quite well known among those present but whose name had skipped my mind. He reminded me of my Art teacher the late Reza Piadasa in character and in opinion and from having had this conversation I deduce that he was just as intelligent. These in my opinion are characters who have earned the rights of passage in being who they are and will take no nonsense from anythin or anyone when it comes to what they are good at, which often times is about covers the whole spectrum of life itself. I enjoyed being grilled over my cockaninny ideas about my take on why I do Art the way that I am doing it now. No holds barred, like what the hell do i know about living as an artist?
It was enlightening to listen to someone who is above himself for a change as he was genuine in his expression and doubtless to say I learned a few good tips from a master in the Art of 'Being' and Artist in these days and age. Our conversation got around to Religions and Zen in particular and the whole 'cliche' as he puts it about seeking for the answer to the question on who you are ans so forth. I agreed with him all along as it seemed that was what was called for at an Art oppening. I avoided telling him that Abstract Art is a Cliche and for that matter being an Artist is a cliche but that would have led into futher discussion which might end up into a free for all at the Gallery. I took his lambasting with a grain of salt as I have heard many times before these kind of condescending sentiments from thase who hold themselves above others. Despite getting my ego trounced and my self esteem drowned, I had a very thorough understanding of who I am and where i am at at the moment in time. He brought himself down when he decided to criticize Islam for prohibiting alcohol and how he admired the Bengladeshis for being more liberal at their drinking habits, he might have visited Bangladesh. This point made it was time for the conversation to come to a close at least before the subject of four wives and Fasting came up.

I worked for my cousin Salleh the past two days as there was a good amount of catering orders for the weekend and so I made a hundred which should cover the week for all three of us. My kids and i have resorted to Maggi Noodles soup for the last few days. Not bad, but Maggi is not good as staple diet anyone can tell you that as the ingredients contains too much chemicals in the form of preservatives. Get a job! Someone is screaming tn the back of my head. Quit moaning and groaning there those much worse off than you and thank your lucky stars that you are living in a country where there is no natural disasters worth taking notice of except for the politically man made. These are rambblings I remind myself as the title of the blog suggested when I got off writing and they are what they are, not for anyone to read much less make any comment, but if anyone insist on taking a poke at it well take a closer look at the finger poking and make sure that it is pure of any stains of flaws and faults. This is my road to find out and my path to discover just as the Zen master would have suggested, this is the burning ball of steel at the pit of my stomach upon which I meditate upon each breath of my 'way seeking mind'. If anyone stumbles upon this blog and decides to waste their time reading it and by chance they come to learn a lesson or two from it for themselves, Hellilooyah!

My upcoming show at the Penang State Art Gallery is happening soon. It start on the 16th of July and ends on the 30th. The official launching date will be on the 19th of July and it will be officiated by the present Director of The National Art Gallery, Prof. Dr. Najib Dawa who was fomerly the Dean of the Fine Arts Department at USM. The show will mmainly display the one hundred feet long sketch in black and white of the Georgetown are in Penang. People and buildings, historical or otherwise, stree corners and foodstalls, all the fmamiliar places where most Penangites would readily recognize. Its a documentary kind of exhibition which also will display a selection of my sketch books from years gone by till up to date covering the three major countries and events in my life of Malaysia, The US and japan. It will also include some monoprints and sketches done on canvas to fill up the walls.
I look forward to this show and most probably it will be my last effort at having solo exhibitions in this country as simply put I cannot afford the time much less the money. I am thankful to my Lord for having given me the Grace to have come this far in my Art. It will be a dream fulfilled in some small way and another accomplishment thAT i can share with my loved ones, fellow Artists and family and friends wherever they are. For the skeptics, this is just another justification of my existance laid out in style and recorded for posterity...how far of how near am I?