The Penang Water Color Art Society Show

Yesterday was the oppening of the Water color exhibition at the Penang State Art Gallery and I one of the very few Malays who was present the rest being members of the Gallery staff. The Penang Water Color Societ is predominantly a Chinese club with one or two Non-Chinese members which is sad but, such is. I was impressed by the amount of good works on display each standing on its own in originality and creativity and it was an opportunity to study the various techniques of water color if one is into it as a beginner like myself. On my way to the Gallery i had stopped at the Nanyang Art store to shop for some water color materials including a good selection of tubes of water color paints and water color papers which cost about RM20 per piece! I thought I'd do a few water color painting for a change. I really never thought that I was going to get a great opportunity to study the Medium through other's works at the show, so it was a bonus for me, a great start.



Being a predominantly Chinese affair there were among the guest of honour a few Chinese Dato's among who was an Art collector Dato'Tan who had purchased a few pieces of my works in the past. It is a disappointment to see not as many people had turned up for the occaision despite the fact that the Club was numbered more than a hundred members. Evidently even among the iherently communially supportive Chinese there is a lack of interest in the fine arts which I assumed to be so among the Malays only. The Malay Art Society is a practically non-existant if not non- functioning entity which has a studio Gallery annexed to the Kapitan Keling Mosque on Chulia Street in Penang. A few malay Artists has their works displayed there with hardly any changes over the past few months sisnce the gallery came into being. It is run by my good friend Rashid the portriat painter who aslo has his studio there. Other than that there is nothing worthy of mention happens here as far as there being a Malay Art Societ in the Penangf is concern. The Malays has a saying, 'Hidup segan mati ta' mau', which simply means that its too lazy to stay alive but does not want to die. This is the state of the Malay Art Society and who is to blame?



Art is the first victim in the political economic scheme of things anywhere in this world, the first activity to be scrapped from the roaster if there is any financial cut backs whether in schools or institution of higher learnings. It is like the left hand is dispensable when things boils down to a mater of choice. Science and technology is the key into the future woe unto you if your maths and science subjects are weak in these days and age at schools, on is no bette than a pariah. It is a tragic phenomena which has taken a hold of our modern day educational systems, we promote the sciences all out at the expense of the Arts and we believe this is right. Despite warnings by great minds such as Einstein who insisted the balance between the Arts and the sciences we dogged our children in aschool to forget the art as waste of time and has no financial benifit as career choice. True! as compared to those who are mechanically inclined, scientifically oriented and has great computer intelligence, the future is bright at least as a salary man. The artist on the other hand is a specie on his own for most part of his life unless he is fortunate enough to find a sympathetic patron or admirers who can help to support his needs untill he is fully established as an independantly wealthy artist. The odds against being a full time artist in these days and age is getting bleaker and bleaker in terms of financial success especially when he or she has to support others such as children and so forth. It is a challenge to become a full time artist but it not an impossibility if one is determined enought to forge ahead and overcome all hurdles as just another goal to achieve in life.