The Balik Pulau Art Club

A group of Artists mainly Chinese except for myself had a meeting at the Alpha Utara Gallery where my solo exhibition is going on. They are part of a group from Balik Pulau, Penang i.e. from the other side of the island . last year i had attended the first Art show held by this fledgling group in the process of setting up an Art Club and I joined the Club, back then.

At least three quarter of these individuals were not aware that my works were on the walls at the Gallery and even fewer knew that i was already a paid member of the club that they were sitting to re-elect the committee members of..But that is the way it is with the Chinese I have found out over the years. Everything is strictly business, nothing personal just that they were there not to admire whose works were on exhibit but to carry out a meeting.

Food is a must for the Chinese no matter what the occasion  for without food whats the sense of doing anything? There is a family who is always on hand for every Art show opening in and around Georgetown like they knew it somehow and they are there for the free food. Most gallery owners here will point the out to you if you ask.   

This gentleman is trying to impress the lady he had accompanied to the meeting giving her a brief description of how the technique of mono-printing is done while i looked on he had an aloof air about him when he first made eye contact with me.. Later he learned that he was describing my works and i could sense his embarrassment 

Hence you have another set of audience that you have to bear in mind  when having a show. Its not a fault but it just is the way it is. These are artists all of them, at least I believe so, and none made a single comment or ask a single question as to how or what or when of my works on the walls. Not even after the gallery curator announced it to them that these were my works. Was it a racial thing? Oh well, welcome to the Club!!