Soul of the Streets
The beauty and chaos of the urban landscape is brought to life by this Klangborn artist, writes
AMID the vibrant chaos of Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, a lone figure stands out. Not for the clamour, but for the quiet intensity of his craft. A native of Klang and a watercolour virtuoso, Brian Tai can often be found amid the hustle and bustle, brush in hand, capturing the fleeting essence of the urban landscape.
At 48, Tai is no stranger to the streets he paints. His journey into the world of art began at the tender age of 13, under the tutelage of a local artist who taught him the fundamentals of watercolour.
Since then, Tai’s passion has grown into a lifelong devotion, leading him to exhibit his works both locally and internationally, earning him a distinguished place in the Malaysian Watercolour Society.
“In the early days, I was actively engaged in urban sketching. That laid the foundation for my current journey asa plein air artist,” begins Tai, smiling. Plein air, a French term for painting outdoors, has become this affable artist’s modus operandi, allowing him to eschew the confines of a studio and immerse himself fully in the atmosphere he seeks to capture.
His latest solo exhibition, “Urban Symphony”, currently showing at Pro Art & Frame Gallery, Petaling Jaya, is a testament to this dedication. Displaying 30 pieces of work meticulously crafted on-site across the streets of the Klang Valley and Penang, Tai invites viewers to witness the soul of the city, which he has brought to life on canvas.
From the majestic architecture to the intimate moments of daily life, each stroke tells a story of the vibrant tapestry of urban existence. “This collection is entirely painted in plein air. In the initial segment, I aimed to capture the essence of the urban landscape, playing with light and shadow to evoke the rhythm of the streets.”
OF MEMORY AND POSTERITY
For Tai, buildings are more than mere structures; they’re vessels of memory, capturing the spirit of a place for posterity. “Buildings and architecture are my lifelong subjects,” he explains, adding softly: “They may be here today and gone tomorrow, so I try to immortalise them through my art.”
Yet, amid the grandeur of stone and steel, it’s the people who breathe life into Tai’s canvases. Expression earnest, he shares: “In the subsequent segment, I zoom in on the human element. For me, they’re the soul of the urban landscape.”
Indeed, Tai’s mission transcends mere representation. it’s an endeavour to encapsulate the very essence of humanity in his art. “Their daily activities, their joys and sorrows... these are the threads that weave the fabric of urban life,” he muses, adding: “And it is this soul that I seek to convey through my paintings.”
JUST PAINT
However, the path of the plein air artist isn’t without its challenges. Chuckling, Tai recalls: “Once, in Petaling Street, I suddenly realised that I’d left my main paint palette and brushes at home. All I had were a few tubes of colour in my sketch bag and two brushes — one large, one small. I had no choice but to make do with what I had.”
Smiling at the memory, he continues: “So, instead of attempting a detailed scene using the usual tools, I decided to focus on the archway using a big brush and bold strokes, and then I incorporated impressions of figures using the small brush. There was no time to overthink. I just painted.”
That piece became ‘Petaling Street on a Dance’, while the experience inspired Tai to explore more work in bold, impressionistic styles. Suffice to say, it’s this willingness to embrace the unexpected, to relinquish control and let creativity flow, that defines Tai’s artistic ethos. “Don’t overthink, just paint,” he concludes, smiling broadly.