Accomplished artists hails late father as ‘most influential teacher’
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Bong Shin Siong, one of the renowned homegrown artists in Sarawak, attributes his success to his late father Bong Sho Min, whom he hails as his ‘first and most influential teacher’.
Shin Siong, 68, was met during the preview of his large artwork called ‘Flora and Fauna of Borneo’, at Hoan Gallery in La Promenade Mall here yesterday.
Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah officiated at the ceremony.
Hailing from Lundu, Shin Siong remarked: “As a secondgeneration artist I attribute much of my creative journey to my father, who served as my initial and most influential teacher.”
On his enormous watercolour masterpiece, he said the painting was done on a single scroll, measuring 9.84m in length, with the artwork depicting 132 species of Borneo’s flora and fauna.
“In my younger days, I had the opportunity to see hornbills and other wildlife while roaming around freely in Lundu.
“These are my fond memories,” he said, adding that this art project had been going on throughout last year.
Meanwhile, the gallery director Hoan Kee Huang expressed his admiration for Shin Siong’s remarkable art, noting its exceptional quality as a profound testament to the man’s immense talent.
“Flora and Fauna of Borneo could be one of Sarawak’s most important artworks; in fact, it could be one of the region’s most outstanding ones showcasing the natural beauty of Borneo.”
Hoan said the enormous art piece would be displayed to the public once his team had engaged the local craftsmen to design and make its frame.
“This piece deserves to be in the museum. As artists, it is all our dreams for Sarawak to have an art gallery, and also for it to contain treasures like the ‘Flora and Fauna of Borneo’,” added Hoan.
At the event, Abdul Karim was also brought on a tour to view ‘Hidden Gems: The Life Works of Chong Liew Syn’, created in honour of the founder of the Sarawak Fine Arts School.
The exhibition marked the gallery’s opening show, following last year’s successful showcase of Alena Murang’s ‘Colour of the Highlands’ solo show.