Shaping young minds
Beyond her cute works, MeiKei Ho’s art cuts deep when addressing the state of education.
everything is so cute. that’s the first thing that probably strikes your mind upon first looking at the art of MeiKei ho.
her large paintings, featuring rows and rows of small, whimsically coloured depictions of people, household items and symbols, are all done in a slightly cartoonish manner. they are almost perfect for sticker makers.
But do not be fooled. there is some seriousness behind the adorable facade of this young KL-based artist’s work.
ho, a music and art teacher by trade, uses her art to explore themes that are close to her heart. these include education, national identity and prejudice. She isn’t afraid to take on “difficult themes” that need more attention.
her debut solo exhibition 100 Marks=A+?, currently on at taksu gallery in KL, is part art, part personal experience. it is based on the numerous encounters she has had with the parents of her students.
“the exhibition is about things i’m curious about, namely education. i teach children, and sometimes, parents tell their children that if they score 100 marks in their exam, they will buy them a smartphone. Or they will take them somewhere (for a holiday). And it made me think, what exactly do we get, from scoring this 100 marks?” says ho in an interview at the taksu gallery. “i’m not a perfect student. But my mother never offered to give me things in exchange for getting top marks. But nowadays, this seems to be a very common phenomenon,” she adds.
ho, who is an art graduate from the Dasein Academy of Art in KL, has showcased her work, including print making, in various group shows in Malaysia and indonesia.
her works in 100 Markah=A+? have a school classroom feel. the 12 paintings, with white and green backgrounds, invoke the whiteboards and blackboards most students are used to. each work has a title as a question, and is allocated a set number of marks. the goal is to score 100.
if anything, her art is closely tied to works seen in children’s picture books.
“i have gained a lot of inspiration by flipping through children’s books,” she says.
in this show, her works are colourful, whimsical and relatable to the people.
“the hope is, i can draw people in, and get them to talk about issues beyond the art.”
For a hint of the familiar, Siramkan Tanaman Yang Anda Suka (Water The Plant You Like) features blossoms of all kinds, while Bulatkan Aplikasi Yang Bermanfaat (Circle The Application Which is Useful) contains the logos of various phone apps, which millenials can identify with.
ho also raises questions beyond the classroom. Bulatkan Sesiapa Yang Berpakaian Tidak Sopan (Circle Who Is Not Dressed Decently) is a work addressing conservative rules constraining the actions and attire of women.
“in the news, we still hear about how some women get penalised for not following a dress code. there are so many guidelines on dress codes, but are these rules made by women? Most often it is not the case,” she elaborates.
in the official-looking Pilihkan Sekolah Yang Sesuai Untuk Anak Pat Mat (Choose The Best School For Pak Mat’s Child), you find a jumble of school badges, an illustration of the options available for education in this country: vocational or traditional, government or private.
“What is the perfect Malaysian school these days?” asks ho, referring to stories and news reports of problems in public education.
things can be better, she reckons, but with the exhibition using some “racebased” school textbook questions, the process will be a long one.
“i hope viewers can find something behind the humour in my works, and ask themselves questions about their lives. they might look cute, but there is seriousness behind my illustrations,” concludes ho.
100 Markah = A+? is on Taksu Gallery, 17, Jalan Pawang, Kuala Lumpur till April 7. Gallery hours: Monday to Saturday 10am–7pm. Closed on Sundays or by appointment only. Visit www.taksu.com or call 03-4251 4396.