A Painting

“Paintings have a life of their own that derives from the painter's soul.” – Vincent Van Gogh

The Singapore Art Museum, famed for its innumerous art displays all round year, is currently holding the art exhibitions of two very well-known artists, Cheong Soo Pieng and Natee Utarit.

Cheong Soo Pieng, Singapore’s very own artist, was a great influence to the modern art in Singapore. His works had progressed through several phases: From post-Impressionist to Cubist to abstract, semi-abstract and more. They showcase his versatility as an artist. The link between his works and his love for travel is portrayed beautifully through his paintings. He was greatly inspired by the culture and art in South East Asia and in Western Europe. His works also displayed a balanced blend of the West and the East. The portrayal of Traditional South-East Asian women, by using bold contrasting colors, is a great example of that. His style of works was termed the ‘Nanyang’ style or the ‘South Seas’ style.

There is a noticeable difference of style and technique in each of his paintings. Even when dealing with two similar themes, his approach to them is what makes his work memorable. He used different mediums, like ink, gouache, pastels, oil paints, batik and so on, on canvas or stone, or Masonite or metal, paper or glass. The most interesting technique and also the most unusual is the use of metal strips (which hard and strong), filled in with colored wax (which was soft). The only common yet often unseen trait of the two mediums is that they both are moldable.

He also often documented his work, which was unusual for the artists of his time. But, this proved to be an important way of ensuring his artistic legacy for future generations.

But alas, with the advancement of art like the introduction of digitally created images, the value of a painting seemed to depreciate somewhere.

Natee Utarit, through his exhibition, is all set to prove this technologically booming world wrong. In a world where paintings seem traditional, and old fashioned, Utarit revives the ‘traditional’ way of story-telling and silent communication, through none other than- Paintings.

Utarit believes that the world of painting is that world, where one actually sees. One is able to see two types of images in one painting. One, being any of the countless possibilities arrived at by perception and interpretation of the viewer. The other image seen is the image of something that links with what the painting refers to in the mind of the artist.

Utarit is able to bring about this dual-image perception through his series of paintings, ‘After Painting’, depicting mainly his love for the photography of the landscape and for his mother. Each painting is extremely realistic, and left me wondering in a kind of curious amazement. While I was thinking of what could have been the idea behind the painting, I was subconsciously linking it to my own memories and experiences. His portrayal of the different landscapes is simply fantastic and made me think of the different places I had visited which left a similar kind of imprint in my head, as it did with Utarit when he made the paintings.

The portrayal of his mother is very heart warming and endearing. It made me drift into two different worlds: One where I was watching Utarit in his younger days spending time with his mother, and the other where I myself was seeing myself doing the same with my mother. There is a very clear imagery shown in the pictures of his mother, which help the viewers to get a glimpse of their bond, and what his mother was a symbol of during his childhood. For instance, the paintings show his mother’s presence everywhere near the then toddler Utarit. It shows the motherly love and concern for her child, and this clear reference set me adrift into my own childhood.

Natee Utarit’s work sure does leave an impact. His work is the kind that one will always remember, because of the bond that the viewer himself makes with the painting. His expression through paintings is one of a kind, and not easily found in today’s times.

Utarit says “It’s what you bring back, instead of passively absorbing.” This feature shown so subtly, and so well in his paintings, is what left me with a smile on my face.