AOTM: Pedu Lake, Kedah by Chong Hon Fatt

There are many ways to appreciate an Impressionist painting. From a distance, it gives you the feeling of being there at the scene—the movement of leaves, figures, water, and the interplay of light with everything else—all captured in a moment. Look at an Impressionist painting up close and the movement of the scene gives way to the frozen motion of the individual brush strokes that create the illusion of light and motion from afar.

In Pedu Lake, Kedah, Dato’ Chong Hon Fatt’s distinct Impressionist style comes to the fore in the trees depicted using strong brush strokes that look rough, but are carefully and deliberately placed. A closer look shows the thick paint in various shades of green and brown, layered and mixed together to suggest patches of light and shadow through the leaves. The active, dynamic strokes and the thick layers of paint that form the foliage and grass contrasts with the calmer brushwork on the lake and sky in the distance, highlighting the depth in the scene. The painting invites the viewer to see the scene through the painter’s eye—standing among the trees, looking out towards the blue of Pedu Lake. 

Penangite Dato’ Chong is best known for his Impressionist oil paintings. He began painting early, having studied art at Chung Ling High School. Dato’ Chong was a founding member of the Penang Watercolour Society and has also contributed in various ways to the local art scene through other groups such as Penang Art Society. Among his notable achievements are two commissions by the Chinese provincial government to paint at two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China in 2007 and 2009. He has participated in many solo and group exhibitions over the years, with a Retrospective in 2012 at the Penang State Art Gallery. Dato’ Chong’s work can also be found in public art collections such as the National Art Gallery and the Prime Minister’s Office. The Penang Yang di-Pertua Negeri bestowed the title of Darjah Setia Pangkuan Negeri (D.S.P.N.) on him in 2016 in recognition of his artistic contributions.