Artist Choong Guey Syuen beckons a closer look at the allure of the past, present, and future.
By Miriam Devaprasana
As we draw upon the familiarity of beginnings, heralded by the start of a new year, we sometimes find ourselves caught in the moments of memory. Often memory is fleeting, serving only glimpses of what used to be. Other times, memory offers a room for recollections of the past, strong enough to inform our future. Such is the space that Instant Charms provides its viewers—a series of artworks memorialising the beauty in everyday living, captured through the passage of time.
Ballerina, 2022, Oil on canvas, 107 x 116.5cm
Hailing from Penang, Malaysia, Choong Guey Syuen is an artist and art teacher. She is also the winner of Spotlight 2021, a national art competition organised by the Penang Art District. Choong is a graduate of Equator College Penang and holds a Diploma in Fine Arts. She was also shortlisted for the Penang Art Open BIG Competition 2019 and the Tiger Value Competition 2021, and has shown pieces in various group exhibitions in Penang. Choong’s first solo exhibition is titled Instant Charms, a two-year personal journey of discovering representations of femininity.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? At what point did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in art?
When I was a child, I used to accompany my mother to pick up my siblings from art class, and I would observe how the students drew and painted. Noticing this, my art teacher encouraged me to try painting. I started painting at four years old and went to art classes soon after. I then took a break from art when I attended junior high at Jit Sin Independent High School, as I needed to adjust to new school environments. In senior high, I was rather reluctant to enrol in the art class for extra curriculum as the fees were higher, but my parents, especially my mother, encouraged me to go ahead with it seeing that that was my passion. I enrolled in the art class and have not looked back since.
One of the main reasons why I have chosen this path is because of my parents’ support. It is uncommon to find parents who push their children to take up the arts, especially fine arts, often due to the limited opportunities in terms of a “career”. My parents have always recognised that fine arts is something that I love and am passionate about, and they have always motivated and encouraged me to go as far as I can.
I also best express myself through art. All that I observe, how and why I react a certain way to things—all these responses are best translated through creating art. It is a way where I can share with others my thoughts, my perspectives, and what I feel when words fail.
Who has been an important artistic influence? And why?
In high school, I learnt briefly about René Magritte who is a Belgian surrealist artist. I admire her work and her artistry. They are dreamlike, and a puzzle on their own, inviting me to explore various interpretations in the artwork. This is what I aim to do with my works—to create art which encourages the viewer to come up with many interpretations and perspectives on the artwork.
How have you maintained your practice after graduation?
After graduating in 2021, I continued my practice by preparing and creating the artwork for the exhibition, since it was originally slated for July 2022. I am also working at Yi Ping Fang Art Studio where I conduct pottery workshops and teach art for all ages. Although it was difficult to balance my time between work and preparing for the exhibition, I find teaching an enjoyable experience particularly because I am able to impart knowledge gained, as well as work on my skills. It is also nice to see how others explore and discover their love for art.
Uneasy Lockdown, 2022, Mixed Media on board, 44 x 88.5cm
What was one important piece of advice you were given?
I have always been careful with creating artwork and often find that to be one of my biggest challenges. Ricardo Tovar, my mentor in the mentorship programme with Spotlight, shared something which I found to be most helpful, especially in this journey of preparing for the exhibition: “Just draw. We can always fix any problems that arise.” I found that very liberating.
Could you tell us more about the premise for Instant Charms?
Instant Charms is a journey of discovering the nature of femininity in the things around us, whether that is in humanity, heritage, or nature. In many ways, the exhibition is an extension of my graduation project at Equator College. I felt like I hadn’t explored enough about the subject, so this exhibition enabled me to dive deeper into how femininity exists in the environs around us.
Choong clearly has an eye for the charms of everyday living, nestled in her desire to seek inspiration from her environs. Evident throughout the 24 works is this underlying awareness of history, humanity, and nature, and the interstices of all three within the familiar scapes of Penang. These are translated into artworks created with a range of mediums and techniques including printmaking, sculpture, oil painting, and mixed media—a testament to her burgeoning art practice.
Vintage Bride #3, 2022, Mix Media, 54 x 43 cm
In her Bride Series, Choong seems to explore the idea of womanhood and the journey of becoming. The three pieces, each titled Vintage Bride, revolve around the same woman, represented through three different mediums. None, however, carry the same effect. In this sense, Choong highlights how medium and technique have the power to deliver different forms of messaging, opening up a world of perspectives.
But, make no mistake, between pencil marking and the vibrancy of mixed media, no one can question that the subject embodies two worlds—one of delicate demeanour clothed by the seams of a wedding dress, and the other with her gentle but arresting, focused gaze. This continues with pieces titled Day of the Flower—the unknown, faceless silhouette of a woman waiting; becoming. Are they different women, or are they one and the same, only at two different stages of her life? How has her femininity evolved, or diminished, and how much of that is influenced by sociocultural constructs? That is open for your interpretation.
Beauty of the Wall, 2022, Oil on board, 64 x 79cm
With her Scenery Series, Choong plays homage to the mundane, placing a focus on the lesser sought-for scenes and sights as we experience everyday life. Beauty of the Wall, for example, highlights how the histories of yesteryears cemented and painted over have become fertile soil for new growth. Those who pay careful attention to Penang’s cityscapes will see that this is certainly true of our historic heritage buildings, especially ones which have remained unmaintained and uninhabited throughout the years.
There is a romanticisation in Choong’s piece. It is almost as if no measure of concrete or cement, or layers of paint can hinder the eventual trails and spread of nature. Choong’s depiction of a wild plant emerging from the wall also pushes the boundaries of feminine constructs. Flora is often described with feminine analogies and attributes, yet when left unattended, they can very quickly take over surrounding spaces. Colonise, in every sense of the word. Here, Beauty of the Wall challenges conventional concepts of femininity, thereby expanding our views on masculine forms of beauty.
When asked about the premise of her approach, Choong explains, “I find that there is beauty in everything—sometimes they appear in extraordinary ways, other times they are found in the mundane. Regardless, there is so much to uncover in terms of how femininity may look like, how it is presented, and how we can respond to the concept of femininity today.”
There is a lot to look forward to with an artist who roots herself in purposeful, attentive vision; who seeks to take what is lost, hidden, and forgotten, and to recreate and breathe new life into them. Choong succeeds in accentuating the dynamics of medium and technique to bring forth pieces which facilitate perspectives on humanity, heritage, and nature.
Instant Charms is exhibiting at The Art Gallery, Penang from 6 to 18 January 2023.
Miriam Devaprasana is an observer and dabbler of creative expressions. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Urban Sociolinguistics and hopes that one day, her work will help form a new way of thinking ‘Malaysia’. Read her blog at mdev16.wordpress.com