C.N. Liew: Between Dialogues

Exhibition Introduction

Curator Vicky Ho

What is “Dialogue”?

Perhaps dialogue does not begin with consensus, but with difference. And, it is not confined to language alone; it can also emerge through media, forms, cultures, ideas, and even encounters between people and artworks.

CN Liew’s artistic practice unfolds through the interplay of diverse elements. 

Beginning with traditional calligraphy, he refuses to be bound by its conventional limits, liberating the written word into the realms of painting, sculpture, and contemporary art. His work draws on the spirit of Eastern tradition while engaging with Western abstract expressionism. He brings metal and ink together, connects traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy with technology, and sparks encounters between traditional culture and contemporary visual experience. 

Here, “Dialogue” is not a theme imposed on the artworks; rather, it is an underlying thread that runs through CN Liew’s artistic practice and way of thinking.

Between Conflict and Harmony

Centred on the theme of “Dialogue,” this exhibition traces the artistic journey of Malaysian artist CN Liew, exploring dialogues between tradition and the contemporary, East and West, strength and gentleness, conflict and harmony, as well as past, present, and future.

Rooted in the traditions of Chinese calligraphy and ink painting, CN Liew continually explores new possibilities for these art forms, drawing inspiration from Malaysia’s diverse cultural landscape. Through three series — The Great Refinement, The Rocks, and Beyond the Border — the exhibition showcases his exploration of how different media, cultures, artistic languages, and ideas interact and challenge one another, opening up new possibilities for artistic expression through dialogue.

In The Great Refinement, the artist grounds his work in Chinese calligraphy and Eastern philosophy while incorporating the visual language of Western abstract expressionism. Through the act of writing, he establishes new relations between calligraphy and painting. As Eastern tradition meets contemporary Western art, a beautiful and fascinating exchange unfolds.

In 2026, the artist further pushes calligraphy beyond the confines of the flat surface. “Dragon” in Cursive Script, first created in 2000, evolves from two-dimensional calligraphy into a three-dimensional sculpture. Through the interplay of light and space, physical forms become illusory images, allowing calligraphy to explore the dialogue between the tangible and the intangible. This expands the expressive possibilities of text, form, light, and space. 

An ice sculpture of the character Yong (永), meanwhile, examines the philosophical relationship between eternity and the fleeting moment. By embodying the enduring meaning of the word in a fleeting medium, the work invites contemplation of time, existence, and life.

In this ongoing exploration, words gradually shed their purely textual role, transforming into lines, rhythms, energy, and space.  

The exhibition extends the notion of “Dialogue” into the realms of time and technology.

Building on The Rocks series created during the pandemic, the artist combines innovative AI technology in 2026 to create Soul Mountain, a contemplative visual work in which ancient scholar’s rocks, traditional landscape painting, and contemporary technology converge. 

For CN Liew, tradition is not a past to be replicated, but a cultural resource that can be continually reinterpreted and revitalised. Through technological intervention, age-old aesthetic experiences enter a new artistic context, inviting viewers into a perceptual space where reality and virtuality, the present and future aspirations, and history and the future intertwine.

Selected works from The Rocks series were exhibited in Rocks from Yon Hills at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, in 2022. The Rocks 19 – Dialogue with Emperor Song Hui Zong’s Dragon Stone was acquired by the British Museum in 2025, marking a significant milestone for Malaysian contemporary art.

In Beyond the Border, the contrasting properties of metal and ink become a metaphor for “Dialogue”. 

The hardness of metal and the fluidity of ink meet, bringing together the traditional sensibilities of Eastern ink art with a material that symbolises modern industrial development. The artist experiments with creating ink-wash effects on metal surfaces that do not absorb ink. In the process, two seemingly incompatible properties interact and respond to one another, shaping a distinctive artistic expression.

As the artist explains, “Throughout history, the rise and fall of the world have been shaped by two forces: conflict and harmony. Through my art, I seek to explore the necessity of dialogue.”

If The Great Refinement brings tradition into dialogue with the contemporary, and The Rocks explores the dialogue between the past and the future, Beyond the Border explores a dialogue between strength and gentleness. 

The Possibilities of Dialogue

Seen in this light, “Dialogue” in CN Liew’s work is more than a singular artistic language. It is a revelation —  a state of being that must remain ongoing.

Dialogue can take place between people,
across cultures,
between tradition and the contemporary,
between East and West,
between strength and gentleness.

Even conflict and harmony can, through dialogue, discover the possibilities of coexistence.

And art becomes the space where these seemingly disparate elements meet, interact, and come to understand one another.

Thus, the “Dialogue” at the heart of this exhibition is not about erasing differences, but about acknowledging and respecting them while seeking possibilities for coexistence and co-creation across those divides. 

Conflict can spark tension, yet harmony does not necessarily entail silence. The ideal of Great Unity that CN Liew pursues in his art is not “uniformity”, but respect for “diversity”. By drawing on the wisdom of seeking common ground while respecting differences, he explores how distinct elements can coexist in harmony without losing their individuality.

In this sense, dialogue is not simply compromise, — it is creation.

The artist further proposes: “Conflict without dialogue may lead to destruction, while harmony without dialogue breeds rigidity. A truly vibrant state emerges when diverse voices interact, collide, and respond to one another, awakening new possibilities.” 

These words capture the very spirit of the exhibition.

As the curator, I prefer to see this exhibition as an “open arena” for dialogue rather than a set of predetermined answers. 

What viewers encounter before the works is not merely calligraphy, painting, sculpture, or cross-media works, but also the ever-evolving connections between different ideas, cultures, and dimensions of time.

We hope every viewer will approach the works with their own memories, experiences, and values, while the works, in turn, engage them through line, medium, space, and idea in a silent exchange.

As the artist’s expression meets the viewer’s perception, and the meanings held within the works intersect with personal experiences, dialogue is no longer confined to the artist and the artwork. Instead, it continues to evolve through each act of viewing and contemplation.

Opening Up New Possibilities Through Dialogue

Ralph Waldo Emerson, a leading figure of the American Renaissance, once said, “The best of life is conversation.”

Daisaku Ikeda, President of Soka Gakkai International, likewise affirmed the importance of “making dialogue the sure and certain path to peace.”

Though separated by era and context, both voices converge on the same truth: Dialogue is the foundation in fostering mutual understanding, building trust, and paving the way for peace.

In 2026, the Soka Gakkai Malaysia Grand Culture Centre (also known as WKSGM) marks the 25th anniversary of its establishment.

For 25 years, guided by the ideals of culture, education, and peace, the Centre has been committed to building bridges between people through art and culture, fostering exchange, understanding, and friendship.

On this milestone occasion, the presentation of CN Liew’s Dialogue exhibition carries special significance. Beyond showcasing the artist’s works, the exhibition represents his sincere response —  through a distinctive artistic language —  to the ideals that WKSGM has upheld and practiced over the past 25 years.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to CN Liew for his trust in and support of Soka Gakkai Malaysia. 

Art may not directly resolve the world’s conflicts, yet it can inspire us to see them from different perspectives. Nor can art bring about peace on its own, yet it can help us rediscover the possibilities for mutual understanding and connection between people and cultures.

When differences no longer divide us, when encounters give rise to exchange, and when understanding fosters resonance, dialogue gains a power that transcends words.

Dialogue is not the end of the search for answers, but the beginning of understanding.
Only through this ongoing dialogue can new possibilities emerge.

Exhibition opening hours: 11 am – 5 pm (Closed on Mondays)
Prior appointment is required for groups of more than 20 people, Please get in touch with us at https://b.link/WhatsApp_SokaPCE