Chew Teng Beng: A Conversation between Artist and Curator

On 24 December 2023, a public art talk moderated by curator and art writer Tan Sei Hon was held at Soka Gakkai Malaysia in conjunction with A Retrospective: Chew Teng Beng — Life, Art and Writings.  The session brought together artists, educators and members of the public to reflect on his six-decade artistic journey and his sustained engagement with handmade paper as a contemporary medium.

During the talk, Dr. Chew reflected on how his relationship with paper began in childhood. During the Japanese Occupation, he assisted his grandfather, a calligrapher, in preparing ink and handling rice paper. Through this early and sustained contact, he gradually developed an awareness of paper’s material qualities, understanding it not only as a surface for writing and painting, but also as a medium with its own physical presence.

Upon returning to Malaysia in the 1970s, Dr. Chew began experimenting with local fibres such as banana trunks and pineapple leaves—materials often regarded as agricultural waste. Working within limited conditions, he developed experimental methods to understand their structural properties and gradually transformed them into a material language rooted in the ecological and cultural context of Southeast Asia.

Reflecting on the relationship between craft and art, Dr. Chew noted that craft emphasises precision and uniformity, whereas art embraces irregularity and individuality. The uneven edges, textures and unpredictable outcomes of handmade paper are not flaws to be corrected, but part of the material’s expressive potential and the creative process itself.

Several of his major works were highlighted during the session. The Coralscape Series, presented at the Asia Pacific Triennial, explores layered textures and sculptural forms reminiscent of marine landscapes. In Sounds of the Ocean, subtle white forms suggest waves, while red accents allude to the human tragedies of Vietnamese boat refugees, demonstrating how material experimentation can carry deep historical and emotional resonance.

Nature remains central to Dr. Chew’s practice. In one work inspired by water lilies, he embedded a real leaf into wet pulp, allowing it to decay naturally and leave its trace within the paper. For him, making is not an act of control, but a process of co-creation with nature.

Beyond material exploration, Dr. Chew has long focused on being environmentally conscious in his practice. By using fast-regenerating plants instead of timber, he demonstrated how artistic practice can align with ecological responsibility. He also envisioned community-based papermaking initiatives, reflecting his belief that art can contribute meaningfully to both society and the environment.

As an art educator, Dr. Chew advocates a  “head, heart and hand” approach, emphasising the integration of thinking, emotional engagement and practical experience as a foundation for creative development.

The talk offered valuable insight into Dr. Chew’s artistic practice. Spanning more than six decades, his work demonstrates the potential of handmade paper as a contemporary artistic medium, while revealing an ongoing dialogue between material, nature and society.