The Poetry of Light: A Retrospective of Chong Hon Fatt

Exhibition Introduction

Curator Vicky Ho

Chong Hon Fatt, is a household name in Penang and one of Malaysia’s internationally recognised oil painters known for his lifelong dedication to plein air painting. For more than six decades, he has remained committed to one of the simplest yet most challenging pursuits — going to the scene, seeking truth in the ever-changing interplay of light and shadow, and completing each work through a dialogue with nature.

“I have always wanted to be a painter.”

These words embody the most steadfast conviction of his life.

During his secondary school years, he studied watercolour and pastel under renowned Penang watercolour artist Khoo Sia, and after Form Three, he studied oil painting under Lee Cheng Yong. His rigorous training in drawing, watercolour, and pastel laid a strong foundation for his artistic practice. What ignited his passion for oil painting was not only the bold, vigorous brushstrokes and vibrant colours of Post-Impressionist master Vincent van Gogh, but also the encouragement of senior Penang artist Tan Chiang Kiong, who once told him: “Your oil paintings are more compelling than your watercolours!” This affirmation further solidified his resolve to explore oil painting. From then on, oil painting became the artistic language into which he poured his entire life, and painting from life became his unwavering creative method.

In today’s age of digital photography, many have asked him,

“Why not take a photograph and paint from it later?”

His response, true to his character, is frank and resolute:

“A photograph lacks the light and colours of the actual scene — it just won’t work”.

That is precisely why he insists on personally confronting every ray of light, every hue, and every fleeting moment. He believes that only by standing at the scene can one truly feel the breath of nature — only then can a painting come alive.

From Penang’s streets and alleys, old houses, and historical landmarks, to the Penang Bridge, the Clan Jetties, the Botanical Gardens, and its fishing villages, Chong Hon Fatt has always pursued authentic light and colour through plein air painting. He often exclaims, “Penang painters are truly fortunate!” To him, Penang is not just a city, but a natural studio brimming with vitality. Weathered walls and old houses give rise to rich layers of colour; secluded alleys form unique spatial compositions; and those buildings soon to be swept away by the passage of time are frozen under his brush into timeless landscapes filled with warmth and emotion.

For Chong Hon Fatt, travel is not about reaching distant places, but about discovering light. The sunlight, climate, and colours of different regions each possess their own distinct character in his eyes, and through his brushstrokes, they are woven into visual poems of these foreign lands.

In 2007, the Kaiping Diaolou and Villages in China were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The local government specially invited Chong Hon Fatt to create a series of one hundred paintings featuring the Diaolou to celebrate and commemorate the occasion. It took him over a year, travelling back and forth between China and Malaysia, to complete this ambitious project. Subsequently, China Central Television (CCTV) invited him to return to Kaiping to paint on location and film a documentary, introducing hundreds of millions of viewers to this Malaysian artist who has always remained committed to plein air painting. Yet, in the face of such accolades, he has maintained his characteristic humility and modesty, focusing solely on his next painting session and the next interplay of light and shadow.

This retrospective features a selection of 99 representative works dating from 1959 to 2026. Organised into three chapters — “Walking Through the Alleys of Penang”, “Witnessing the Second Penang Bridge”, and “A Journey Through the World in Pursuit of Light” — it comprehensively presents Chong Hon Fatt’s artistic journey spanning more than six decades.

From local customs to the development of the times, from a concern for the local community to an international perspective, this exhibition not only documents an artist’s creative journey but also reflects his unwavering artistic conviction — to chronicle the era through plein air painting and to celebrate life through light and colour.

Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda emphasises that true art is not merely a depiction of the external world, but a reflection of the artist’s life experiences and spiritual pursuit. As embodied in the meaning of “The Poetry of Light”, light not only illuminates the landscapes before us; it also reveals the hope and truth found deep within life.

Looking back on his artistic life spanning more than six decades, Chong Hon Fatt once remarked simply:

“It was not in vain. I have lived up to my own standards”.

These simple words encapsulate an artist’s lifelong dedication.

What he has pursued has never been merely the appearance of light, but the truth and warmth of life that light carries. What he has left behind is not merely landscapes, but the colours and memories of a city and an era.

Soka Gakkai Malaysia through its Harmoni Soka Art and Culture Initiative hereby extends its most sincere tribute to Chong Hon Fatt’s more than six decades of tireless artistic pursuit through this exhibition.

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