Curated by WinSon Loh. 11th January TimeLess a solo exhibition by Cheng Thak, Lui

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1 Curated by WinSon Loh 11th January 2016 TimeLess a solo exhibition by Cheng Thak, Lui

2 TimeLess // Cheng Thak, Lui The New Year is fast approaching and the first exhibition that PINKGUY will be holding is an introduction to Cheng Thak, Lui s latest paintings. The upcoming solo TimeLess is on the 11th of January 2015 at 8:30 pm and is made up of 12 paintings that depict people whose occupations are slowly dying out due to advancementof technology and the use of machines. Curated by WinSon Loh, this exhibition will feature a new timeless frame design to match the concept, and is something to look forward to. A well-known painter whose works are about time, heritage and nostalgia, Cheng Thak, Lui has now turned his eye and brush, to portraying the human element of tradition and culture. While he seldom paints figure, this series is a tribute to the people who are being replaced and forgotten, while also scrutinising present day events and social issues. TimeLess follows Cheng Thak s previous series that utilises shadow and light to great effect, and this current body of work shows even further development of technique and concept in his quest to create ever more meaningful and masterful paintings of Malaysian culture and heritage.

3 A somber ambience permeates all of Cheng Thak s latest artworks. The colour schemes reflect the city and modernism - greys, browns, dark blue hues with the occasional accent of red, orange and lighter blues. In them, one can feel the encroachment of urbanisation through the shadows and the dark worn settings in each painting. In one painting a postman is the bright focal point of the piece, dressed in white and orange in sharp contrast to the dark edifice of a building. Atmosphere is created through the luminescence of light and the absence of it in the shadows. The towering immensity of the modern building in the background only partially revealed hints at the taking over of the old world by the contemporary. Letters on the structure are a clue as to what the building is, and also of which current event Cheng Thak has chosen to feature in the painting. In another painting of people using a telephone box, he highlights the incongruity of its disappearance while at the same time being used to spread news of disappeared people as can be seen through the missing poster pasted on it. TimeLess is a series that speaks through details. The depiction of shadows on structures, the wrinkles in the clothing worn by the characters in each painting, the little clues left for viewers to decipher are combined, creating works that are expressive, eloquent and charged with remembrance of activities and actions that are classic but also in the process of being lost in time. Cheng Thak, Lui has always been a social artist whose works speak about community issues in a time when progress is fast paced and accelerated, and with consequences that are significant and extensive. In his works for TimeLess, we see the presentation of objects and people that are being forgotten and dying out. These portrayals not only commemorate the past but also put into focus the details of modern life for contemporary Malaysian society, encouraging viewers to question the place and function of objects and people in a world that is increasingly machinated and also turbulent and unpredictable.

4 TimeLess is firstly about an issue that many people go through, not just those that work manually. As we see these careers and crafts declining, we must remember that time moves on and what is considered current today, is also tomorrows past. Less time is a timeless matter for us all. This series is accompanied by a collection of limited edition prints.

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8 A Postman 2015 Oil on Linen 20 x 30 { 25 x 35 }

9 B Nasi Lemak Seller 2015 Oil on Linen 20 x 30 { 25 x 35 }

10 C Rotiman (Bread Seller) 2015 Oil on Linen 20 x 30 { 25 x 35 }

11 D Rice Planter 2015 Oil on Linen 20 x 30 { 25 x 35 }

12 E Embroiderer 2015 Oil on Linen 20 x 30 { 25 x 35 }

13 F Inshore Net Fishermen 2015 Oil on Linen 20 x 30 { 25 x 35 }

14 G Telephone Engineer 2015 Oil on Linen 30 x 20 { 35 x 25 }

15 H Black Smith 2015 Oil on Linen 30 x 20 { 35 x 25 }

16 I Kacang Putih ( Peanut & Snack Seller) 2015 Oil on Linen 30 x 20 { 35 x 25 }

17 J Basketweaver 2015 Oil on Linen 30 x 20 { 35 x 25 }

18 K Knife Sharpener 2015 Oil on Linen 30 x 20 { 35 x 25 }

19 L Satay Seller 2015 Oil on Linen 20 x 30 { 25 x 35 }

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21 Cheng Thak, Lui Born in 1967, Negeri Sembilan Malaysia. Art Education Diploma inart & Design, Kuala Lumpur College of Art. Solo Exhibition 2016 TimeLess, PINKGUY Gallery, Kuala Lumpur 2015 Bayang, PINKGUY Gallery, Kuala Lumpur 2014 Circle, Hong Creative Space Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur 2014 Redeem, PINKGUY Gallery, Kuala Lumpur 2013 Color Crazy, PINKGUY Gallery, Kuala Lumpur 2013 CT LUI MAIDEN COLLECTION solo exhibition, Purple Houz Fine Art, Malaysia 2012 Reborn, PINKGUY Gallery, Kuala Lumpur 2010 HeART, PINKGUY Gallery, Kuala Lumpur 2008 OldTime, Old Faces, NNB Gallery, Muar Johor 2006 As I Was Passing II, Gallery Citra, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2003 Typically, Malaysia Artist s space, Concorde Hotel Shah Alam, Selangor 2001 Our Heritage, Rusli Hashim Fine Art, Malaysia 1997 As I Was Passing, Hotel Istana Organized by Pelita Hati Gallery of Art Achievement 2015 Henry Butcher Malaysian & Southeast Asian Art Auction MasterPiece Fine Art Auction, Malaysia 2014 Henry Butcher Malaysian & Southeast Asian Art Auction MasterPiece Fine Art Auction, Malaysia KLAS Art Auction, Malaysia 2013 Henry Butcher Malaysian & Southeast Asian Art Auction MasterPiece Fine Art Auction, Malaysia KLAS Art Auction, Malaysia 2012 Henry Butcher Malaysian & Southeast Asian Art Auction KLAS Art Auction, Malaysia 2011 Henry Butcher Art Auction Malaysia 2010 Henry Butcher Art Auction Malaysia

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