Art: Piece of Ooi’s happiness

Downtown Penang

Marilyn

Cheery artist Ooi

THE first time I saw the young man with the kilowatt smile was at a charity art auction dinner where he was beside himself with excitement as he stood by his painting, the object of a bidding war that ended at a cool RM12,000.

Now, almost a year later, Clement Ooi is sitting in an art gallery in Damansara Kim, a piece of cake in his hand, and flashing his brilliant smile at me.

- You are very happy, Clement.

Yes, am happy.

- Why is that?

Sell painting.

- Why are you selling them?

Get money.

- What do you want the money for?

To buy Nintendo.

The simplicity of his answers belies 20-year-old Ooi’s huge talent whose paintings have been exhibited at the National Art Gallery and the Brian Ayers Memorial Art Exhibition in Boone, North Carolina, US.

In 2007, he held his first solo exhibition at Lookiss, a local art gallery. His work has been bought by collectors from Switzerland, Australia, Germany, Britain, Japan, Singapore and the United States.

Ooi’s art is strong and sure with careful attention to details. At a glance, his bold colourful pieces, especially his leaves and flowers series, fall into a category called Naïve Art where the simplicity of the art actually veils the techniques and training of the artist.

Then again, due to his autism, his work might just be labelled Outsider Art, described by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as art by artists who are not from the mainstream art world.

French artist Jean Dubuffet had also described a similar art form which he called Art Brut which meant “Raw or Rough Art” created by artists out of pure creative desires and who were not influenced by worldly concerns like competition, acclaim and social promotion.

Dubuffet’s study group comprised inmates from a mental institution.

The essence of Outsider Art may be an underlying element in Ooi’s art but his range of work will not allow him to be boxed into any particular genre.

His orchid series proves him artistically flexible with an eye for elegance. He is able to move from the Naïve Art-influenced riot of colours to the graphically detailed and controlled black line drawings. In fact his art will appeal to a big cross-section of the public.

Lawyer and Meusse art gallery owner, Kerk Boon Leng, is not concerned into which category Ooi’s art falls.

“I want people to know about good pieces of Malaysian art and our artists,” he enthused.

Kerk is excited about Ooi’s talent and potential as seen in the upcoming Art Of The Ordinary. “Clement paints as his eyes see, with honesty and no prejudices. Artists have a role to play in society, they should be documenting life around them as it is today,” Kerk said.

Ooi has come a long way since the days his parents, Ooi Bee Lam and Annie Kam, watched him doodling on pieces of papers. At eight, they found a couple of art teachers who were willing to take on their son. Even at that age, he showed a propensity towards details. He would choose to draw buildings, vehicles and generally, objects that had a lot of details on them.

In 2001, Kam and her son attended an art workshop organised by the National Art Gallery for Children with special needs. Work exhibited was put up for sale after the workshop.

Since then, Ooi has participated in art exhibitions and had won awards from the Brian Ayers Memorial in the US. The latter celebrates the unusual artistic ability of children with learning disabilities and dyslexia.

Kam is aware that her son’s art might be forever shadowed by his autism and that he may be limited in his creativity in some ways.

“He literally paints what he sees. So if the art looked skewed, that is how he sees it. In that sense he is rigid,” she said.

However she believes her son’s art should just be viewed as art with no labels attached.

And that is what every artist wants.

Kam works hard to manage her son’s career as she sees art as his future. She has tried to sell his art to corporations but she said it was tough going.

The value we put on the art produced by our local artists actually is a reflection of the level of cultural refinement within our society. Look at the artists and artisans of old: usually they worked under the patronage of royal houses or very rich families.

Michelangelo might not have painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel if all the Popes of that period had not been patrons of art.

For local artists to survive, there is a need for financial support from individuals and corporations.

In the case of Ooi, he paints nature, things and people with a dash of heartfelt joy, perhaps reflective of his natural cheerfulness and pure intention of painting for art’s sake.

Wouldn’t it be good to hang a piece of happiness in our homes or offices?



Check out Clement Ooi’s Art Of The Ordinary, Oct 7- Nov 9, at Meusse Gallery (30A, Jalan 20/10 Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya). Call 03-7710-8361 for details.