Art to green the world

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GOING green does not stop with the 3Rs of recycling, reusing and reducing; it also involves continuous education on how to prevent virgin forests and rivers from being destroyed.

But, instead of classroom teaching and video documentaries, Esther Tan chose to bring the public closer to the environment through art pieces.

Tan, who runs the e-Art Gallery and Framing in Kuala Lumpur, may not be an artist herself, but she appreciates the hard work put into every brushstroke by artists.

Fields of gold and green: Indonesian artist Rohyatna’s piece entitled ‘Abundance-Padi Fields’ depicts rice as an important source of food for one’s everyday life.

So, she approached those who enjoyed painting scenery depicting nature to join her in spreading green love by taking part in the Green with Nature exhibition at her gallery.

“It is not easy to find artists who are focused on drawing certain aspects of the environment as the subject is vast, but I am fortunate to have found some of the best in the country to share their works with the public,” said Tan, who has also included works by artists from neighbouring Asian countries in the exhibition.

The month-long exhibition, which ends on Nov 27, features about 10 artists showcasing their works that include views of rivers, forests, animals and fruits, as well as padi fields and village houses.

Cheerful and refreshing: Through colourful flowers and scenery, Taat Joeda expresses himself in the piece he calls ‘Joy’.

Among the artists taking aprt in the exhibition are Zaharuddin Sarbini and Shahril Awang, both of whom have been in the art industry for a long time.

Zaharuddin, who hails from Sekinchan, Selangor, said he grew up in the fishing village and had started off as a comic artist before moving on to drawing the scenery around his home.

At times, he would draw pictures of local fruits after visiting orchards near his mother’s home in Ijok, Selangor.

Riverine scene: Shahril with one of his pieces, ‘Upstream of Sungei Sang Hor’.

“People usually visit orchards when they ‘balik kampung’,” he said, noting that many fruits were seasonal.

“By drawing the fruits, I hope to remind more Malaysians to return home to visit their loved ones and have a feast despite their busy work schedule in the city,” said Zaharuddin, who now concentrates on drawing the different species of birds.

Meanwhile, Shahril, who goes on annual trekking trips with friends to Gunung Tahan in Taman Negara, Pahang, and the Belum forest in Perak, said it was in those places that he gained inspiration for his pieces.

Local fruits: Zaharuddin with his piece entitled ‘Mangoes in the Orchard’.

“My fellow artist friends and I would trek for about four hours before reaching the upstream of Sungai Perak, and we would then all separate and concentrate on whatever we want to draw,” said Shahril, who has chosen to focus on rivers.

Other artists in the exhibition include Jaafar Taib, Abdul Rashid Yusof, Rohyatna, Sutopo, Taat Joeda and Professor Wen G. Lim.

“We hope that having art pieces like these in the home will serve as a gentle reminder to Malaysians on how important it is to keep such green areas alive for the next generation,” Tan said.

e-Art Gallery and Framing is located at 135 Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur, and is open from 11am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday.