Many of his paintings are rustic scenes of Malaysian rural villages, hilly landscapes, or coastal outposts. People rarely appear in them, and when they do, they are depicted with little detail.
Done by a less experienced artist, these paintings might come across as lacking depth, or too sentimental, maybe even kitsch. Wong however, knew to look beyond a place’s exterior.
With his use of vibrant colours, inspired techniques and selective use of detail, he excelled at capturing the true essence of a place, revealing its true personality and making it shine on canvas.
Many of the great artist’s paintings are on display now at Artas Galeri here.
According to gallery owner Roy Ng, this posthumous exhibition titled “A Moment With Wong Jong Nong”, showcases close to 40 of the artist’s paintings from 1969-2010. Its genesis came after a chance meeting with some of the artist’s family.
“He was a very good artist. Most people know him for his contributions to the Nanyang style of art, which helped shape the artistic landscape of Southeast Asia,” Ng told FMT Lifestyle.
Looking through the artworks on display, many will likely share Ng’s sentiments. Whether depicting fruit or fishing villages, Wong’s works are always something to behold.
Works like “Sungai Pelek” (2000) or “Fishing Village” (2000), feel like snapshots from a bygone era, transporting viewers back to simpler times. Other paintings exude a sense of tranquility from their serene, understated compositions.
Fittingly, the most current work in the exhibition is 2010’s “KL Sky View”, which depicts the capital city’s skyline, the Twin Towers on the horizon. Going through the exhibition therefore feels like a journey through Malaysia’s development, with humble houses eventually giving way to skyscrapers.
Born in Singapore, Wong spent his early days in Hainan, China, growing up among fishermen and farmers. He later enrolled at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art in Singapore for training in fine art, graduating in 1964.
Unusually, he declined pursuing an art career after that, believing it was not a sustainable source of income. Instead, he traded paints for petrol, becoming a mechanic who reserved his art for holidays and weekends.
As the saying goes, however, you can’t keep a good man down. After about 30 years, Wong was finally able to devote all his time to art. Very fortunate, or the regional art scene would have been deprived of some of very memorable works!
Wong was prolific throughout his life, participating in almost 20 group and solo art exhibitions here.
His first solo exhibition was at LC Yat Antique and Gallery in Kuala Lumpur in 1994. His paintings earned him many accolades, including the Best Painting Award at the 17th Malaysia Chinese Art and Cultural Festival.
The late artist was also famous for taking long drives around the countryside with his friends, seeking out new locations for painting.
His favourite art spots included Pulau Ketam, Port Klang, Cameron Highlands and Seremban. He would later move to Kuala Lumpur, where he would live until his passing in 2010 from colon cancer.
Many artists and collectors visiting the exhibition had nothing but praise for Wong’s work.
“His paintings are charming and relaxing on the eyes because of the nostalgic familiarity of simple Malaysian heritage. The still life of local fruit and the muted palette are great,” commented collector Tiffanee Marie Lim.
“Not many artists do this kind of style anymore. I think that sometimes, people overlook him,” said artist and collector Najib Bamadhaj.
Also present at the gallery was Wong Yuat Ming, daughter of the late artist. She described her late father’s paintings as truly capturing the beauty of peninsular Malaysia, as could be seen from his loving depiction of fishing villages.
“His paintings were always characterised by vibrant and vivid colour, and so skillfully layered,” she reminisced. “Thank you to Artas Galeri for giving us this opportunity to exhibit my father’s art. We hope this will allow more people to appreciate his paintings.”
The exhibition runs until July 9. For more information, visit Artas Galeri’s website, or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
‘A Moment With Wong Jong Nong (1944-2010)’
Artas Galeri,
36, Jalan PJU 5/20D,
Kota Damansara,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor