Nov 7 marked the third year since the gallery’s opening, and by all accounts, the anniversary celebration was a happy occasion.
However, it was missing a certain someone: Janet Lee, Moi’s youngest daughter, whose artworks are hung throughout the gallery.
Janet left this world on July 7, after succumbing to ovarian cancer.
The Janet Lee Gallery is part of her artistic legacy, with Moi and her husband Lee Tiam honouring their late daughter’s memory by preserving and showcasing her works.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Moi reminisced about her daughter’s life.
“She was eight months old when she had her first epileptic seizure,” said Moi, adding that it was a frightening experience.
Every time Janet had a seizure, Moi would rush her to the hospital. However, the seizures became so frequent that doctors advised her that it would be better if Moi learnt how to handle her daughter’s seizures at home.
At the age of five, Janet was found to be a slow learner, unable to pick up basic skills like reading and writing. This went on until she was 16.
“She actually loved to go to school,” said Moi. “That was what puzzled me. Why wasn’t she studying if she liked school?”
Travelling to Australia to seek expert advice, Moi was told two things: one, that her daughter was visually impaired and two, that Janet was also intellectually disabled.
While this closed many doors to her daughter, Moi had long recognised Janet’s love for colour. So, she enrolled her daughter in art classes.
However, every art teacher who worked with the young girl said the same thing – she had no real talent in art. One teacher, however, praised Janet for her patience and her skill in mixing colours.
Despite the feedback, Moi pressed on with helping her daughter get started, eventually getting a sympathetic artist to mentor the girl.
In 2019, Janet finally decided she was a colourist, an artist who focuses on colours. Moi was supportive, simply “wanting the world to know the real her.”
The gallery was officially opened the following year. Moi said Janet was particularly proud of having a workplace to call her own.
Moi also reached out to fellow parents of neurodivergent youth, offering the space in the gallery as an avenue for their kids to showcase their talent as well.
“They all want to be independent, to be proud of what they do,” she said. “Since I had walked so far with her, why not share this experience and help other parents?”
What was Janet like when she was alive? Well, she had her moods, her mother said, with some days spent in almost complete silence.
Her largely cheerful paintings reflected her mood, with Moi noting two noticeably gloomy paintings that were created post-seizures.
Moi said that parenting Janet changed her life, as she learnt to be patient and to let the girl live as she wanted to. “She made me a better person.”
Earlier this year, Moi noticed that Janet was losing weight. By April, the girl was experiencing acute stomach pains.
Initially resisting a visit to the doctor’s, Janet finally relented on May 1. The tests revealed that she had late-stage cancer.
Despite this, Janet decided to forgo treatment, wanting to live her remaining life on her own terms. It was a difficult decision for Moi to accept, although she ultimately acceded.
“This was her life, and we didn’t want her to regret it.”
While the young colourist is no longer physically present, the gallery continues her legacy and Moi plans on keeping it alive for as long as she can.
For parents of neurodivergent children, Moi has this piece of advice: “Don’t underestimate your children. Every child has a gift and it falls on us as parents to find it, and develop it.”
Janet Lee Gallery
20-1-4, Jalan 2/101c
Cheras Business Centre
56100 Cheras
Kuala Lumpur