Our former Prime Minister The Honourable Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had just awhile ago officiated an art exhibition in the Balai Seni Lukis Negara/National Art Gallery entitled TAMPANNYA BUDI/The Beauty of the Malay Intellect. I am extremely honoured that my painting below was selected to be exhibited as well, together with works of well-established Malaysian artists.
I was requested to accompany my painting with a traditional Malay pantun, which I had some difficulty with as my painting was abstract. Anyway, with the help of a friend I came up with the pantuns. But I have to confess that that the pantuns do not really reflect what I feel for my painting. What is a true reflection of the painting is poetry below which my dear friend Randhir in Melbourne composed after seeing the painting, with some editing by me. Thanks Randy, I absolutely love it!
Heaven opens its door but for a momentLo a swirling of colours
blending in a spectrum,
of vividness beyond imagination
It is my gift,
from whence you know not where,
and for now you know not why...
In this brief moment,
a gift descends for all mankind
Here are your colours,
transform them if you can....
In the east, the sun is rising,
the clouds rise in a thinner mist,
and seem to touch the very sun,
that dominates over all my creation,
moving across your domain,
painting your world in forms beyond comprehension...
I am the Maker!
I gave you the palette a million years before.
I gave you the blues of the oceans,
the greens of your forests,
and textured your landscapes in ways
you can never dream of
I gave regal roses for manicured gardens,
that stand proud and adored,
Clusters of lavenders that cover your valleys in purple haze
Golden marigolds and simple daisies of the meadows
I brighten the end of your Winter
with the splendour of a daffodil show
I give you mystical orchids that hide in forests shadows,
in forms elusive, that sprays your senses with perfumes wild.
Here from my heavens,
a gift!
A myriad burst of colours...
See what you can form or find
Do with them what you can,
but never will they be like mine!
