England-based artist Caryn Koh is currently back in Malaysia for her solo exhibition ‘Vessel’.
Both are incredibly eye-catching, with Koh’s works – primarily oil on canvas – largely dominated by striking reddish hues and feminine figures, in addition to black-and-white portraits with red accents. Meanwhile, “Chains and Patterns” shows a woman pouring from a teapot into Chinese cups – only instead of tea, a red fluid not unlike blood fills the small containers.These and her other paintings such as “Lovesick” and “An Antidote” have a deliberate ambiguity to them that some might find perturbing, but which allow the viewer to interpret them as they will.
Apart from Malaysia and the UK, Koh has also been involved in artistic projects in Spain, Germany, and the Philippines. Indeed, each painting gives the viewer some insight into the lives of the Kelantanese, who are known to embrace simplicity and slow living. Through works such as ‘Hujan Renyai Emas di Pasar Jelawat’, Khairudin hopes viewers will understand more about his home state and its people.