Celebrated Malaysian artist makes his mark in Paris

JOHOR BARU: Malaysian artist Tay Poi San is turning heads in the international art scene with his first solo exhibition in Paris, a career milestone that is decades in the making.

Titled “Les Rivières de l’Encre: L’Héritage en Mouvement de Tay Poi San” (Rivers of Ink: The Flow­ing Legacy of Tay Poi San), the exhibition held at the Vanities Gallery from May 20 until June 2 showcases his signature blend of tradition and innovation.

The gallery described Tay, 72, as “one of the leading contemporary masters of ink painting”.

Tay said being able to hold an exhibition in Paris, a major art capital, is a great honour for him.

“Having my works displayed (in Paris) is a spiritual milestone in my artistic life.

“It reflects the strong foundation and creative strength of Johor’s art scene as we possess not only solid techniques but also the ability to transform our local culture into an artistic language with a global perspective,” said the artist from Ayer Hitam.

The exhibition features representative works from his career spanning over 50 years. It showcases the evolution of his personal style and also conveys his philosophical belief that “tradition should flow like a river”.

Tay said it also highlights how he uses ink as a medium to bridge traditional eastern techniques with modern expressive forms.

His art inherits the subtle essen­ce of traditional Chinese landscape painting while infusing a dynamic contemporary aesthetic, creating poetic worlds that balan­ce the real and abstract, he added.

Tay noted that Malaysia’s cultural diversity has given local artists a unique South-East Asian aesthetic and life experience.

“I hope this exhibition will also inspire younger artists not to imitate but to create from the heart and discover their own voice.

“When we stay true to our roots and dare to dream, we have the power to bring Malaysia’s unique artistic spirit to the world,” he said.

Tay began his artistic journey under calligraphy master Wong Tham Sing. He was later mentor­ed by Kao Bing Yee and in the 1990s, he studied under ink painter Cheah Thien Soong, who taught external courses in ink painting at the Malaysian Institute of Art.

He also trained under US-based artist Tan Chin Long (Chen Long).

Since the 1980s, Tay has continuously innovated his ink langua­ge, becoming one of the key inheritors of the Nanyang art tradition.

Malaysian ambassador to France Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim, who attended the opening of the exhibition on May 21, praised his contributions to the promotion of eastern art.

Over the years, Tay has received various international recognition. For instance, he was selected among the Top 500 Global Artists at the Hong Kong Global Ink Art Festival in 2021.

He has also exhibited his work at biennales in Shenzhen (2022) and London (2023).