LOT 57
LIM AH CHENG
(B. Selangor, 1968)
Ancient Horses 11, 2007
Signed and dated “YG 2571989” on lower right
Watercolour on paper
26 x 36 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
SOLD – RM 11,200
Horses – the Romans, Macedonians, Persians, Greeks, Assyrians, Chinese and Indians have depicted them in their art many, many times. Expressionistic painter Lim Ah Cheng considers horses as his muse, as they are a symbol of grace and power as well as loyal companions. Depicting them in their untamed, dramatic glory as in this piece, there is a haze around these horses as they gallop at a blurring speed. “Horses appeal to me because of their strength and beauty, their speed and movement. They have been a longstanding subject in Chinese painting, and I’ve had many years of traditional Chinese ink training, whereby brushstrokes can express galloping horses and a lot of movement.”
While equestrian art have conventionally been done through Chinese ink only, Lim prefers to capture them through the use of mainly oil and combining them with other mediums as well, stating that “the texture of oil paint is brilliant: it can show off the layers of colours and richness of texture. Depth and perspective can be reached easily when I master it. It also can be laid on top of water-based paint mediums to create a combination of mixed media harmoniously.” Combining both the Western and Oriental approach, he uses his brushstrokes in fluid motion to creation speed and movement as his horses bolt throughout the canvas.
Lim Ah Cheng studied graphic design and oil painting at Malaysia Institute of Art in 1988, illustration at Tatsun Studio and Chinese ink painting under Chong Cheng Chuan, a local master. He then became a professional artist in 1996.