Malaysian artist creates tiny tributes to vanishing trades with miniature sculptures

Low looking at his recreation of the late lantern maker Lee Ah Hock and his now-demolished Tai Keat Seong shophouse along Magazine Road in George Town. Photo: K.T. GOH/The Star

Walk down any street in George Town a century ago and you are bound to find traditional craftsmen producing and selling various items.

Prior to the era of supermarkets, retail stores and online shopping, these time-honoured enterprises were where Penangites would shop for all manner of merchandise.

From furniture to prayer paraphernalia, decorative items, utensils, clothing, accessories, business wares and more, they were typically made by hand using skills learned and perfected over decades.

Often times, a particular craft would be passed down the family from one generation to the next, remaining in the exact same premises that their forebears first established.

But despite outlasting two world wars, imperial colonists and everything in between, many of these tradecrafts could not survive the onslaught of time and technology.

Industrialisation and automation allowed the same items to be produced cheaper and much more efficiently. Rising material and property rental costs significantly reduced profit margins.

A mini figurine of rattan weaver Sim Buck Teik, put up at the Seang Hin Leong shop on Beach Street as part of the ‘Declining Artisans’ sculpture trail. Photo: K.T. GOH/The Star

Changing lifestyles and more glamourous white collar jobs have also dissuaded younger heirs from following their elders’ path of toil and obscurity.

Which is why many of the remaining craftsmen today – aged in their 70s or 80s – will likely be the last of their kind. But not if one Penang sculptor can help it.

‘Artisans’ project

Low Chee Peng has started a project titled “Artisans”, an ongoing series of sculptures which depict these craftsmen and their shophouses in miniature, to highlight their value to the state’s intangible cultural heritage.

He has completed 10 pieces so far, featuring lantern, joss stick, effigy, trishaw, shoe and songkok makers, wooden signboard and tombstone engravers, a rattan weaver and a blacksmith.

These were exhibited in a show at his O Sculpture studio – located within Hin Bus Depot in Jalan Gurdwara – in July.

Low's miniature of Haja Mohideen, the current owner of Kedai Songkok OSM Mohd Shariff, which is located in an alcove next to the Nagore Shrine. The business was established by Haja Mohideen's father in 1933 and is the last of its kind in George Town. Photo: K.T. GOH/The Star

Response was so good that Low has now decided to put it on permanent display on the upper floor of his gallery space.

The O Sculpture studio has evolved into a vibrant hub, bridging sculptors, pottery artists, and enthusiasts alike. With Low at the helm, it has become a small yet significant exhibition space, fostering connections between artists and the public, and nurturing a deeper appreciation for the art form.

He plans to keep the “Artisans” project on public display for the next few months or more.

“I wanted to draw people into the lives of traditional craftsmen so they can feel the bustling atmosphere that once filled George Town’s streets.

“These skilled artisans spent their lives toiling away in these buildings, imbuing it with their indefatigable spirit. But as we slowly lose them, the city is also losing its soul,” said Low, 49, a self-taught sculptor who has 30 years of experience.

Over the years, his public artworks, made from metal, wood, and ceramics, have become familiar landmarks in George Town, adding both character and cultural depth to the city’s evolving artistic identity.

Fourth-generation trishaw-maker Choo Yew Choon showing the mini figurine of himself, made by Low, for the ‘Declining Artisans’ sculpture trail at George Town Festival 2024. Photo: K.T. GOH/The Star

His “Artisans” pieces, significantly smaller in scale, has gained a curious following, notably on social media.

Made with the help of a 10-strong team from Low’s studio, they are approximately 0.8m tall and 0.5m wide. Metal, wood and resin were the primary media used.

The detail to these works is remarkable. Those familiar with Penang’s historic shophouses will appreciate the accordion-style metal gates, carved timber windows and air vents seen on the lower level.

On the upper floor, louvered windows, shutter panels, overhanging eaves, ornate carvings and terracotta roof tiles are key features. Plaster, limewash and stone textures seen on the actual buildings, as well as the effects of wear and tear and weathering, were also recreated.

But the heroes are the artisans, who can be found diligently working on their crafts, alongside all the requisite tools and trinkets. All business signages were faithfully reproduced.

Remembering the craftspeople

For Low, making some of the pieces proved bittersweet. He knows most of his subjects personally but some – like lantern maker Lee Ah Hock and joss stick maker Lee Beng Chuan – have unfortunately passed on.

“Ah Hock was Penang’s last traditional lantern maker. His family business, Tai Keat Seong on Magazine Road, stood for over a hundred years.

Low, who lives in Ayer Itam, putting the final touches to his ‘Artisans’ series of sculptures depicting Penang’s traditional artisans and the shophouses they live and work in. Photo: K.T. GOH/The Star

“He did Hokkien-styled lanterns and was always inundated with orders from local clan houses and temples. Everything was made by hand so he could only produce a few each month.

“I tried to order some from him but was unsuccessful,” Low shared, adding that the craftsman passed away in 2014 and his crumbling shophouse demolished to make way for a carpark not long after.

Beng Chuan’s joss stick business on Lorong Muda, started in 1948, remains an attraction today despite him passing on in 2020. As a tribute, Low commissioned the former’s daughter-in-law to produce several miniature joss sticks using real sandalwood and sawdust, to incorporate into his sculpture.

“I even approached some of the artisans to become their trainee, but most advised me not to follow their footsteps as it’s not something you can make a living from anymore.

“Some do teach short courses for people to pick up a bit of the skills and make simple things like a small basket. But that probably won’t be enough to keep these vanishing trades alive for long.

‘Wooden Signboard Engraving’, shows Kok Ah Wah, the former owner of Kok Ying Chow Signboard Maker, toiling away at the now defunct shop on Queen Street. Photo: K.T. GOH/The Star

“These long-standing businesses will be replaced by new shops and cafes eventually,” the artist lamented.

For the recently-concluded George Town Festival 2024, Low also produced five smaller pieces and placed them at the respective premises for festival-goers to “hunt”.

“I was surprised that many youngsters were really interested and walked the trail to look for it. Hopefully it allowed them to see George Town off the beaten path and discover the city’s true gems,” he added.

For now, Low intends to continue his “Artisans” series. With dozens of traditional crafts thriving in the city over the centuries, he will not be short of subject matter.

The “Artisans” pieces can be viewed at O Sculpture studio, Hin Bus Depot, George Town, by appointment only, on Fridays to Sundays between 10am and 6pm. Contact: 012-4725 443.