Details matter: Choo using a magnifier to help him see while drawing. — THOMAS YONG/The Star
Visually-impaired artist is set to introduce M'sians to his dark art
JOHOR BARU: He cannot see the world the way most people do, but that has never stopped Choo Kok Choon from painting it in all its beauty.
Despite having only 30% of his vision, the 45-year-old man born with congenital cataracts has never let it impede his passion for art.
“I started dabbling in art when I was about seven years old, and over time, I was able to explore it more seriously.
“I have my parents to thank for that, as they were the ones who encouraged me to pursue my passion and supported me all the way.
“My father even took out his retirement savings so that I could further my studies and take my passion to another level,” he said when met at an art studio here recently.
After completing his studies, Choo went on to obtain a diploma in fine arts from the Centre of Art Academy in Johor Baru before pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art at the University of Tasmania in Australia.
“I use a magnifier to help me see more clearly when I paint, but I still need to squint slightly when working with particularly small details.
“When I started taking painting seriously, one of the biggest struggles was keeping the colours within the lines because everything looked pretty blurry to me.
“However, over time, my hands became more stable, allowing me to be more precise,” he said, adding that he could still see and differentiate colours.
For Choo, painting is a form of therapy, a way for him to express his feelings and thoughts.
“Most of my paintings fall under dark art, which explores emotions like fear, sadness, anger and other unseen struggles of life.
“Unfortunately, this style of art is not very popular in Malaysia and is considered alternative art.
“As a result, the majority of my paintings were bought by people from other countries, such as Australia, Norway and Sweden,” he said.
To expose more people to alternative art, Choo is organising a three-week exhibition at an art studio in Taman Desa Cemerlang.
“I want people to learn more about dark art and provide opportunities for local artists to gain more attention for their work.
The exhibition commenced yesterday and will continue until April 25. It features 14 artists showcasing paintings that fall under the dark art style.
“A majority of them are Johoreans, but we also have painters from Penang and Selangor,” he said, adding that the public is welcome to visit the exhibition for free.
The exhibition is open from 11am to 6pm daily, except on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
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