Kim Hai has always been known as a humble and friendly person to his friends and students alike, greeting everyone with a welcoming smile. He was born in the 50s and studied fine art under the tutelage of Chong Chen Sun at the Malaysia Institute of Art since 1965. He started to major in Batik painting after his graduation in 1972. He continued learning and refining his technique from the renowned Lingnan style artist Yang Shanshen in Hong Kong during the 1980s.
Lingnan style paintings emphasises life and nature, creating a new Chinese art movement by integrating inspiration from the East and West. There is very strong regional-style influence and bright colouring methods. As a technique, painters use naturalism, applying both Oriental traditional naiveté and West European watercolour painting skills, making their paintings look harmonious, clear and fresh.
Kim Hai has built a reputation as a Lingnan style artist in Malaysia. His inspiration is the celebrated Malaysian senior artist Wong Nai Chin. His unique style of combining batik into ink painting has made him stand out from the regional Chinese ink painting industry.
The exhibition will be open for public viewing from 6 Oct – 26 Oct at OACC HALL 2, from 11am-6pm daily except for Mondays and public holidays. Admission is free. For more information, please contact 03-7785 6363, look them up on Facebook: Oriental Art & Cultural Center
