Artist Yeoh Choo Kuan Unveils “What Makes A Mountain” Exhibition in Celebration of a Decade of Artistic Practice

eslite spectrum Kuala Lumpur
G36 & L1 01-34, The Starhill, 181 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Now - 26 November 2023
Opening Reception: 17 November (Friday), 2:30 pm

Richard Koh Fine Art is delighted to announce the re-launch of Yeoh Choo Kuan’s monograph, “This Is How It Is”. Originally released during the COVID-19 pandemic, the book will now receive the recognition it deserves, offering art enthusiasts a deeper understanding of the artist’s prolific body of work.
The comprehensive publication, featuring text and interview segments by art writer Naima Morelli, along with a foreword by independent curator and critic, Louis Ho, and expert editing by writer and publishing consultant Rosa Maria Falvo, delves into Yeoh’s artistic evolution, spanning from his formative years (2011-2014) to his more recent
embrace of installation art and the iconography of traditional Sinophonic visual culture (2018-2020). This provides an intimate understanding of the artist’s journey, intertwining themes with the contours of his biography.

In tandem with the book launch, Yeoh will also be showcasing his artworks at a pop-up exhibition titled “What Makes A Mountain”, at eslite spectrum Kuala Lumpur (誠品生活吉隆坡) from Now to 26 November, 2023.
The works showcased in the exhibition are from 2022, marking a significant milestone in Yeoh Choo Kuan’s
illustrious career. 2022 commemorates a decade of artistic practice for the artist. His involvement in diverse art scenes
has enriched his perspective, infusing his creations with a fresh and profound outlook on the world. For Yeoh, the
process of creating art and the journey of a mountain are intertwined — both challenging perspectives, demanding
endurance, and ultimately yielding remarkable beauty.

Delving deeper into his distinctive exploration of “Shan Shui”, the traditional Chinese landscape painting style, Yeoh’s
“What Makes A Mountain” offers an immersive experience of contemplation and reflection. Employing his signature “paint streaming” technique, as seen in his previous series, “Streaming Mountain”, he introduces the element of “Shui” (water), breathing life into dynamic and vivid scenes that resonate with viewers on a profound level. His work is a celebration of the convergence of colours, diversity of orientations, and vitality of frenetic situations, mirroring the complexities of our modern era.
 

Yeoh Choo Kuan’s “What Makes A Mountain” promises to be a transformative experience, inviting visitors to embark on a solemn exploration of the profound intersection of art, nature, and perception. This is an unparalleled opportunity to witness the evolution of an artist whose vision continues to shape the landscape of contemporary art.
For more information, please visit www.rkfineart.com or contact info@rkfineart.com.

Portrait of YEOH CHOO KUAN. Photo courtesy of the artist

Yeoh Choo Kuan (b.1988, Malaysia)’s practice articulates the tension between a spiritual élan and the magnetism of desire, violence and the flesh. The natural landscape and the overload of information are extremes of a spectrum he embraces and represents in all its contradictions. With abstract painting as a strong foundation, Yeoh has in the latest years transcended into the conceptual realm of installation. His explorations of different artistic domains meet a sheer enjoyment of textures, mark making, and disintegration of the pictorial matter.
 

The biographical, psychological and emotional element is always his point of departure, leading then into visual reflections on our shared socio-political realm. Yeoh’s solo exhibitions include: Today’s Special (2020), Richard Koh Fine Art, Singapore; Streaming Mountain (2019), Richard Koh Fine Art Singapore; Lights In (2018), Tang Contemporary Art, Bangkok; Live Leak (2017), Richard Koh Fine Art Malaysia; Private Sentiment (2012),
and House of Matahati, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He currently lives and works in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.