Virtue and vice on canvas

By : Dennis Chua

Kong Yee portraying the value 'faith' through his painting titled 'Batu Caves'.
Kong Yee portraying the value 'faith' through his painting titled 'Batu Caves'.

WEI-Ling Gallery's fourth installation of its annual "18@8" exhibition, takes on a new twist with the introduction of the theme "Virtue and Vice".


Negative values like 'greed' can be seen in this painting by Lam.
Negative values like 'greed' can be seen in this painting by Lam.
From Oct 13 to Nov 7, the Gallery in Jalan Scott, off Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Kuala Lumpur, moves away from the annual selection of 18 artists.

Only nine artists have been invited to take part in this exciting exhibition this time, where each has been asked to create two works based on the chosen theme of vices and virtues.

The nine participating artists have been selected based on their significant contributions to the local arts scene in the preceding year, or on their pronounced artistic development during the same period.

The exhibition explores the characteristics of commonly perceived values. Each artist will present individual interpretations selected from a list of nine positive and negative values. The negative values takes their cue from the "Seven Deadly Sins", a taxonomy of negative values.
To the negative values lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride, the Gallery has added two more — hatred and intolerance. Each denotes the element of excess and damage, the absence of good and an erosion of humanistic qualities.

The positive values selected are justice, courage, wisdom, moderation, faith, hope, love, charity and truth. Socially, these values are upheld and represent the fundamental manner in which all faiths and cultures of the world teach humans to treat others.

Collectively, the list represents age-old teachings — still relevant today — of good versus evil. They are binary opposites and there is no questioning which prevails over the other.

The nine artists who will be presented in this year's "18@8 — Virtue and Vice" are Ivan Lam, Zulkifli Yusoff, Anurendra Jegadeva, Choy Chun Wei, Yau Bee Ling, Umibaizurah Mahir, Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Izan Tahir and Chin Kong Ye.

Time: Noon to 7pm (Mondays to Fridays) and 10am to 5pm (Saturdays).

Closed on Sundays and public holidays. Call 03-22601106, 2260-1107 or 012-302-5302 for details.