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Lot Essay
Acclaimed contemporary watercolorist Chang Fee Ming was born in 1959, in the coastal state of Terengganu, Malaysia. His early works portrayed the life of Malay villagers in his hometown, particularly within renditions of colorful batik sarongs hanging in the wind, where he developed his impressive watercolor technique and strong ability to create the interplay of color shading, texture and patterns, which confer a dynamic vitality to his artworks.
Having exhibited in numerous international shows, Chang's oeuvre extends beyond traditional Malay village life to travel narratives around Asia, however he returns time and again to the subject matter which he portrays the most elegantly and richly - scenes of Southeast Asian figures, both male and female, clad in brightly patterned and textured local weaves of batik cloth, and other local accoutrements.
Within Fragrance (Lot 696) Chang's realistic watercolor skill is clearly in evidence, depicting the back views of two native women in the marketplace. The inimitable texture of their local outfits is superbly portrayed by Chang, supplemented by the woven baskets of edible goods lying at their feet; left exposed in full brilliancy or wrapped in slickly veined banana leaves. The title Fragrance conjures up the most memorable element of Southeast Asian life - the complex smells of the marketplace, a combination of piquant spices like turmeric and saffron, tropical heat and dust, or rainfall on the ground, and the perfumes and powders used by local women. Chang creates a complete sensory experience through the explosion of color, texture, and nostalgic yearning.
Having exhibited in numerous international shows, Chang's oeuvre extends beyond traditional Malay village life to travel narratives around Asia, however he returns time and again to the subject matter which he portrays the most elegantly and richly - scenes of Southeast Asian figures, both male and female, clad in brightly patterned and textured local weaves of batik cloth, and other local accoutrements.
Within Fragrance (Lot 696) Chang's realistic watercolor skill is clearly in evidence, depicting the back views of two native women in the marketplace. The inimitable texture of their local outfits is superbly portrayed by Chang, supplemented by the woven baskets of edible goods lying at their feet; left exposed in full brilliancy or wrapped in slickly veined banana leaves. The title Fragrance conjures up the most memorable element of Southeast Asian life - the complex smells of the marketplace, a combination of piquant spices like turmeric and saffron, tropical heat and dust, or rainfall on the ground, and the perfumes and powders used by local women. Chang creates a complete sensory experience through the explosion of color, texture, and nostalgic yearning.