WE all have our own ways and means of expressing emotions, but for Dr Teoh Wei Kium, a full-time Penang artist, her emotions are rather put in the art form.
Highly meticulous and often incorporating her personal experiences on paintings, Teoh decides to take on a rather new journey by coming forward to donate 50 of her artworks as a tribute to 50 yet to be selected recipients.
They are those who have contributed to the Penang community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The noble initiative is called ‘Covid-19 Heroes: Those who made a difference for Penang’. It is a collaboration between Teoh and the Penang State Art Gallery.
“The most anticipated year (2020) has shaped into a year that all of us wished it never existed due to the catastrophic-filled events that have evolved around us.
“Despite the uncertainty, it is important that we continue to appreciate our friends on the ground every single day. They take on ridiculously dangerous yet crucial roles in order to ensure the well-being of ourselves.
“That is when I decided that it is time I step up and make a difference too, with the donation of 50 artworks of mine to 50 selected recipients (frontliners),” said Teoh, 52, during an art exhibition cum press conference at the Penang State Art Gallery in George Town.
The 50 recipients will be selected based on a nomination process, which is open to Malaysians and non-Malaysians too. It will be held from Sept 11 to Nov 11.
The nominations will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on the nominator’s description and information regarding the candidate (not more than 200 words).
It can be written in all four languages (Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese and Tamil).
The recipients will then be announced at the Penang State Art Gallery during an award-giving ceremony in January 2021.
Nominations for selected recipients are not only limited to medical staff but also open to any individuals or organisations directly that have made an impact in Penang during this pandemic.
At the ceremony, Teoh also added that individuals and organisations which are based outside of Penang could be nominated too.
“Apart from my love for art and desire to give back to the community, it was my son who inspired me too.
“My son, who works as a lab technologist in Gleneagles Hospital Penang, has rarely seen the sunrise nor sunset during this pandemic period. This is because he has been working day and night with very minimal rest.
“As much as I would feel sorry for my own son to go through these challenges, I prefer to look on the bright side.
“He is out there with many other frontliners, trying their best to curb and contain the spread of the virus,” she said energetically.
Teoh also said that her paintings are mostly about playing with colours.
Despite having mastered tertiary education with flying colours and going on to become a successful lecturer (accounting) for over 15 years, Teoh was not sidetracked from pursuing her dream of becoming an artist.
Also present during the art exhibition cum press conference were Penang State Art Gallery chairman Lee Khai and Penang Art District project executive Stephanie Kee.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan