The recent exhibition Fine Malaysian Calligraphy & Paintings 2008, held at the Wisma Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) from August 2 to 10, 2008, was initiated by the Ministry of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage. Present to officiate the opening was Y.B. Mr Teng Boon Soon, Deputy Minister of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage.

Co-organised by The Malaysian Contemporary Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Association and Soka Gakkai Malaysia, the exhibition was one of the biggest artistic events held here. Despite the current economy depression, the association had achieved an admirable feat in collecting 153 calligraphic and Chinese paintings from 150 Malaysia artists of all ages, with their different styles and temperament.

As such, the participating artists included some veterans in their eighties and nineties, namely Yiu Hong and Dato’ Sim Mow Yu. Adding beauty to the great variety were Dr Foo Yong Kong, Dr Cheah Thien Soong, Chong Chen Chuan and Loo Foh Sang.

With that many greats ones and younger ones in one place, the exhibition was bound to result in a huge variety, providing a great visual feast to viewers. While the older ones expectedly fielded works steeped in tradition and personal styles, the others were willing to experiment and innovate, coming up with interesting and fresh pieces of works.