Being Long Thien Shih

Being Long Thien Shih ( 2010)

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THE ‘DALANG’ BEHIND THE ARTIST.

“Blame it on my Hainanese genes!” Long offers mischievously when asked how he came to acquire the reputation ‘Le enfant Terrible’ and other not so flattering titles back in the early stages of his long and interesting career in the Malaysian visual arts scene.

I was curious with his answer, having heard a number of popular but unflattering stereotypes about the Hainanese. I did some online checking on their background history. Apparently, the inhabitants of the Hainan Islands are not only known for their delicious cuisine (think Hainanese Chicken Rice) pretty maidens, but also their sharp wit and mercurial temperament.

A handful of recalcitrant men of letters, officials and those with radical philosophical/political persuasions antithetical to the ruling classes of their times were banished there. One of them was the famous man of letters; Shu DongBuo. Then there was also the bloody incident where the Japanese army massacred one out of three Hainanese men folk during the Sino-Japan war as retaliation for their fierce resistance. The Island too served as decisive launch pads for the revolution that was to shape modern China. (1)

Long’s grandfather (Long Qi Fa) was a member of an underground resistance group during the Warlords’ era in China. He fled to Malacca during the early British Malaya period but contracted some unknown tropical disease and died within one month upon arrival. Long’s father came to this country in the late 1930s to search unsuccessfully for Long’s grand father’s grave, and decided to settle down here.

Long’s father used to owned a coffee shop that served as a meeting place for folks to talk politics and gossip, therefore Long was at a very young age well ‘informed’ or rather was always within an ear’s shot of tirades against corrupt practices, buffoonery and other shenanigans by those in uniforms, those in power and those with vested interests. These early exposure help hone his senses in spotting bullshit or detect mendacities of all kind coupled with a healthy dose of disrespect for the establishment.

Long is an artist who has over the years consistently produced works that touches on social and political issues, observations of the foibles of life, the loss of freedom or the destruction of the environment. Given that there is a resurgence of some sort with many young artists overtly taking up issues that concern society and the world in general, it is interesting and timely how this exhibition at R.A Fine Art will offer in terms of the opportunities to tell Long’s story, to share his experiences and influences which hopefully, might help place him (and also others) in a proper context from which they operate in Malaysian art history.

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan

THE MISEDUCATION OF LONG THIEN SHIH.

Born in Klang,Selangor in 1946 and went to local Chinese-medium schools, Long had a tumultuous early education as he was dismissed five times (!) for being in his own words, ”himself”. He had already had enough of school life and dropped out before he was 15 (Though discreetly without the family’s knowledge!)

An important lesson learnt from this early unhappy brush with school authorities that Long shared with me was, ‘accept that rewards and recognition may not come to those who are ‘good’ (read: talented)’ and be prepare to be overshadow by those followers of a system that teaches conformity, punishes curiosity and shuns individuality while rewarding mediocrity.

Once this simple but painful truth is grasped and understood, one has liberated oneself from the judgments, impositions and the carrot and stick goad(ings) of society with its stifling norms, mind numbing routines perpetuated through its institutions and its many eager agents. One is now free to be responsible for one’s own destiny. And in Long’s case, he has chosen the path to be an artist.

In those early years, Long already knew where his strengths lay and set about proving it by winning a handful of art competitions before his mid-teens. He was also skillful with Chinese calligraphy and charcoal drawing having mastered the rudimentary skills during his primary and secondary education.

He learnt informally about Western classical, modern art movements and emerging contemporary trends taking place around the world from magazines and books available at the British Council which was then located near Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. He joined art groups (Wednesday Art Group, Angkatan Pelukis Semenanjung (APS) and Selangor Art Society) for drawing and painting sessions and in the process made the acquaintances of many visual art practitioners who would later emerge as important figures of Malaysian modern art. In fact, Long is a good and gracious source of information on fellow artists (the good, the bad, but also the ugly!) and events during the early and humble beginnings of the then nascent art scene of the late 50’s and early 60s. Long also stayed in Singapore from 1961-1962/3 and made the acquaintance of some of the top artists of the day like Chen Wen Si, Lim Cheng Hoe, Cheong Soo Pieng and Seah Kim Joo. These and a handful of other important visual artists there contributed to Long’s development as an artist as well.

With his tenacity and talent (he was always the youngest, therefore would strive hardest in any group), he was duly recognized for his artistic potential and encouraged further by the late Peter Harris, (the Education Superintendent of then Malaya who introduced formal western-based art curriculum) who was the founder of the Wednesday Art Group of which Long was an active member. Long, being the youngest though was also the most committed. He would be present for every art session in Kuala Lumpur which in those days was a full hour’s ride from Klang by public transport.

Being Chinese educated, with a smattering of the national language and English, Long would always be grateful to both Patrick Ng Kah Onn and Cheong Lai Tong, who both took turns translating the lessons conducted by Peter Harris. This early handicap along with a few incidents jolted Long and made him realize the importance (for an artist) to acquire the ability to write or to speak in a number of languages, and in his case, it was English.

Nothing must hinder the desire to communicate his passions, ideas and thoughts. Long who was already fluent in Chinese, began to read and write more in English as a way to familiarize himself with the language.

The artist’s statement accompanying each of the selected works in this catalogue shows the importance placed by Long on words in conveying and supplementing the messages of the artworks. This ability to write would serve him well in the future.

Through his involvement with the art groups, he was invited to participate in a few important traveling exhibitions representing the country overseas (First International Arts Festival in Saigon. Commonwealth Travelling Exhibition to India, Germany, France and Britain) and was mentioned among three other artists by the late Patrick Ng Kah Onn in his dissertation as being the next big thing to watch out for along with other heartwarming compliments of his other talents. (2)

SELAMAT TINGGAL KUALA LUMPUR! BON JOUR PARIS!

He secured a job at RTM (Radio Television Malaysia) as a set artist in 1963 at the age of 17 and stayed on for 3 years. His knowledge on art was further broadened after undergoing intensive training in television stage and graphic design where the subject of western art- design history was an integral part under the expert guidance of a Mr. Arthur Warwick.

Being young and ambitious, Long had no plans to remain at RTM even though the pay at that time was sufficient to provide a reasonably comfortable living for his wife and himself. He still harbors the desire to pursue his dream of becoming a fulltime artist and felt that Paris (where many of our first-generation modern artists went to study), amongst the art capital of the world, would offer the possibility of achieving that dream.

He promptly enrolled for French language lessons at the Alliance Francaise’s branch in Kuala Lumpur. As fate would have it, he was recommended to the French Ambassador by the director (who had held an exhibition of his works) as a suitable candidate when scholarships to study in France became available. The ambassador was impressed with Long’s body of work and his active participation in both local and international shows.

By 1966, Long became the first Malaysian to specialized in printmaking as an artistic medium when he was awarded the scholarship by the French Ministry of Culture to study at Atelier 17, Paris (1966-67) and the Atelier de Lithography of L’Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris (1967-1969).

There at Atelier 17 under S.W Hayter’s (3) guidance, Long began exploring and developing his art from the unique method of single plate multi-color etching pioneered by Hayter himself.

He was extremely busy participating with fellow students/ artists in group exhibitions as well as International Prints Biennial Exhibitions held in different countries.

(2) “Long is well versed in pop as well as art. He plays the guitar extremely skillfully, accompanying his own singing. The writer holds fond recollections of Long’s vocal prowess…”

(ibid) “Long worked as an artist for the Malaysian T.V. The exacting medium must have had repercussions on his creative work. It will be highly interesting to see which direction Long’s bent will lead him. With his musical talent and good looks he has a chance as a T.V star if his creative powers fail”

(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_William_Hayter

But his education was once again interrupted when the French government withdrew its scholarship on the pretext that Long had participated in the now historical political riots in Paris of 1968(4). According to Long, he was just a curious ‘spectator’ to the upheaval along with another fellow Malaysian art student.

By that time though, Long had grown somewhat dissatisfied with the dry and dated approaches to art teaching that was still part of the academe. What was taking place outside was real and exciting. It was time for a change of scenery and Long casts his eyes on London, where POP Art and youth culture movements were in full swing. He had applied and was accepted (5) by the Royal College of Art of London in 1969 to pursue a master’s degree in printmaking.

Running low financially, his other talents as described by Patrick Ng was put to good use when he decided to team up with an African-American musician to earn some money as buskers in the boulevards of Paris. The money earned from busking was more than enough and he found himself in London in 1970.

He completed his post graduate in two years and returned to Paris where he remained for another 5 years before returning to Malaysia.

VARIED INFLUENCES, MULTIPLE APPROACHES

Collectors as well as discerning art lovers often find it hard to locate and place Long’s varied styles and approaches, which incidentally is of no concern to Long. As an artist, Long exercises his right according to his artistic vision to borrow, mix and experiment whichever styles and trends to maximize his intended messages.

Initially, Long did not receive formal art education (like many of our pioneer and well- known artists). He learned art informally from various places and sources but mostly from artists who got together in groups like the Wednesday Art Group. By that time, he was already well aware of the modern art movements around the world and their figureheads and had tried to incorporate some of those influences in his early works.

(4) The riots attributed to students known as ‘Enrages’, inspired by the ideas of the infamous Situationist International (SI), an avant garde collective of radical writers and artists who combined subversive art and theory to encourage spontaneous actions aimed at overthrowing the bureaucratic regime of France. It was estimated that about 10 million people went on strike!

For more info on SI, please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situationist_International

www.nothingness.org/SI/, Situationist Online at www.cddc.vt.edu/sionline. There are many interesting images by the SI in the net. They continue the strategies of the Dadaist and the Surrealist.

(5) As part of the entry exams requirements, all potential students were asked to write an essay about themselves and where would they be by the age of 45. Long who had a premonition of dying young wrote audaciously he may not be around by then to find out! It was on the strength of his works and this essay Long believed, he was admitted into the prestigious Royal College of Art.

The 60’s and 70’s were indeed decades of socio-cultural and political turbulence. Revolutions and counter revolutions were taking place around the world. The toppling of the old orders and the establishment of new ones, the breaking down of outmoded cultural norms, straightjacket conventions and the earnest experiments in alternative ways of living and spirituality in the West have not gone unnoticed by Long.

While studying in major cities like Paris and London, Long observed and absorbed the mood and atmosphere of the times. Social political consciousness, anti-conglomeration and consumerism as well as ecological awareness all contributed to Long’s thinking and consequently his way of living. Even sexual liberation must have had some sort of impact on his works. The erotic series that was shown in NN Gallery titled ‘A Private View’ in 1997 was made during his time in Europe. He shares with J.Anu “sexuality was a big issue then, symbol of not only the freedom of expression but also of everything that could be beautiful about a world torn apart by uncertainty…” (6)

Long mentioned his weariness with the repetitious nature of the abstract expressionist idiom of his earlier works, which was initially influenced by Hayter’s Surrealist approach via automatic drawing. He found his own ‘style’ when he combined pop and surrealist painting manner with social messages.

It should be noted that Long is not a Surrealist or a Symbolist, but shifts comfortably between that of a social commenter in the style of pop art with punk aesthetics or a nostalgic Sunday painter capturing moods, people and places of a bygone era in the Nanyang style. Again, this is the prerogative of the artist.

Though the revolutionary has become institutionalized and youthful idealism was brought down by more mundane and practical concerns, Long who was always aware of human fallibility, carried on with his own vision and way of doing things. His handful of concerns over the years was the powerful and often times destructive impact of technology and ‘civilization’ (7) on the less empowered sections of the population. This deliberate manipulation by big businesses consorting with the powers that be offers promises of progress that it will somehow elevate the lives of the masses but somehow leave them worst off than before.

His romanticized depiction of the natives of East Malaysia and indigenous people are intended to bring attention to the fast-disappearing way of life that was closely rooted to nature and to what was natural.

In its place, it is to be (im)planted an assortment of ‘mismatched values’, expendable gadgetry and insatiable consumption. This unnatural state is made seductively attractive by the colorful sheen of its plastic veneer, its artificial flavors, its false promises and instant (but strangely never satisfying) gratifications. Modern consumerists life is alienating because it encourages the separation from the real and authentic (8). Form follows fiction.

And the chief writer behind this series of fictions of disposable dreams and estrangement or rather the ‘Dalang’ behind this ‘Sandiwara’ is a favorite theme for Long, though it did not start out in cynicism. Long remembers the multiracial cultural performances like the Chinese operas, the Indian dances and ‘Wayang Kulit’ performances. He remembers being moved by the sheer energy backstage. The atmosphere was charged and an air of solemnity pervades. It was an unforgettable experience and he tried to capture it through his paintings a few times. After the ‘Reformasi’ movement, the term ‘Dalang’ came to have a more negative and political connotation.

Long’s use of the ‘wayang kulit’ performance parallels the idea and the workings of ‘the spectacle’ as pointed out or rather ‘exposed’ by Guy Debord, the chief theorist behind the Situationist International.

In his book ‘The Society of the Spectacle’ first published in 1967 he wrote:

"The whole life of those societies in which modern conditions of production prevail, presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles. All that was once directly lived has become mere representation” (SS #1) (Emphasis added)

“At the root of the spectacle lies that oldest of all social division of labor, the specialization of power. The specialized role played by the spectacle is that of the spokesperson for all other activities, a sort of diplomatic representative of hierarchical society at its own court, and the source of the only discourse which that society allows itself to hear…. (SS#23) (Emphasis added)

(6)J. Anu ‘Subtle strokes to sensual theme’-Sunday Star March 2, 1997

(7) The origins, the development and impact of what we call ‘civilization’ is challenged and debated in the book ‘Against Civilization: readings and reflections (edited by John Zerzan) published by Feral House. In his introduction to section 3, on “The Nature of Civilization”, John Zerzan wrote “...Civilization extends control over the natural and personal worlds, to ever greater lengths, in the direction of absolute manipulation”.

(ibid) ‘On the Aesthetic Education of Man’ (1793), Friedrich Schiller wrote “It was civilization itself which inflicted this wound upon modern man. Once the increase of empirical knowledge, and more exact modes of thought, made sharper divisions between the sciences inevitable, and once the increasingly complex machinery of the State necessitated a more rigorous separation of ranks and occupations, the inner unity of human nature was severed too, and a disastrous conflict set its harmonious powers at variance. The intuitive and the speculative understanding now withdrew in hostility to take up positions in their respective fields, whose frontiers they now began to guard with jealous mistrusts; and with this confining of our activity to a particular sphere we have given ourselves a master within, who not infrequently ends by suppressing the rest of our potentialities."

(8) “An earlier stage in the economy’s domination of the social life entailed an obvious downgrading of being into having that left its stamp on all human endeavors. The present stage, in which social life is completely taken over by the accumulated products of the economy, entails a generalized shift from having to appearing: all effective “having” must now derive both its immediate prestige and its ultimate raison d’etre from appearances. At the same time all individual reality, being directly dependent on social power and completely shaped by that power, has assumed a social character. Indeed, it is only inasmuch as individual reality is not that it is allowed to appear.” (SS #17) (Emphasis added)

VIEWS ON THE LOCAL ART SCENE AND PATRONAGE: THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD IS NEW AGAIN!

Long has a penchant for speaking his mind (or shooting his mouth depending who’s on the receiving end of his opinions) about issues especially on art. He remembers situations that necessitates a more ‘honest’ response that he has mentioned sometimes or most of the time, ran counter to the perhaps unnecessary but expected observance to courtesies in the local art circle, which to his mind borders on false humility, hypocrisy or just plain boring.

He admits he was then an impatient and temperamental young man, though one can still sense that tinge of impertinence today when discussing about the current state of the visual arts especially as it involves the veterans and the new crop of younger generation of artists.

In an interview by Out Time (1984 Feb) a monthly guide to the capital, Long’s off the cuff answer below (presumably without malice) to the question of how much has the local art scene changed, is unfortunately, after 20 odd years, still pertinent.

“Not much. We have more artists now, I think, more exhibitions per month, a few more private galleries. The older artists still do the same paintings, the young new blood do the same new paintings. Everybody is either repeating himself or repeating someone else’s effort in art, with the exception of a handful, whom I think are very committed and involved artists”

PATRONAGE IS LIKE A BIRD CAGE

One would think that at this late stage of his career, he would be more at ease with the world that he could/should, like most other veteran visual artists, just sit back, relax and make works that allow them to ride on their hard-earned reputation forged in the past all the way to the bank.

But then again, financial rewards are not his main objective. He believes an artist must be true to their calling by working according to their beliefs and conscience. But most importantly the artist must take pleasure in the creative process. Otherwise, it just isn’t worth it.

Long maintains steadfastly that when one who has made the decision to be an artist, one must be responsible and committed to one’s decision. It is pointless to blame anyone else if success does not come easy or not at all. He believes there is currently already enough support for the visual arts from official and private patronage while the rest is up to the individual artist.

He jokingly quips “too much official patronage for artists has the danger of turning them into animals caged in zoos”, meaning that in order to enjoy material comforts and other luxuries, the artist might trade it with his/her artistic freedom consequently resulting in works that are ‘domesticated’ and ‘neutered’. While the writer may not agree entirely with Long’s statement, he can understand where it’s coming from.

Admittedly the writer believes that artists must have creative freedom and space to explore and create works that correspond to the stirrings of passion, pleasure or pain without fear of censure. And such works do not necessarily resonate with the official or academic visions of what art should be or what functions it should serve. More so when financial assistance or reward is the motivation, the works produced may be compromised to accommodate the taste or the agenda of the patron, (which in the writer’s humble opinion again, is the prerogative of the artist). The artist must also ‘cari makan’ like everyone else what! Unless one is born with a silver spoon or politically connected, it’s a tough profession to pursue.

BUT, when the verdict is out and the name of artists who produced works ‘without teeth or back bone’ (or as one writer put it in a more colorful expression… “retinal masturbation’!) are not acknowledged as important contributors/ innovator of Malaysian art, do not cry foul or look for scapegoats (usually the National Art Gallery!) to blame. It is a case of ‘you get what you give’ and ‘you deserve what you get!’

There are no short cuts or easy solutions and the challenges can be heartbreakingly numerous and relentless. You either want to be an artist or you don’t, period.

J. Anu wrote that Long is a child of the 60’s, as if to imply that ideas and ideals such as love, peace, harmony and all the ‘goodness’ that is the counter culture of that era is long out of fashion and forgotten by the younger generation. Far from it, there will always be artists who will go out of their way and produce works to highlight the plight caused by injustices and other forms of transgression. They are informed by those ideas and ideals for they are both universal and personal, transcending barriers and time. They are what make us human and humane.

Each generation produces its own socially conscious artists like Syed Ahmad Jamal, Ibrahim Hussein, Redza Piyadasa, Nirmala Shanmugalingam, Wong Hoy Cheong, Liew Kung Yu, Tan Chin Kuan and among the younger generation are Samsudin Wahab, Azam Aris and many more, but standing tall among them there is Long Thien Shih.

Epilogue

Back in the early 60’s, Long submitted a painting entitled “Backstage of the Wayang Kulit” for the National Art Gallery’s exhibition. The National Art Gallery was then located at Jalan Ampang next to where RTM broadcasting studio was located (currently Matic). The late Tun Ismail Ali, first governor of the Bank Negara, was interested in purchasing that very painting and expressed interest to meet the artist. The Director of the National Art Gallery, the late Mr. Frank Sullivan immediately sent for the young Long.

A conversation then ensued between both men. Tun Ismail Ali who was impressed with the painting, points out the similarity between the operations of Bank Negara to the backstage of a ‘wayang kulit’ performance. They are the governing body that regulates and manages the country’s finances and its economy, but nobody seems to know what they do or is unaware of their presence. They function behind the scene like the musicians and other supporters backstage. Long suddenly exclaimed “So then Mr. Ali, YOU must be the Dalang behind Bank Negara!” and they both burst out laughing.

Today, the painting still hangs proudly at the governor’s office in Bank Negara.

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