Artist
Chiang Shih Wen
b. Melaka, 1949
Year of Artwork
1989
Description
The serene ambiance of Batu Caves, a sacred site, is captured beautifully through soft impressionist strokes and a luminous palette. Dominating the composition is the temple’s distinctive arch, rendered in cool blue and violet tones, standing gracefully against a backdrop of glowing foliage. Figures move gently through the foreground, their forms blurred into the warm earth tones and scattered pigeons, suggesting quiet motion and everyday presence. The painting exudes a contemplative stillness, transforming the familiar location into a poetic reflection on light, space, and spiritual atmosphere.
Chiang Shih Wen graduated from the Kuala Lumpur College of Art with a major in Fine Arts. He has received several notable accolades, including the Outstanding Award at the Young Artist Competition by Nanyang Siang Pau in 1981 and the Malaysia Landscape in Watercolour Award from the National Art Gallery in 1982. Since the late 1970s, Chiang has exhibited widely, including a solo exhibition at Galeri Citra in Kuala Lumpur in 1991, as well as numerous group exhibitions both locally and abroad.
Medium
Oil on Canvas
Dimension in cm (W x H)
27 x 34 | frame: 57 x 66
