LOT 29
KOW LEONG KIANG
B. Selangor, 1970
Waves 10, 2024
Oil on canvas
120 x 120 cm
Private Collection, Kuala Lumpur
Signed and dated “Kow Leong Kiang” on lower left
RM 40,000 – 50,000
Kow Leong Kiang is one of Malaysia’s most distinctive figurative painters, celebrated for his poetic depictions of rural life and the quiet beauty of everyday moments. Emerging to prominence after winning the Grand Prize at the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards in 1998, Kow developed a style that blends soft, earthy palettes with tender brushwork, often suffused with a nostalgic glow. His subjects are frequently drawn from the east coast villages of Malaysia, women in traditional attire, fishermen at rest, children playing by the sea, portrayed with a gentleness that elevates the ordinary into something timeless and contemplative. Kow’s paintings are not simply visual records of kampung life, but meditations on memory, cultural identity and the changing face of tradition in the modern world. By weaving together atmosphere, light and intimacy, his works invite viewers into a space of reflection, where simplicity becomes profound and beauty lies in the quiet rhythms of daily existence.