FOLK art happens when folklore and art meet.
This gives a unique experience to art lovers while getting to know one’s cultural traditions.
As such, Tan Ngee Kong, who is Jit Sin Independent High School art department head, came up with magnificent folk art pieces focusing on this year’s Chinese zodiac symbol, rabbit.
Her artwork, as translated from Chinese to English, is called “100 Rabbits’ Blessings of Prosperity”.
During a recent interview with Buletin Mutiara, Tan said rabbits are viewed as kind and adorable.
“According to ancient stories, apart from Chang’e (goddess of the moon) and Wu Gang (a character in Chinese folklore), rabbits were the first to ascend to the Moon Palace.
“This is the beautiful imagination of the people in ancient times.
“There are a total of 108 rabbits in my artwork. It can be separated into 31 art pieces that can be combined into a long scroll, expressing the beauty of folk art,” Tan said, adding folk art comes in various forms and is an important element in traditional culture.
Tan also added that the folk artworks have their own aesthetic value.
“Folk art is mostly inspired by life itself. It becomes a piece of valuable artwork, which not only incorporates the people’s craftsmanship, but also adds their emotions into it.
“However, these arts actually reflect the people’s ideology and concept of life, and some even have a cer tain connection with religious beliefs,” she said.
In 2019, Tan was awarded the Malaysia Art Educator Lifetime Achievement Award by The One Academy.
She has produced similar folk artwork for the previous years since 2017, such as for the Year of the Rooster (2017), Year of the Dog (2018), Year of the Pig (2019), Year of the Rat (2020), Year of the Ox (2021) and Year of the Tiger (2022).
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix courtesy of Tan Ngee Kong