Hoan Gallery conducted a special preview of a priceless artwork called, Flora and Fauna of Borneo, on March 23.
The artist Bong Shin Siong’s watercolour is 9.84 metres long – or equivalent to roughly three storeys -- took 10 months to complete in 2023.
Sarawak’s Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Abdul Rahman Hamzah was present to witness the painting.
Here are the media highlights:
New Sarawak Tribune
A 9.84 metres long artwork titles ‘Flora and Fauna of Borneo’ depicting over 132 species of the island’s natural beaty was unveiled at Hoan Gallery in La Promenade Mall here Saturday (March 23).
DayakDaily
Impressed by the fine detail and careful brushstrokes that bring the artwork to life, Abdul Karim suggested it should be procured for display at the to-be-developed Sarawak Art Gallery in the future.
Utusan Sarawak
Berbekalkan bakat semula jadi bawah meja itu, pelukis bernama Bong Shin Siong yang berasal dari Lundu itu mengambil masa lebih kurang setahun untuk menyiapkan karya indah yang dinamakan sebagai Flora dan Fauna Borneo.
UtusanSarawakOfficial/posts/pfbid02uGLxcPsBwN4ujcL9X5UN5ru5swz9yDoFgjZZqZe6GAsXMQQwc3Pc3EEJFFr7GhHyl
BorneoTalk
“I started out with Chinese-style paintings and calligraphy, which is why you’ll see Chinese brush techniques in my watercolour artwork. In time, I started to paint more realistic forms, and my favourites are birds and plants,” shares Bong during the special preview.
Suara Sarawak
“Minat nero ending diambi ari niang apai (niang Bong Sho Min), laban apai aku landik nero ukir lama bansa China,” ku iya lebuh dirandau pemberita ba Galeri Hoan ba La Promenade Mall ditu, tadi.
The Borneo Post
Hoan Gallery director, Hoan Kee Huang, meanwhile, expressed his admiration for Bong’s remarkable art, noting its exceptional quality as a profound testament to his immense talent.
Sin Chew Daily
他坦言，此副画是他最大副作品之一，总共花了10个月才完成。除了犀鸟，画中还有笔尾树鼩（ptilocercus lowii），彩龟（botagur Borneonsis），锉耳树蛙（polyledated otilophus）等物种，以真实方式描绘出来。而描绘的植物包括黑海棠，树舌灵芝，竹荪，和莱佛士花等。
He admits that this painting is one of his largest works and took him 10 months to complete. In addition to the hornbill, the painting also features realistic depictions of species such as the pen-tailed tree shrew (ptilocercus lowii), the painted tortoise (botagur Borneonsis), and the file-eared tree frog (polyledated otilophus). Plants depicted include Begonia nigra, tree-tongue primrose, bamboo fungus, and Rafflesia.