A Malaysian artist recently awed us with his adorable portrayal of dinosaurs.
Bringing dino balik kampung
Ohana Sensei — one of the artist’s pieces that is most personal. It is the story of his mother. To read more about the story, go to https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tL5BrBjPgt26vVwka_ZkpwOHo0oXMXx6vJCk5fVWrtU/edit?usp=sharing
My son, when he was little, was a huge fan of dinosaurs and the animated franchise ‘The Land Before Time’.
This meant that I, too, had to spend time engaging in his interests and watching re-runs of the movie.
Among other things, I remembered the main character, a long-necked, lovable dinosaur named “Littlefoot.”
Eugene Foo, a Malaysian artist, recently delighted us with his art exhibition ‘SAYA SEEKOR DINOSAUR’ (I am a Dinosaur) in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
I’ll admit that at first I thought it was an art exhibit for kids, but it was actually open to people of all ages.
The imagery used by this artist combines elements of traditional Malaysian culture and lifestyle with creatures of the past. The results were pleasingly entertaining.
The guests must have been fascinated as Foo’s art pieces were quickly snapped up, making it one of the fastest selling art exhibitions I have seen in a long time.
An interview was necessary for this one-of-a-kind art exhibition. How could any press miss the exhibition’s opening on July 30 this year?
The artist was surprised but accommodating to yours truly from New Sarawak Tribune.
After earning a degree in animation and multimedia some 20 years ago, Foo has worked in the animation and design fields ever since, alternating between teaching and practice.
He lectured at UTAR for the past seven years while also creating motion graphics and production art for animation.
How did he become an artist?
“Something about the constraints of working from home during the pandemic, along with an awareness of the influence of social media, gave me the confidence to venture out into the unknown.
“I was able to acquire a job at a local animation studio three months ago, and I just started in August.
“During the three-month transition phase, I made an impulsive decision to do this show! And, despite the fact that it has been exhaustive, I do not regret it.
“It was one of the most rewarding and fulfilling endeavours I’ve worked on in a long time.”
Foo has apparently been drawing since he was a child. He can’t recall how old he was, but he owes a lot to his sister, who was also traditionally trained, for motivating him to continue the same career path, even though she now works in a very different industry.
He was also known as “the one who was good at art” among his classmates, and many of them supported him and became patrons of his work.
It’s amusing to see his dinosaurs in a kampung setting or in typical Malaysian scenes as portrayed in his artwork.
So, what made Foo draw and paint dinosaurs?
“I believe it is quite common for children to go through a dinosaur-obsess phase at an early age. I believe mine lasted far longer than the most, and I recall having a serious obsession with them throughout my entire childhood.
“Even as an adult, it never quite left me. Dinosaurs were also a big inspiration for me to start drawing.
“I would study from an encyclopaedia and draw them over and over. Drawing dinosaurs helped me improve my art skills throughout the years.
“Because I’ve had so much practise, I believe my dinosaurs actually look better than my humans.
“As this was my first solo debut, I believed it was appropriate to place them front and centre, as a homage to the subject matter that sparked my interest in art.”
When asked which dinosaurs he liked best, he said that the Triceratops and Stegosaurus were his favourites.
“Anything with the most unusual shape! What fascinates me about dinosaurs is the vast range and peculiarity of shapes that a single family of animals has,” said Foo.
His art is lovely and playful while remaining genuine. Foo is a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s animation and admires how he can be so playful while addressing similar real-life issues.
Hayao Miyazaki is a co-founder of Studio Ghibli, which has produced amazing animated movies that are loved by people of all ages due to the inspirational messages they include.
Foo noticed that many people take life’s issues and depict them in art in a deep and complex manner at times.
He wished for this exhibition to bring joy and a sense of nostalgia to those who view his artworks.
Based on the feedback, he has succeeded.
His paintings and drawings effectively express stories without using words. Mostly things we can relate to.
“I purposely portrayed people in common circumstances that Malaysians have seen, felt, and can identify with. The stories become real, tangible, and identifiable,” added Foo, who sold the majority of his work at a single exhibition.
Foo can be contacted via email — eugenosaurus.foo@gmail.com.
