By Nurhaizatul Jamila Jamil written on 09-Jan-2009
National Library Board Singapore

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Alex Ong Boon Hau (b. 1951, Muar, Johor, Malaysia - ) is a watercolourist famed for his depictions of wild flowers and luscious landscapes. He spends a lot of time discovering the countryside of New Zealand to gain inspiration. Such trips often culminate in the production of art that includes a keen portrayal of wild flowers. He paints nature vividly in the hope of inviting his audience to take an interest in nature and the environment.

Early Life
Ong was born in Muar, a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. In 1977, he graduated from the Kuala Lumpur College of Art with a Diploma in Fine Art.

Stylistic Conventions
Ong makes recurrent references to wild flowers, as evident from his exhibition Journey with Yarrow, which was the creative product of his journey to the countryside of New Zealand. There, the shape and chromatic colours of the yarrow inspired him to produce a series of works. Similarly, in Seasons 2, he displayed a stunning collection of watercolours that depicted wild flowers and natural landscapes with the aim of eliciting an appreciation of the environment among his audience. In his works, the wild flowers are often represented as being in a state of motion - a constant reminder of the visual medley of textures in nature.

Ong has dedicated much time and effort to studying wild flowers and takes pride in being a member of the Nature Society. His collections are often time-consuming. Seasons 2, for example, took three years to complete.

He utilises both eastern and western watercolour techniques in his works to provide the illusion of depth and perspective while maintaining form, control and discipline. He captures seasonal changes through the use of a varied colour palette - shades of green and ultramarine for spring, amber and orange for autumn, splashes of rainbow colours for summer, and subtle hues for winter.

In his Romance series, he brings the audience back to the visual imagery of the pebbles and yarrows that have been depicted in his earlier works. These are juxtaposed with images of driftwood and iron buckets basked in hues of amethyst and emerald in a harmonious display that reflects the rusticity of his subject matter.

Solo Exhibitions
1994 : Merilyn Savill Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand.
1999 : Seasons, NN Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2002 : Seasons 2, NN Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2003 : Romance, The Artours Gallery, Brisbane, Australia.
2004 : Harmony, Expressions Art and Entertainment Centre, Wellington, New Zealand.
2004 : Harmony II, Hotel Pelangi, Muar, Johor, Malaysia.
2005 : Journey with Yarrow, NN Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2007 : My Pebbles and Wild Flowers, Malaysia.
2008 : Voices of Yarrow, W-Two, Muar, Johor, Malaysia.
2008 : Romance, NN Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Group Exhibitions
1983 : MWS Joint Exhibition, Raya Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.
1983 - 1987 : Malaysian Watercolour Society Annual Show, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1986 - 1987 : Ten Watercolourists on Show, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1987 : 2nd Asian Watercolour Confederation Show, Taipei, Taiwan.
1988 : 3rd Asian Watercolour Confederation Show, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1988 : 1st Exhibition of Federation of Asian Art Association, Taichung, Taiwan.
1988 : Invitation Show for International Watercolour Paintings for 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, Printemps Gallery, Seoul, South Korea.
1988 - 1996 : Singapore Watercolour Society Singapore Annual Show.
1989 : 2nd Exhibition of Federation of Asian Art Association, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1989 : 4th Asian Watercolour Confederation Show, Bangkok, Thailand.
1990 : Malaysian Open Show, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1990 : Malaysian Tourism 1990 Show.
1991 - 1995 : Contemporary Malaysia Watercolour Show, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1991 - 1996 : Wellington Society of Watercolour Annual Show, New Zealand.
1993 - 1994 : Penang Museum Watercolour Show.
1995 : Beautiful Malaysia Four Men Show, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1995 : 10th Asian Watercolour Confederation Show, Bangkok, Thailand.
1996 : 16th Asian Watercolour Hong Kong Confederation Show.
1997 : 17th Asian Watercolour Singapore Confederation Show.
1997 - 1998 : Art for Nature (WWF), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
1999 - 2004 : Wellington Society of Watercolour Annual Show, New Zealand.

Awards
1986 : Johor Art Society Watercolour Award, Johor.
1987 : Malaysian Watercolour Society Annual Award.
1990 : Malaysian Watercolour Society Annual Award.
1991 : Johor Watercolour Society Annual Award.



Author
Nurhaizatul Jamila Jamil



References
Artfacts.Net. (n.d.). Alex Ong Boon Hau. Retrieved December 25, 2008, from http://www.artfacts.net/index.php/pageType/artistInfo/artist/21349

Artfacts.Net. (n.d.) Alex Ong Boon Hau - Seasons. Retrieved December 25, 2008, from http://www.artfacts.net/index.php/pageType/exhibitionInfo/exhibition/11801/lang/1

NN Gallery. (n.d.). Artist biography. Retrieved December 25, 2008, from http://www.nngallery.com.my/cof/28/

Saturday events. (2008, July 5). The Star. Retrieved December 25, 2008, from http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/7/5/central/21709736&sec=central



The information in this article is valid as at 2009 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.