THE ANT ARTIST 蚂蚁画家

Life · Hope (III) 2009 68cm x 68cm By THO XIN YI thoxinyi@thestar.com.my Photos by MUHAMMAD AKIF MASRI FOR your information, do not attempt to squeeze the tiny ants “crawling” on Goh Ah Ang’s paintings displayed at Balai Seni Maybank. As lifelike as they might appear, the insects were actually drawn on the canvases with paintbrushes. The ants seemed to be passers-by on his paintings, crawling beside or over weathered glyphs, ancient characters and calligraphy. Ribbon cut: Amirsham (second from left) launching the art exhibition at Balai Seni Maybank. On the left is Mohd Salleh. Goh , who is the founder of Top-Art School of Art in Klang and chief consultant of the Federation of International Colour-Ink Artists in Taiwan, said he is the first artist to choose ants as a painting subject, and it had become his identity. Thirty years ago, he painted a sparrow sitting on a window frame, looking at an ant on the curtain. Although it was only a minor character, the ant piqued the viewers’ i...

　　 By　Rachel Philip 　　Journalist, The New Straits Times 　　 Niu strokes THE bull is a hardworking creature. Calligraphy master Goh Ah Ang, 55, believes that we should emulate this quality in 2009. “Hard work brings wealth and good fortune,” says Goh who is born in the year of the Horse. 　The principal of Top Art in Klang, Goh began learning calligraphy when he was 13. His 30-year-old art centre currently has about 400 students coming in for classes seven days a week. 　The youngest student is only four while the oldest is 70-something ex-school principal. 　Known internationally as well as locally as the Ant Artist, Goh celebrates the tiny insect in most of his creations, unlike other Chinese artists who portray beasts of power such as tigers and horses in their works. 　“My message is that we should uphold all creatures, says Goh. “There is much we can learn from the hardworking ant. ” 　On the cover of Sunday People today is a calligraphic expression of Niu, the Mandarin word for Ox, by G...