The Art of Khik Weng Keat

  Chromatic Radiance , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 36" The ornate rock lobster ( Panulirus ornatus ) is said to be one of the most beautiful crustaceans, with a striking blue-green shell with orange spines, pale spots on the abdomen, and legs distinctly banded with black and white spots. It had a wide geographical range in the Indo-Pacific region and is highly prized as a culinary delicacy, with flesh that is said to be sweet, tender, and considered more flavorful than many other lobster varieties. Lobsters have historically represented opulence. In 17th-century Europe, artists incorporated lobsters in their works to signify wealth, abundance, and worldly power, and many modern or trendy establishments, especially seafood restaurants, use lobster art as a nod to avant-garde culture and maritime heritage. By displaying lobster art, restaurants lean into this long history of culinary indulgence and prestige, as well as a connection to the beauty of the natural world. The art...

  Bounty Pond , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 36" X 24" This painting portrays several fish offering shrimp up from the water to hovering kingfishers, cleverly riffing on the bird's Malay name: "Raja Udang," which translates to "king of shrimp." The pond is bountiful with food such as fish and shrimp, and it is surrounded by vibrant orange bird-of-paradise flowers, standing cattails, and water snails. The core theme of the painting is ecological role reversal and comedic survival, which subverts the traditional predator-prey dynamic. Instead of birds diving to hunt fish, the fish voluntarily offer shrimp to the kingfishers in a desperate, humorous strategy to appease the birds and escape predation.

  Jungle Jamboree , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 36" X 48" This artwork continues a series beginning with Rafflesia's Garden , this time centering on another large flower from the Southeast Asian region: the titan flower ( Amorphophallus titanum ). Endemic to rainforests on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, this flower is the largest unbranched inflorescence (a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a main stem) in the plant kingdom. This close relative of the konjac plant can also grow up to 3m (9 feet) tall and boasts a powerful odour often compared to the stench of rotting flesh, which is most potent during peak bloom at night into the early morning. The unique scent of the large flowers actually had a purpose: they attract their own host of pollinators such as carrion beetles and flies from across long distances.  The blooming of the titan flower can be said to bloom for just 2-3 days once every two to three years, making it a very rare occurrence in quite...

  Gongylus gongylodes , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 36" The wandering violin mantis ( Gongylus gongylodes ) is famous for its extremely slender, ornate body resembling a violin that walks. Often kept as pets, this mantis is known for swaying its body back and forth to imitate a stick flowing in the wind. It is a communal species, which means it is able to live and breed in large groups. It is native to Thailand, Java, Myanmar, southern India and Sri Lanka. The painting captures the mantis's camouflaged colouration with exceptional detail. Handled with a rare cleanliness and exquisite delicacy, it also comes with a touch of persistence within its delicateness, as well as an interplay of light and shadow against a pure black background, creating a visual poetry of a mantis species known for its camouflage and bio-mimicry. This refined and visually striking mastery of composition stems not only from keen intuition but also from the accumulation of countless moments of co...

Choeradodis rhomboidea , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 36" The shield mantis ( Choeradodis rhomboidea ) gets its name from an extended, leaf-like thorax that provides excellent camouflage among tree leaves and made it appear larger to predators. This robust insect is known for its dramatic defensive display and active, dynamic hunting behavior. This particular species of shield mantis is native to Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Suriname. The painting captures the vivid colours exhibited by the mantis's unique shield-like neck plate with exceptional detail. Handled with a rare cleanliness and exquisite delicacy, it also comes with a touch of persistence within its delicateness, as well as an interplay of light and shadow against a pure black background, creating a visual poetry of a vivid green creature mesmerising viewers with its colour alone. This refined and visually striking mastery of compositio...

  Idolomantis diabolica , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 36" The giant devil's flower mantis ( Idolomantis diabolica ) is one of the largest species of mantis, and is possibly the largest that mimics flowers. It is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Somalia, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Uganda. Its threat display is magnificently colored, with red, white, blue, purple, and black. Due to its beauty and dramatic displays, the giant devil's flower mantis is considered a prestigious pet. The painting captures the vibrant colours exhibited by the mantis's deimatic display pose with superb detail.  Handled with a rare cleanliness and exquisite delicacy, it also comes with a touch of persistence within its delicateness, as well as an interplay of light and shadow against a pure black background, creating a visual poetry akin to a magnificent natural exhibit that stands out. This refined and visually striking mastery of composition stems not only from keen intu...

  Hymenopus coronatus , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 36" The orchid mantis ( Hymenopus coronatus ) is a species of flower mantis that lived in the lush rainforests of Southeast Asia. It has  evolved to mimic orchid flowers as a hunting and camouflage strategy, "hiding" themselves in plain view and preying upon pollinating insects. The four walking legs resemble flower petals, and the toothed front pair is used as in other mantises for grasping prey.  The painting perfectly captures the mantis's elegant, solitary and mysterious essence, with a natural colour combination of pink, cream and soft green. Handled with a rare cleanliness and exquisite delicacy, it also comes with a touch of persistence within its delicateness, as well as an interplay of light and shadow against a pure black background, creating an almost tranquil visual poetry. This refined and  visually striking mastery of composition stems not only from keen intuition but also from the accumulatio...

  Fungal Floral Paradise , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 48" X 36" This artwork continues a series beginning with Rafflesia's Garden , this time adding fungi and a series of colourful tropical animals from the equatorial regions. Equatorial regions, particularly the lush tropical rainforests spanning Central and South America, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia, are home to some of the most vibrant creatures on Earth, which use their bright colors for camouflage, display, and warning signals to ward off predators.  Fungi such as mushrooms are an important component to the equatorial rainforest ecosystem, as they drive critical nutrient cycling through their role as decomposers, form symbiotic relationships that sustain canopy trees, and regulate the rainforest's local climate by triggering rain formation.

Succulent Spectacle , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 36" Succulent plants are widely recognized as powerful symbols of resilience, endurance, and adaptability due to their ability to thrive in harsh environments such as deserts. Originating from arid, low-rainfall regions, these plants have evolved specialized adaptations, such as thick, fleshy leaves and stems that store water, allowing them to survive long periods of drought and dry weather. Among the most popular examples of succulents are cacti, Aloe vera  and  Echeveria (white Mexican rose, bottom left of the painting). Desert animals in the painting include the western diamondback rattlesnake; elf owl; scorpion and desert horned lizard. Like the succulents, these creatures also evolved adaptations that enable their survival in the harsh desert environment, continuing the theme of resilience and endurance.

The talented Khik Weng Keat has participated in the latest TRX Canvas Collective installation, " Flora & Fauna of the Malaysian Rainforest ", by submitting his 2025 works Mousedeer's Play Yard  and Treasures of the Night ! The exhibition takes place at Anjung @ TRX from 15 April to 15 May 2026. This prestigious exhibition, held in collaboration with Kimpton Naluria Kuala Lumpur in celebration of World Art Day, features several incredible local artists. Weng Keat’s dedication and creative vision have earned him a place among these talented individuals, capturing the breathtaking beauty of Malaysia’s rich biodiversity and natural world. We invite everyone to visit the exhibition and show your support for Weng Keat and the local art community. Come and experience the rich landscapes and vibrant wildlife of our rainforests through his unique perspective!

  Avian Imposters , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 36" This painting is part of the Natural Mimicry series, which began with Camouflage Reef  and  Intimidating Imitator . It shows two types of flowers that resemble birds: the white pigeon orchid ( Dendrobium crumenatum ) and the red bird flower ( Euphorbia tithymaloides ). These plants are often cultivated as decorative plants for their unique, fleeting, or highly ornamental flowers. Red and white birds fly above the flowers to serve as comparisons to the flowers' unique shapes. Natural mimicry is an evolutionary tactic where a species develops traits such as appearance, behavior, or sound to resemble another organism or object, gaining survival advantages like evading predators or increased hunting success. This adaptation also results in striking visual, chemical, or behavioral resemblances that are highly valued for their aesthetic or "ornamental" quality, appearing almost artistic in nature, which is why the...

  Golden Captivation , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 36" The artist's first floral attempt on black canvas is inspired by a combination of flowers seen at a local restaurant, with the combination consisting of Strelitzia (bird-of-paradise flower) and yellow Cymbidium orchids (boat orchids). The harmony of this combination can be seen in a wide range of angles, including colour and symbolism.  Strelitzia  is seen as the flower of freedom, and also represents immortality, while Cymbidium orchids stand for morality, virtue, beauty, refinement, and love. In China and some other countries, Cymbidium symbolizes friendship and is popular at weddings.  The combination of these flowers suggests a captivating love that is both exciting and deeply loyal. Given their vibrant nature and celebratory meanings, they are often paired to symbolize the joy of special occasions, such as weddings, anniversaries, or new beginnings, representing a passionate and luxurious pairin...

  The Carnivore Club , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 16" X 24" In his first ever painting on a black canvas, the artist blends prehistoric life and anachronism into a fun picture of several top carnivore dinosaurs dressed up at a "club house".  The dinosaurs are dressed in Victorian-era hats while the Tyrannosaurus is wearing a crown, signifying its nickname as the "king of dinosaurs". The club house is set in a stony, cave-like background with a table inside of the sculpture of a dinosaur. The painting is inspired by the " Iguanodon  Dinner" on New Year's Eve in 1853, a dinner banquet held by sculptor Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, who created the famous archaic dinosaur sculptures at Crystal Palace Park in London, and attended by Sir Richard Owen, the creator of the word "dinosaur". The banner reads "when dinosaurs ruled the Earth" in Latin.

Heavenly Cycles , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 24" X 24" (61 cm X 61 cm) Fascinated by animals in a young age, the artist combines the design of a clock tower with the concept of Chinese Zodiac animals in a cycle around the clock, a reference to the Earthly Branches timekeeping system where the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac are asigned to the hours of a day. In real life, the Zodiac signs are assigned to every two hours in the 24-hour system (e.g. the hours of the Rat range from 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM, while the hours of the Horse range from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM). The Earthly Branches timekeeping system is part of the Chinese 60-year cycle and was historically used alongside water clocks and sundials, and are fundamental in the Ba Zi (Four Pillars of Destiny) in Feng Shui and Chinese astrology to determine the hour, day, month, and year of birth, as well as the most suitable times of the day for activities such as weddings, offerings and other spiritual practices. The Earthly Branch...

  The Courageous Eight , acrylic on canvas, 2026. 48" X 36" (122 cm X 91.5 cm) The artist welcomes the Year of the Horse 2026 with a recreation of the popular Eight Horses (ba jun tu/八骏图) image in Feng Shui peppered with auspicious symbols.  Among all the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac, the horse stands out as the most dynamic, free-spirited and action-driven sign. Horses carry a vibrant life force, and a natural fire that moves quickly, thinks fast, and acts boldly. In the Chinese Zodiac, the Horse belongs to the fire element, and the Earthly Branch element of 2026's Horse sign is fire. This combination makes the Horse of 2026 not simply run, but ascend, where power meets power and destiny meets readiness. The luckiest number of horses to depict in a painting is eight, as it symbolizes speedy success, fame, and holistic growth, representing progress in career, wealth, health, and personal development. The number eight signifies the eight aspirations of life, bringin...

Pieces of Eight , acrylic on canvas, 2025.  16" X 24" Three sea monsters, a giant octopus, a sea serpent and a giant crab, fight for a share of eight unique treasures from a treasure-filled shipwreck. Mermaid's tear stone Golden flower Ancient Greek vase Golden oil lamp Ceremonial dagger Crown jewels Antique compass Dragon-shaped staff Although there is a lot of gold coins and jewels also seen on the ship, the trio are mainly after the eight treasures. "Pieces of eight" is the nickname for Spanish dollar coins during the Age of Discovery. This "feud" reflects the competition between European colonial powers during the Age of Discovery in the pursuit of "gold and glory", which are some of the major driving forces for exploration and colonisation (imperialism): to gain material wealth and increase their power and reputation. Creatures such as octopuses have been used by political cartoons as a symbol of imperialism that extends its grip over ot...

  A Game of Arms , acrylic on canvas, 2025. 36" X 24" (91.4 × 61 cm) The painting depicts an octopus and a squid playing chess. The squid is the beginner in this scene, playing against the more professional octopus. Both cephalopods are shown to be multi-tasking, with their arms holding various objects such as guide books for playing chess. This painting is inspired by the notion of cephalopod cognition, which is proven through intelligence experiments carried out on octopi and their relatives, including object manipulation and learning. For example, octopi are shown to exhibit the ability to predict football results , and  cuttlefish have been shown to have the capacity for future planning and reward processing after being tested with a marshmallow experiment.

  Bridge Encounter , acrylic on canvas, 2025. 36" X 24"/91.4 cm X 61 cm This painting is inspired by a visit the artist made at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park in 2020. In this scene, a muster of storks line up on the railings of both sides of a bridge, as a "muster" traditionally refers to the assembly of troops for inspection, and a group of storks can resemble an army of soldiers. The lizard is an Oriental garden lizard, which is very commonly found at the artist's neighbourhood. The pictures that inspired the painting

Coconut Hoarders , acrylic on canvas, 2025. 32" X 32"/81 cm X 81 cm Coconut crabs are the largest crabs and the largest land arthropods known. They feed primarily on fleshy fruits, nuts and seeds, including coconuts. Although coconuts are not a large part of the coconut crab's diet, this painting, which depicts a number of them (and other types of crabs) feasting on coconuts, emphasises the "coconut" part of the crab's name. The coconut crab's powerful claws are used to crack open coconut husks and shells to get to the nutritious flesh inside. They also got their name because they have been observed climbing coconut trees, either to pick coconut fruits or to escape from predators. The blue coconut crab that is climbing the tree in the painting is based on a rare colour morph that can be found in the Nicobar Islands of the eastern Indian Ocean.

Indomitable Indulgence , acrylic on canvas, 2025. 31.5" X  31.5 "  A group of dinosaurs and prehistoric reptiles hold a banquet. The Tyrannosaurus attempts to eat a large burger it holds with its short but powerful arms, while a Triceratops feeds on a salad of "tree stars" and stones (the stones are swallowed to help grind the leaves). A Pteranodon carries fish while a pair of Velociraptors use a sleeping  Stegosaurus 's plates to "skewer" the fish to be eaten. A mini-volcano spews blue soda. This work features a situation where several dinosaurs are enjoying a delicious meal. Many people know that the T. rex dinosaur has short arms, and because it is very hungry it tries to eat a very large burger, while the other dinosaurs can enjoy their favorite food. This work depicts unexpected challenges that will be faced in various ways in life, and also reflects the nature of gratitude for what is already in life. This artwork is one of the artist's atte...

  Dinosaur Ark: Survival is Everything , acrylic on canvas, 2025. 24" X 16.5" This painting is inspired by comics that depict the dinosaurs getting wiped out by a large flood similar to Noah's flood because "they didn't get on the ark" or had disastrous results after   successfully "building" one . In the painting, several pairs of dinosaur species boarded an ark (that is falling apart) in an attempt to escape massive storms and a meteor shower, as "survival is everything". Several types of flying reptiles, marine reptiles, swimming dinosaurs and other creatures are seen following the ark. This artwork is one of the artist's attempts at incorporating paleo-art with "genre" art, which is combining prehistoric animals with anachronistic aspects.

Oriental Legacy , acrylic on canvas, 2025. 24" X 24" The artist combines his love for animals and Eastern culture to produce this painting that depicts the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations grouped with their respective Chinese Zodiac signs. North - Black Tortoise - Pig, Rat and Ox East - Green Dragon - Tiger, Rabbit and Dragon South - Red Phoenix - Snake, Horse and Goat West - White Tiger - Monkey, Rooster and Dog The Four Symbols also represent four virtues: Black Tortoise - Stability, restraint, longevity Green Dragon - Life and imperial power  Red Phoenix - Happiness and bliss White Tiger - Power, fortune, marriage Given their divine status, the Four Symbols are said to be capable of shifting into various aspects of life, including the four seasons, protectors of Taoist temples and aspects of Feng Shui. The I Ching (易經), also known as the Book of Changes, traces the roots of the Four Symbols back to the beginnings of the world, and alleges that...

  Infinite Destinations , acrylic on canvas, 2025. 24" X 24" There are many countries in the world and every country has a famous destination and an associated animal symbol. The artist pairs tourist destinations with their respective nations' national animals, arranged around a globe. The artist attempts to express the cultural landscape of multiple nations by pairing these symbolic aspects.  United States - Statue of Liberty - Bald Eagle United Kingdom - Elizabeth Tower - Lion France - Eiffel Tower - Rooster Egypt - Great Pyramid - Falcon India - Taj Mahal - Elephant and Tiger China - Great Wall - Panda Australia - Sydney Opera House - Kangaroo Italy - Colosseum - Wolf Japan's Mount Fuji and a Stone Statue of Easter Island are also seen in the painting, although their national animal pairings (Japan - green pheasant; Chile - Andean condor) are absent. The painting is inspired by this image from a tourism advertisement:

  Salam Aidiladha , acrylic on canvas, 2025. 8" X 8" This painting is made as a special gift to a neighbour during the Aidiladha festival, a festival dedicated to the values of sacrifice, obedience, and trust in God's will. The writing above the painting is "Salam Aidiladha" written in Arabic calligraphy. The Kaabah is the main focus of the painting, as the annual Aidiladha festival sees many Muslims around the world travelling to the sacred city of Mecca during the festival to visit the structure, located in the Masjid-al-Haram (Great Sacred Mosque), in order to perform the Hajj as a mandatory religious duty (one of the 5 pillars of Islam). Date palms and their fruits are significant in Arab and Islamic culture, representing sustenance, prosperity, and resilience, and providing a staple food source during Islamic festivals. The oil lamp represents both light and hope for a bright future. The camels hold a great significance in Arab culture, serving as a symbol ...