The Art of Khik Weng Keat

White Wonder , acrylic on canvas, 2024. 20" X 20" Series 5 in Colors of the Wild For many indigenous cultures of the Arctic regions, the polar bear is a powerful symbol of strength, courage, and adaptability in the face of adversity. Determined and persevering, it has all the qualities of a leader.  Polar bears are greatly respected by the Inuit people as the most intelligent animal in the Arctic, and as a symbol of the resilience, patience and determination that is needed to survive in the harsh climate. As the polar bear fearlessly traverses the frozen wilderness, it becomes a living testament to intense willpower and courage in the face of the unknown. It also symbolizes protection, especially towards its young. Whether on land or in the water, polar bears have no natural enemies, making them the world's top land predators. With their beautiful white coats, humans call them the kings of the Arctic.  The dominant color scheme in the painting are white hues, represented ...

  Diverse Wildlife , acrylic on canvas, 2022. 31.5" X 24" Malaysia is one of the world’s megadiverse countries. It is also ranked 12th in the world, according to the National Biodiversity Index, which is based on estimates of country richness of life and species endemism. The country is home to over 15,000 species of flowering plants, 1,500 species of terrestrial vertebrates and about 150,000 species of invertebrates. The hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia. The  Hibiscus rosa-sinensis  species comes in a wide range of colors including red, orange, yellow, pink and even purple. The red-colored hibiscus is regarded as the national flower, as the color red represents courage and the five petals symbolize the five principles of the  Rukun Negara . In the painting, four hibiscus flowers are depicted in the colors featured on the Malaysian flag: red, white, blue and yellow. The tiger is Malaysia's national animal. Fewer than 150 wild tigers remain in Malaysia's fo...

  Global Gathering , acrylic on canvas, 2022. 84” X 42” This painting is a sequel to G7: You Can Count on Us . It has the same concept of animal representations of countries gathering for a global meeting, but with major differences and additional animals. The new countries and their respective animals are: Brazil = Jaguar The national animal of Brazil is the jaguar, seated beside Canada's beaver in the painting. It wears a green and yellow costume with a badge depicting the blue, star-studded disc on Brazil's flag. Russia = Brown bear In geopolitical cartoons, Russia is usually represented by a bear. The bear in the painting wears a fur coat typically worn by Russians and had a badge with a Russian flag on it. China = Giant panda The giant panda is native to China and is a symbol of the country's wildlife. The panda in the painting wears a red and yellow outfit matching the Chinese flag's colors, complete with the flag's five stars on the right chest area. The pand...

 These paintings by the artist is part of a study based on trees and plants in his training journey. Rhinoceros Hornbill , acrylic on art block, 2018. 29.7 x 42 cm The rhinoceros hornbill ( Buceros rhinoceros ) is the state bird of Sarawak in Malaysia. Some Dayak people, especially the Ibans, believe it to be the supreme chief of birds and its statue is used to welcome the god of birds, Sengalang Burong , to the feasts and celebrations of humankind.  Bear, Hive and Tree , acrylic on art block, 2017. 29.7 x 42 cm Bears usually raid beehives in order to eat the pupae, larvae, and eggs in the brood comb of a hive. Although bears prefer immature bees, they also eat honey. Elephant and Tree , acrylic on art block, 2017. 29.7 x 42 cm An elephant trunk has up to 40,000 muscles, which can be divided into as many as 150,000 individual units. They can lift up to 770 pounds (350 kg) with their trunks. In the painting, an elephant uses its trunk to break a tr...

  Bear No Evil: Temptation , acrylic on canvas, 2021. 18" X 18" This painting is inspired by the "three wise monkeys" which are posed covering their body parts. One covers its ears ("hear no evil"), another covers its eyes ("see no evil") and the third covers its mouth ("say no evil"). The choice of the three bears to imitate the monkeys' poses, namely a panda, a polar bear and a grizzly bear, is inspired by the cartoon show, We Bare Bears . It pictures a scene when the polar bear is trying to resist its temptation to catch and eat a walrus that had popped out of nowhere, by covering its mouth ("taste no evil" in this context). The panda covers its ears and the grizzly bear covers its eyes. They wouldn't "bear" to hear or see the possible commotion and the fate of both the polar bear and the walrus, as both of them are equally matched in strength. The walrus seems to be confused because the bears are acting ...

  MAJESTIC MENAGERIE V A menagerie can be defined as a collection of exotic and unique animals, and the term also refers to a precursor to modern zoos which also showcases exotic animals. In the 18th century, the term menagerie is used for animal collections by aristocrats or royals who seek to display their power and wealth because exotic animals are quite difficult to acquire and harder to maintain. The natural world, however, had a vast collection of diverse life which can be considered unique in their own ways. Majestic Menagerie Vol. 5 , acrylic on canvas, 2021. Set of 9, each piece 8" X 8"  Elephant Savanna Strongman , acrylic on canvas, 2021. There are two kinds of elephants today: the African elephant (pictured) and the Asian elephant. There are more than ten physical characteristics that differentiate Asian and African elephants, and the most important difference is that African elephants have larger ears than their Asian counterparts. Both male and female Africa...

  Mount Rush-ROAR, acrylic on canvas, 2020. 12" x 8" This painting is a parody of the famous US monument Mount Rushmore which depicts four mighty carnivore mammals in place of the original's heads of four US Presidents. The four animals are the lion, tiger, wolf and bear. All four are powerful symbols which are revered across four continents. The lion represents Africa and the tiger represents Asia. The wolf and the bear share a range throughout Europe and North America. The wolf is a respected symbol in Italy as it played a role in the legend of the founding of Rome. The brown bear is an icon of strength and protection in North America and Europe.

MAJESTIC MENAGERIE III A menagerie can be defined as a collection of exotic and unique animals, and the term also refers to a precursor to modern zoos which also showcases exotic animals. In the 18th century, the term menagerie is used for animal collections by aristocrats or royals who seek to display their power and wealth because exotic animals are quite difficult to acquire and harder to maintain. The natural world, however, had a vast collection of diverse life which can be considered unique in their own ways. Majestic Menagerie Vol. 3 , acrylic on canvas, 2020. Set of 9, each piece 8" X 8"  Gorilla Mountain Gorilla, acrylic on canvas, 2020 Gorillas are the largest of the great apes. They are mostly vegetarians and live in large groups. Gorillas are also considered to be highly intelligent and have been observed to use tools in the wild. The dominant male in a group of gorillas is called a silverback. Snow Leopard Snow Leopard, acrylic on canvas, 2020 The snow leopard is...