The Art of Khik Weng Keat

  Icons of the Rising Sun: Bounty of the Ocean , acrylic on canvas, 2024. 16.5" X 24" This 4-part series commemorates the 70th anniversary of Japan's beloved  Godzilla  franchise and fuses the fame of the so-called "King of the Monsters" with the popularity of Japanese culture. Both these icons have become extremely well-known worldwide.  Part 4 of the series focuses on the  Reiwa  era, which in the  Godzilla  franchise encompasses the mid-2010s to the present. The painting depicts Godzilla in its appearance from the Monsterverse, a series of American-made Godzilla films made in this era since 2014, which is an era of rapid spread of international popularity for the franchise. In the painting, Godzilla emerges from the ocean with fish jumping out of the water including tuna and saba /blue   mackerel. These fish, known for being key ingredients in seafood such as sushi , sashimi and grilled fish, are among those that made Japan known...

Icons of the Rising Sun: Hero of the Millennium , acrylic on canvas, 2024. 16.5" X 24" This 4-part series commemorates the 70th anniversary of Japan's beloved  Godzilla  franchise and fuses the fame of the so-called "King of the Monsters" with the popularity of Japanese culture. Both these icons have become extremely well-known worldwide.  Part 3 of the series focuses on the  Millennium  era, which in the  Godzilla  franchise encompasses the late 1990s to the early 2000s. The painting depicts Godzilla in its appearance from the films Godzilla 2000: Millennium (1999) and Godzilla vs. Megaguirus (2000) where the monster is seen with purple spines. In the painting, Godzilla is seen alongside Mothra, a large moth monster that sometimes appears as either Godzilla's ally or adversary, which appears to sprinkle sakura (cherry blossom) petals on Godzilla to give its spines its pinkish hue.  Sakura plants are symbolic in Japanese culture, representing the...

  Icons of the Rising Sun: Guardian of Tradition , acrylic on canvas, 2024. 16.5" X 24" This 4-part series commemorates the 70th anniversary of Japan's beloved  Godzilla  franchise and fuses the fame of the so-called "King of the Monsters" with the popularity of Japanese culture. Both these icons have become extremely well-known worldwide. In 2015, the character Godzilla itself was granted citizenship and appointed as the tourism ambassador for Tokyo's Shinjuku district. Part 2 of the series focuses on the  Heisei  era, which in the  Godzilla  franchise encompasses the late 1980s to the early 1990s. In the painting, the 1985 version of Godzilla (as depicted in the film The Return of Godzilla ) is seen near a volcano that spews out gold "lava" and koban coins, the scene being a reference to the film's climax set near Mount Mihara, an active volcano on the Japanese isle of Izu Ōshima. The gold "lava" is also a reference to  kintsugi (go...

  Icons of the Rising Sun: Power of Umami , acrylic on canvas, 2024. 16.5" X 24" This 4-part series commemorates the 70th anniversary of Japan's beloved Godzilla franchise and fuses the fame of the so-called "King of the Monsters" with the popularity of Japanese food culture. Both these icons have become extremely well-known worldwide. Part 1 of the series focuses on the Showa era, which in the Godzilla franchise encompasses the 1950s to the 1970s. In the painting, the 1954 version of Godzilla is seen breathing out crystals of monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer which is marketed across the world under the brand name " Aji-no-Moto ". MSG is a popular condiment as it has a savory taste, or umami taste, which is regarded as the fifth basic taste; characteristic of broths and cooked meats. Foods that have a strong umami flavor include meat and seafood. Japan is known to have a food culture based around their extensive seafood industry. The abun...

 FANTASTIC BESTIARY "Monsters are tragic beings. They are born too tall, too strong, too heavy. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy. They do not attack people because they want to, but because of their size and strength, mankind has no other choice but to defend himself. After several stories such as this, people end up having a kind of affection for the monsters. They end up caring about them." — Ishir⁠ō Honda Minotaur Half Man, Half Bull , acrylic on canvas, 2021 The word minotaur derives from the Ancient Greek Minotauros , a compound of the name Minos and the noun tauros  "bull", translated as "(the) Bull of Minos". This monster had the head and tail of a bull and the body of a man or, as described by Roman poet Ovid, a being "part man and part bull". He dwelt at the center of the Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction designed by the architect Daedalus and his son Icarus, on the command of King Minos of Crete....

FANTASTIC FANDOMS This collection of fan arts is based on science fiction films and TV series such as Transformers , Godzilla and Ultraman , in which the artist is a big fan. Fantastic Fandoms , acrylic on canvas, 2020. Set of 9, each piece 10" X 10"  Godzilla MosuGoji (1964 Godzilla) and ShodaiRado (Showa Rodan), acrylic on canvas, 2020 BioGoji (Early 1990s Godzilla) vs. Ghidorah, acrylic on canvas, 2020 Godzilla vs. Kong on Skull Island, acrylic on canvas, 2020 From its first appearance in 1954 until now, Godzilla, the dinosaur-like Japanese movie monster, had its design evolved and made numerous monster allies and enemies. Allies include the pterosaur-like Rodan and the moth-like Mothra, while Godzilla's enemies include the three-headed dragon, King Ghidorah. After almost 60 years since their first fight, Godzilla will face the gigantic gorilla King Kong once again in 2021's Godzilla vs. Kong .  Ultraman Ultraman vs. Gomora, acrylic on canvas, 2020 Ultra Seven vs. ...

These creatures actually do not exist, but they have fascinated many people for generations. Fantasy creatures have made their mark in various cultures around the world, influencing our lives and interests in various ways. Dragon Water Dragon, acrylic on art block, 2017 Dragons have captivated our imagination since ancient times, and they come in various shapes and sizes. In most cultures, dragons are said to be symbols of power and having control over natural elements. Many early depictions of dragons portray them as snake-like creatures. Sea serpents like the one in the painting are commonly associated with dragons. Phoenix Golden Phoenix, acrylic on art block, 2017 The phoenix, or "feng huang" in Chinese, is a popular avian symbol in Eastern mythology. It is said to be the ruler of all birds and its body parts are said to represent celestial objects and natural phenomena: the head is the sky; the eyes are the sun; the back is the moon; the wings are the winds; the feet are...