The Magic of Light III showcases 50 of Lok’s watercolour creations over the past 24 years. They feature a variety of subjects, including locks, bicycles and rusted objects that have become Lok’s signature. Playing with light and shadow as well as composition, Lok paints what may seem like the mundane to highlight the beauty in the ordinary things around us. WATERCOLOUR is deemed to be the most difficult painting medium – a fact acknowledged by artist Lok Kerk Hwang. “The hardest part is to create the transparent effect that the medium is known for. “There is no room for error when it comes to watercolours, so a lot of planning is involved before taking the brush to canvas. “Mistakes done in acrylic and oil paintings can be ‘covered’ with another layer of paint or gesso, but that cannot be done with watercolour painting. “So it takes a lot of learning and experience to get the hang of the watercolour medium,” said Lok, who humbly admitted that he makes less mistakes now although he does not consider himself a master. In some paintings, he said, he has to finish the background within eight to 10 minutes and not make any mistakes within that short time, as the background is very important and its success sets the tone for the rest of the artwork. Lok was speaking at the opening of his fourth solo exhibition called The Magic of Light III at Wisma Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM).

In The Magic of Light II, Lok Kerk Hwang, master of the textured surface in the watercolour medium, treads familiar ground. Rusted metal is much in abundance, baking in the heat of the tropical sun, with the appearance of distressed wood textures a distant second, and shiny ceramic surfaces, rough stone and dappled water making occasional cameos. A fresh new series of still lifes of fruit and assorted tableware, however, has arisen. These intimate compositions seem to pulsate with an internal, softer light, making their primary subjects – the fruits –vibrant and luscious. Kerk Hwang’s verdant backgrounds are a change from his usual browns and blues, and in the alchemy of his skill, the painted come alive in the magic of his light.

After Kerk Hwang’s first successful Solo Exhibition “The Magic of Light” held March 2014 with Utterly Art, Singapore, he continue to pursuit his 2nd Solo in his homeland, which is supported by Penang State Museum in October 2014. This exhibition contains 65 of Lok’s selected paintings from year 1993 til 2014 showcase his art development over the pass 20 years. Under the scorching sunlight of Lok Kerk Hwang’s watercolour brush, details are thrown into high relief, and the minutiae of mundane surfaces is revealed. Kerk Hwang is a master of textures: peeling paint and enamel from doors and walls, the freckled rusting of machinery, the shiny glint off ceramic roof tiles and manufactured plastic... strong shadows bringing out sharp contrasts where no imperfections can be hidden. Each scene seems suspended in the full glare of the noonday sun in consummate stillness, where the heat has driven life indoors leaving the inanimate mercilessly baking. Kerk Hwang’s compositions tend to zoom in on his subjects, cropping out extraneous details to present what the artist finds most interesting in tight arrangements which thrust them forward, be it the spokes of a bicycle wheel, or the gable of a temple or warehouse. Besides simplifying complex backgrounds to make the main objects stand out, Kerk Hwang actively intervenes to change layout and colour, adds new objects to enhance the theme or creates lighting sources to give more depth. His telescoped depictions of the unsung ordinary distinguishes him from other Malaysian and Singaporean peers who persistently delight in street scenes and still lifes. Using the full suite of watercolour techniques including wet-on wet painting, dry brush techniques, masking and the application of gesso for textures, Kerk Hwang is able to emulate complex organic textures like wood, or mottled, variegated wall effects. His celebrated rusty textures arise in part by using a toothbrush to spray rich colour onto a wet ground. Works in the Symphony of Rust series extol the browns of oxidized iron in forlorn metal objects, while the locks, hinges and chains of his Closed series present pocket exemplars of his virtuoso technique. Beyond the sharp contrasts present in series such as Light and Shadow and Window of Light, Kerk Hwang also explores softer outlines in the glassy waters of his Reflection series, or in the glow that emanates from within a nocturnal Chinese lantern. He examines the patterning of accidental groupings of objects encountered in the Arrangement series, and is fascinated by the oriental carvings or mouldings observed in his Asian Spirit and Roof series. But the sun returns when he paints quiet corners in his hometown Batu Pahat series, where buildings and objects bask in a light where the heat can almost be felt. One almost averts the eyes at the strength and brilliance of light emanating beyond the frames. Kerk Hwang’s first book: a 120-page art catalog featuring his 130 paintings from 1993-2014, will be released during the show and it’s available for sales. Visitors can purchase his book at a special discount rate as well as his signature on it.

Under the scorching sunlight of Lok Kerk Hwang's watercolour brush, details are thrown into high relief, and the minutiae of mundane surfaces is revealed. Kerk Hwang is a master of textures: peeling paint and enamel from doors and walls, the freckled rusting of machinery, the shiny glint off ceramic roof tiles and manufactured plastic... strong shadows bringing out sharp contrasts where no imperfections can be hidden. Each scene seems suspended in the full glare of the noonday sun in consummate stillness, where the heat has driven life indoors leaving the inanimate mercilessly baking. Kerk Hwang’s compositions tend to zoom in on his subjects, cropping out extraneous details to present what the artist finds most interesting in tight arrangements which thrust them forward, be it the spokes of a bicycle wheel, or the gable of a temple or warehouse. Besides simplifying complex backgrounds to make the main objects stand out, Kerk Hwang actively intervenes to change layout and colour, adds new objects to enhance the theme or creates lighting sources to give more depth. His telescoped depictions of the unsung ordinary distinguishes him from other Malaysian and Singaporean peers who persistently delight in street scenes and still lifes. Using the full suite of watercolour techniques including wet-on-wet painting, dry brush techniques, masking and the application of gesso for textures, Kerk Hwang is able to emulate complex organic textures like wood, or mottled, variegated wall effects. His celebrated rusty textures arise in part by using a toothbrush to spray rich colour onto a wet ground. Works in the Symphony of Rust series extol the browns of oxidized iron in forlorn metal objects, while the locks, hinges and chains of his Closed series present pocket exemplars of his virtuoso technique.