“Dusk”

“Pink Dusk”

At the end of a K.L. day and the storms have moved over the city, cleaning and refreshing the air, a beautiful soft light settles over the valley. With a minimum of colour and line I have tried to reveal the tranquility of these moments. In these two paintings I hope I can share these picturesque and
fleeting glimpses with the locals of K.L., maybe as they return home from a busy working day!

Red tiles on stark white buildings, which nestle amongst condominiums in Mid Valley,  inspired me to make dancing calligraphic marks on four small paper panels. When I joined the panels into one image I hoped that people viewing this piece would let their eyes dance across the painted surface and enjoy the red rhythmic fantasy.

Construct 1

Construct 2

Construct 3

K.L. is a city on the move. Cranes and construction workers are constantly changing the city skyline. These three paintings were inspired by the view from my son’s 11th. floor apartment balcony. This was in January 2009. When I returned in October for the Annexe Gallery exhibition these construction sites had been transformed into new “sky reaching” apartment buildings. Maybe in the future these buildings will inspire new paintings!

Condominiums are a dominant feature on the K.L. skyline. They cluster together in groups, some are painted in bright colours and some soft neutral tones. In this painting I subdued the colours to give the affect of a condo cluster popping their “heads” above the morning haze!

How could anyone resist such a colourful display of thirst quenching drinks. I took this photo of mouth watering temptations at the Brickfield Thursday Night markets, a favourite event for me. Food, clothes and all manner of “goodies” displayed so well by all the regular stall holders.

High Balance

What an amazing balancing act! I spent time watching the construction site workers performing these feats of daring and marveled at their skill. Also was in awe at just how rapidly these buildings grew ever upwards.

New Coat of Paint

One of the features I find so appealing about K.L. apartment buildings is the inventive way colour is used. How much more exciting to look out on this rich combination of colours than the grey of endless concrete.

Friday Prayers

A beautiful moment for me one Friday. I felt privileged, as a Christian, to stand quietly near this Mosque sharing my own prayer moments, moments so serene in the very heart of of the city.

One of the features of viewing the cityscape of K.L. is the playful way the tops of  buildings seem to dance out of the daily heat haze. In these 3 paintings I have used colour and textured marks to show the way humidity affects the glow of light on concrete.

– Barbara McKay

“Over The Top”

On a clear morning the tops of buildings made interesting shapes for my eye to catch onto, some of the colours sharp and clear, others muted. I imagined myself to be an exotic bird flying over the crowded city streets, which wind their way through these buildings. On and on to the mountains and jungles beyond!

“Speedy Journey”

I like riding the Monorail in K.L. Looking ahead at the approaching buildings high above the street, then swerving around and through the spaces of more buildings as I firmly clutch the strap. I catch a glimpse of a shining Mosque dome, myriads of modern office block windows, then as I approach Bukit Bintang my mind turns to food, maybe a nasi lemak and iced lime juice!

“Mid Valley Afternoon”

The painting “Mid Valley Afternoon” shows the bright sunlight after the inevitable thunder storm has moved across the valley. During many of those stormy afternoons, I found myself doing what others in this city do, becoming completely absorbed in the seductive charms of the Mega Mall. Fulfilled from a laksa and as much shopping as my budget would allow, I would stroll out and feast my eyes on the brilliant colours and dazzle of the rain-washed buildings.

“K.L. Night Song”

In this large canvas I have reassembled the buildings around Merdeka Square, placing them in a warm mauve K.L. night. The twinkling coloured lights which frame the architectual shapes, allowed me to play a magical game with the beauty of this central place of K.L. and Malaysia. Maybe a visual song tribute to K.L.

“Kampung”

Nestling amongst the forever changing cityscape of new high rise buildings, I would often find myself in a small kampung. Hawker stalls where people chatted and gossiped, children coming home from school and on one occasion I met a woman sitting at her sewing machine in front of her dress-making shop front. A reminder for me of the contrasts which exist within this great city.

“Morning Sounds”

Every morning in K.L. I woke just before the Call to Prayer. As the first soft light revealed outlines of buildings and before the morning rush of traffic started, the clarity of voice touched my own sense of spirituality.To quote the poet A.Samad Said, “Adhan most sacred of sounds Clear echoes of sweetness abound”.

“Concrete”

Concrete, the building material dominating so much of the K.L. skyline, gave me inspiration for “building” my own condominiums, office towers and freeway structures. I cut paper shapes and rendered the surfaces with paint and thick gel paste then reassembled them to rise out of the ground and reach for sky.

“City Lights” and “Lights On”

City Lights

Lights On

When the lights go in K.L. the magic of night casts a colourful spell over the city. Street lights dance and twinkle, even puddles left by the afternoon storms reflect distorted images in their surfaces. At the opening of my exhibition at The Annexe Gallery, a young man sat in front of “City Lights” for so long Pang asked me if I thought he was all right! This young man, Apit, told me he was completely drawn into the painting, seeing a whole world in the images of night, mysterious and challenging.

“Shimmer”

The way light reflected off buildings especially when shrouded in heavy humid air fascinated me. Roof tops red and blue glistened brightly forming rhythmic patterns and colour contrasts in the shimmering atmosphere. I stacked shapes so viewers can find the tower of a mosque peeping around the corner of a condominium, or maybe a pagoda from a Chinese temple dancing out from behind an office tower. Please enjoy my visual teasing game!

“Dayabumi”

The exquisite architecture of the Dayabumi building near the Central Market became a landmark for someone like me, not known for my “navigational skills”. As I would make my way to The Annexe Gallery for meetings with Pang, or meals at Precious Restaurant, and of course those “lost moments” shopping for family presents at the enticing craft shops, the vision of Dayabumi meant I was not lost!

“Twin Towers”

It would be hard to imagine the skyline of K.L. without the Petronas Towers soaring upwards dressed in their glowing glory of silver. At day break they give a welcoming twinkle to the morning, at dusk a warm pink evening mantle to herald the day’s end. But come night the thousands of lights from within shine out over the city.

It would be hard to imagine the skyline of K.L. without the Petronas Towers soaring upwards dressed in their glowing glory of silver. At day break they give a welcoming twinkle to the morning, at dusk a warm pink evening mantle to herald the day’s end. But come night the thousands of lights from within shine out over the city.

The exquisite architecture of the Dayabumi building near the Central Market became a landmark for someone like me, not known for my “navigational skills”. As I would make my way to The Annexe Gallery for meetings with Pang, or meals at Precious Restaurant, and of course those “lost moments” shopping for family presents at the enticing craft shops, the vision of Dayabumi meant I was not lost!

The way light reflected off buildings especially when shrouded in heavy humid air fascinated me. Roof tops red and blue glistened brightly forming rhythmic patterns and colour contrasts in the shimmering atmosphere. I stacked shapes so viewers can find the tower of a mosque peeping around the corner of a condominium, or maybe a pagoda from a Chinese temple dancing out from behind an office tower. Please enjoy my visual teasing game!