“At the time, my village near Taiping lacked enough streetlights and the roads were too narrow. Perhaps it was darker than usual that night.”
Cycling home, the 17-year-old suddenly found himself airborne and before he could grasp what was going on, he was out cold.
The teenager had been involved in a road accident, and when he finally regained consciousness in the hospital, he found he had been seriously injured.
The left side of his skull had been crushed inwards and though his eye was thankfully intact, Wong’s vision was adversely affected.
If you happened to meet the 48-year-old Wong today, it would be hard to miss that his left eye does not align with his healthy right eye, always seemingly staring off into the distance.
And indeed, Wong has double vision, making his life a little more difficult than it ought to be. Yet, despite it all, he has defied expectations to become an accomplished visual artist.
His latest showing called “Rasa Sayang”, which showcases several of his latest works, is on display at Wei-Ling Gallery.
Named after the iconic song, “Rasa Sayang”, the exhibition features five colourful artworks, all of which were painted using acrylic paints.
This series of artworks is Wong’s love letter to everything that makes Malaysia great, with his paintings featuring Malaysian cultural symbols like the Malayan tiger and the national flower hibiscus.
That said, at first glance, Wong’s paintings may look a little cluttered and confusing, consisting of layers painted over many other layers.
There’s a reason behind the madness though; just whip out your phone and scan the QR code located next to each painting.
As it turns out, Wong has been experimenting with technology and has incorporated Augmented Reality (AR) into his latest works.
So, look again at each painting, this time through the lens of your phone camera and you will find Wong’s artworks come to life as it was intended.
Take “A New Day” for example. With the naked eye, it resembles the doors of a LRT train, with colourful patterns in each window. Lift your phone to eye-level and you will watch amazed as those doors part, revealing a tiger roaming through a bamboo grove.
And slowly, magnificently rising from the background are the words, “Selamat Pagi Malaysia”. It’s quite the sight to behold.
The other paintings can be enjoyed the same way, and the layers become far less confusing when they leap out at you through your screen.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Wong explained that he titled this series “Rasa Sayang” as he believes the famous song belongs to all Malaysians.
Likewise, his paintings are meant to highlight what makes Malaysia special. “What makes Malaysia and what is Malaysia all about? How do I represent it?”
As such, his paintings contain symbols of Malaysia’s many different cultures, with one painting featuring Chinese paper cuts on the same canvas as Islamic mosaic patterns.
“I think Malaysia is filled with positive energy and vibrance,” he said. “We live in harmony and we’re currently moving into the era of New Malaysia.”
Wong said his paintings resemble the doors and windows of a LRT train, symbolising how the country is moving forwards into the future.
How did he learn to integrate AR technology into his craft? Apparently, YouTube was of great help, as were a handful of friends.
“I think technology is part of our life that cannot be escaped. Things are moving very fast and Malaysia should do the same to secure a brighter future.”
Describing himself as a perpetually curious person, he said he is interested in exploring other ways to integrate technology into his works.
“As an artist, I hope the new generation will be eager to learn and explore the potential possibilities before them.”
The fact that Wong created these colourful paintings is amazing given how his left eye only sees vague colours and blurred shapes.
“My skull was broken and my eye was forced inwards. So, the image my left eye sees doesn’t get properly reflected on the retina,” he explained. “I see double at the same time.”
“I still have one healthy eye; it’s a God-given gift. I’m still alive, am I not? I can still do whatever I love and I can share it with everyone. If I can keep this one eye, that will make me happy.”
‘Rasa Sayang’ by Wong Chee Meng will run until Aug 19 at Wei-Ling Gallery. Visit the gallery’s website, or follow it on Facebook and Instagram.
Wei-Ling Gallery
8, Jalan Scott
Brickfields
Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 10am-6pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays)