Home sweet home (Mark Tobey)

Mark Tobey was born on December 11, 1890, in Centerville, Wisconsin. He studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago before moving to New York, where he works as a fashion illustrator for McCall’s magazine. His first one man-show was held at M.Knoedler & Co., New York and finally moved to Seattle to teach at the Cornish College of Allied Arts. The most memorable experience in his life was when he worked as a fashion illustrator for McCall’s magazine and the worse experience was bullied by seniors during art classes. Surprisingly, this artist Mark Tobey planning to spend whole of his older days in the Asia, guess what? Finally he decided to build his house in Malaysia. The main reason he has chosen Malaysia is because the climate or the season over here, which is warm. Apart from that, he wanted to try something new in the country that only has two seasons in a year. The feeling of liking Malaysia happened since the first time he visited Malaysia five years ago. The multicultural and the food attracted him. The people in Malaysia are multilingual due to multi races, they are very close with each others that adds the reason for him to come to Malaysia which is full with friendly people.
In Malaysia, he wants his house to be designed as simple as a single storey house with the image of the traditional Malay house. Malay houses are designed for form and function, but are also governed by current culture, the climate, technology and the availability of new materials for construction. The materials used were substituted from the durable leaves to zinc and clay while brick and cement columns replaced timber stilts and the appearance of glass instead of open windows. The house that was built in order to interact with the local climate, which is warm and wet all year round, to counter the heat air warmed by the hot sun is ventilated thru airways “ventilation holes” in the roof, walls, grilles, windows and the climate also promotes the popularity of balconies and verandahs, these are the spaces for relaxation and for receiving guests.
A typical Malay house has three main areas. The balconies or verandahs then the main living portion and the kitchen, the kitchen is a separate unit from the house but is connected via sheltered walkway. The dry and wet kitchens were combined as usual. The house was spacious, less furniture; the three main areas exist at different levels, with the kitchen at the lowest level. This is practiced for the purposes of spatial transition and distinguishing room functions. A defining characteristic of the Malay house is the presence of accoutrements or ornately crafted articulations. It showcases Malay art at openings like doorframes, window rails, ventilation panels and roof eaves. The centre space of the house showcases various paintings relating to his passion for arts.
It is really a pride for Malaysia that artists like Mark Tobey is attracted to Malaysian culture and appreciate it. He built his house with the image of the traditional Malay house which keep this culture.