Malaysia Welcome Artist to Town!

Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) program, which is an immigration scheme open to nearly all foreign citizens wishing to retire or live in Malaysia on a long-term basis, has been a huge success since its inception in 2002. A country blessed in so many ways in terms of its cultures, natural resources, beautiful sceneries, etc., it is no wonder why Malaysia is chosen as a gateway to peaceful and comfortable living for many foreign retirees. Recently, we welcome yet another extraordinary man as part of our multi-cultural family. He is no other than the infamous Indian abstract artist, Antonio Puri.

Growing up at the foot of the Himalayan mountain range, a place notorious for its impenetrable wilderness and impeccable beauty, Antonio’s first instinct in appreciating art was through its magical surroundings. His passion towards art became apparent at a tender age of five. At an age when most children just barely learn to read and write, Antonio had already begun drawing and painting with such diligence that he became the talk of his town.

Coming from a poor family, his ambition to become a well-known artist and making art as a source of income was never tolerable and encouraged by his parents. In fact, he would always get scolded by his parents for spending too much time on drawing rather than laying his eyes on books. It is his parents’ dream for him to become a successful lawyer someday. Though being discouraged and let down many times, Antonio was very persistent in believing in himself and what his future would hold for him. “On many occasions in the middle of the night, I would sneak out of the house and go to nearby trees to draw on the trunks. Then in the morning, people will be wondering why are there drawings of all sorts on trees. At some point, they even thought that perhaps it was a message by God”, chuckles Antonio when he thought back.

Due to the pressure from home, Antonio left India to pursue his dream as an artist. Antonio studied Art across the globe - from Spain to Iowa, India to San Francisco. He drew inspiration from the Spanish Masters, French Impressionists, Abstract Expressionists, and the Dadaists. But none of these would match the simple admiration he saw in the world itself. Significantly, his passion towards art was reaching its peak when he was leading a double life – studying law at the University of Iowa and became part of Illinois State Bar as a corporate attorney; only to give it up to pursue art full time.
“And the rest is history”, exclaimed Antonio.

In terms of his paintings, from the simplest circle with a black background, to the never-ending fire which burns within its core, everything Antonio paints is propelled by the most basic human drives - separate from the superimposed edifice of any single society. In this way Antonio captures both the singular distinctive flavor of the individual heart, as well as the beating drum of humanity in whole. When asked further about his paintings, Antonio was rather hesitant in speaking of his work. It is perhaps his experience as a lawyer, where words are twisted and thrown like weapons, which made his so. Ask him the meaning of a particular piece and his face fills with a vague pain. "I'm not a writer. If I were I would talk about it. But it's not that I don't want to. I can't. I can only say it in the colors. That's where the meaning is. Colors are universal."

Perhaps it is this. Or perhaps it is that the emotional power of Antonio's paintings cannot be captured in words. In dramatic support of this contention are Antonio's recent circles. The ambiguous eternal beauty of the spherical form seems to reveal the uncertain nature of love and hate, good and bad, beauty and ugliness, a powerful illustration of the immovable unity between the spinning opposites that cannot be experienced in the divisions of language. Explained, maybe, but not experienced. But beyond the meanings and themes, the ultimate point of his work seems to be the sweeping happiness of his color. Just like a child, wandering in the park, playing with time and space.

When discussed about the reason he chooses Malaysia as his second home, he replied, “ Actually there are not many differences between Malaysia and where I come from, India, in terms of the weather, food, and people. After all we are all Asians. However, the one element which blew me away was how friendly the people are here. I have been to many places around the world, but I have never felt so at ease and comfortable in a foreign land, until I came to Malaysia. I guess it is meant to be for me to be here”

He added, “Furthermore, the government here has been very helpful in working out the procedures for me, making my planning here so much easier. At the moment, I have not decided the exact place where I’m going to live, but it will most likely be around the coastal area such as Langkawi, Kuantan, or Penang. I am still in the process of working things out with some of my architect friends here and hopefully we will get everything into place during my trip here this time.

Lastly, when asked about his plans when he settles down in Malaysia, he said, “Well there are so many things to do here. I have not given much thought about it yet, but one thing is for sure, I know I will never get bored here! Sa-ya Cin-ta Ma-lay-sia!




Done by,
Tan Hong Thien ( Simon )
0601P46253