HONG TATT FOO a.k.a FOO HONG TATT
Biographical Notes
Internationally-known artist, Hong Tatt Foo, was born in Penang, Malaysia. His paintings are in public and private collections in many countries around the world, including Malaysia, Singapore, Europe, Japan, Korea, Africa, China, USA and South America; and in the collections of The National Museum and Art Gallery of Singapore, The National Art Gallery of Malaysia and The Contemporary Museum of Art in Bolivia, South America.
In 1960, he was awarded a full scholarship from the Institute of International Education to study art in the United States. He attended Lincoln College and graduated with an Associate of Arts degree and Best Artist Award in 1962. He continued his studies at the University of Illinois and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts (High Honors) in 1964. He returned to Malaysia and exhibited extensively with much recognition and success.
In 1966 Foo received another scholarship to study for his Masters degree in art education at the University of Illinois. After graduation in 1967, Foo taught art at Commack High School in Long Island, New York, and was promoted Head of the Art Department after a few years. He exhibited widely in many solo and group shows in Long Island and New York City.
In 1975, he took two years sabbatical to teach art at the Singapore American School in Singapore. During that time he exhibited extensively in Singapore as well as in Malaysia.
After his retirement from teaching at Commack High School in 1995, Foo went to Africa, and as Head of the Creative Arts Faculty, taught art at the International School of Tanganyika, Tanzania, East Africa. During the two years there, he conducted art workshops in Nairobi, Kenya, and in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. He had solo exhibitions at the German Cultural Center (Goethe Institute) and the American Cultural Center in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
In 1997 Foo had a solo show in his hometown Penang, Malaysia.
Since then, Foo has had numerous solo exhibitions around the world, including shows in Yunnan University, Kunming, China (2003); Zhuhai, China (2004); the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (2006; the Contemporary Museum of Art in Bolivia (2006); at Lincoln College, Illinois (2010); in Florida (2012); and at Island Gallery, Penang, Malaysia in 2013.
In 2000, the book Foo Hong Tatt—Paradise Regained was published by The Art Gallery, Penang in conjunction with a solo show in his hometown of Penang, Malaysia. In April 2003, Foo was honored with a retrospective show at the Pinang Galeri, Dewan Seri Pinang, sponsored by the Penang Art Museum in Malaysia. A second book of his works, Poetic Impulse and Fragrance of Spirituality, was published at that time.
In 2010, Foo was awarded the Alumni Achievement Award in Art by Lincoln College and had a show of his paintings at the college in celebration of his 50 years in USA.
In 2014, Foo was one of the 7 winners of the first regional Artpop competition in the Lehigh Valley, PA, where 78 regional artists submitted entries to have their artwork displayed on the highway billboards for the year in 2015.
Foo continues to teach art as well, both privately and at the local senior center.
Foo and his wife, Sally, live in Pennsylvania. His studio/gallery is in Schnecksville, PA 18078 USA.
email : [email protected]
More About the Artist
An Appreciation:
I first knew of Foo Hong Tatt in 1990 when he submitted three images of his works for my book, Penang Artists -1920 to 1990 through his nephew, Choo Beng Teong, also an artist. I told Choo that I will be delighted to meet his uncle when he comes back to Penang. I was very impressed by his artworks as well as his artist's statement, which he wrote, "I combine the Eastern philosophy, the Baha’i teachings and the Oriental and Western aesthetics and techniques to bring about a harmony of the elements ... glorifying peace, love, joy and contentment, through painting the landscapes of my mind". I fell in love with the images of his works at first sight, and wondered if I will be fortunate enough to acquire some of them.
A few years later, Hong Tatt appeared at my gallery, with his charming wife, Sally and my dreams finally came true. I was amazed to see his beautiful landscapes that are so peaceful and tranquil, blending with the elements, which at times transcend into the spiritual realm. His works on acrylic on canvases and water colours, are produced by gentle, soft and well controlled brush strokes, and colour washes. He controls the fluidity of colours, textures, surfaces and space in his paintings, which appear poetically rhythmic. I bought several works and straightaway offered him a solo exhibition which took place at my gallery, The Art Gallery, Penang, in 1997. I gave him a second exhibition in 2000 and was pleased to publish a hardcover, 64- page catalog, entitled, Foo Hong Tatt - Paradise Regained, in conjunction with the exhibition.
Hong Tatt's paintings appeal to me because they are beautiful with gorgeous colours, aesthetically and skillfully rendered, with sublime messages of harmony with nature, and peace with the universe, reflecting his Baha’i faith. His paintings carry titles related to nature, like Autumn Lights, Purple Mountain, Green Valley, etc. In recent years, I am delighted to find subtle or half-hidden images of women, birds, butterflies, fish and flowers, which are nicely blended into the landscapes. This again reflects his love for nature and mankind (and womankind). I especially like a recent painting, Peacock Garden where a peacock and other birds are camouflaged in the landscape.
His background of Western art techniques, Eastern philosophy, and Baha’i Faith has combined to make Hong Tatt a sophisticated painter of everlasting landscapes that are endearing with a touch of spiritualism and a bit of fantasy. His long years of dedication to his art has made him the superb artist that he is today, with confidence and wisdom reflected in the landscapes of his fertile imagination.
In addition to being an artist, he was also a highly respected art teacher who had taught art at Commack High School in Long Island, New York, The Singapore American School in Singapore, as well as at the International School of Tanganyika, Tanzania, East Africa. He had numerous solo exhibitions all over the world, including Malaysia, Singapore, America, East Africa, China and Bolivia, South America. He has won numerous art awards, the latest in 2014, as one of the seven winners of the first regional Artpop competition in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, USA. The winners’ artworks were displayed on highway billboards for the year in 2015. I am indeed privileged to be associated with this artist, who is outstanding in his work, yet very humble in his social interactions.
…Dato Dr. Tan Chee Khuan, Executive director, The Art Gallery, Penang, Malaysia. Vice-chairman,
Penang State Art Gallery, Penang, Malaysia
I first knew of Foo Hong Tatt in 1990 when he submitted three images of his works for my book, Penang Artists -1920 to 1990 through his nephew, Choo Beng Teong, also an artist. I told Choo that I will be delighted to meet his uncle when he comes back to Penang. I was very impressed by his artworks as well as his artist's statement, which he wrote, "I combine the Eastern philosophy, the Baha’i teachings and the Oriental and Western aesthetics and techniques to bring about a harmony of the elements ... glorifying peace, love, joy and contentment, through painting the landscapes of my mind". I fell in love with the images of his works at first sight, and wondered if I will be fortunate enough to acquire some of them.
A few years later, Hong Tatt appeared at my gallery, with his charming wife, Sally and my dreams finally came true. I was amazed to see his beautiful landscapes that are so peaceful and tranquil, blending with the elements, which at times transcend into the spiritual realm. His works on acrylic on canvases and water colours, are produced by gentle, soft and well controlled brush strokes, and colour washes. He controls the fluidity of colours, textures, surfaces and space in his paintings, which appear poetically rhythmic. I bought several works and straightaway offered him a solo exhibition which took place at my gallery, The Art Gallery, Penang, in 1997. I gave him a second exhibition in 2000 and was pleased to publish a hardcover, 64- page catalog, entitled, Foo Hong Tatt - Paradise Regained, in conjunction with the exhibition.
Hong Tatt's paintings appeal to me because they are beautiful with gorgeous colours, aesthetically and skillfully rendered, with sublime messages of harmony with nature, and peace with the universe, reflecting his Baha’i faith. His paintings carry titles related to nature, like Autumn Lights, Purple Mountain, Green Valley, etc. In recent years, I am delighted to find subtle or half-hidden images of women, birds, butterflies, fish and flowers, which are nicely blended into the landscapes. This again reflects his love for nature and mankind (and womankind). I especially like a recent painting, Peacock Garden where a peacock and other birds are camouflaged in the landscape.
His background of Western art techniques, Eastern philosophy, and Baha’i Faith has combined to make Hong Tatt a sophisticated painter of everlasting landscapes that are endearing with a touch of spiritualism and a bit of fantasy. His long years of dedication to his art has made him the superb artist that he is today, with confidence and wisdom reflected in the landscapes of his fertile imagination.
In addition to being an artist, he was also a highly respected art teacher who had taught art at Commack High School in Long Island, New York, The Singapore American School in Singapore, as well as at the International School of Tanganyika, Tanzania, East Africa. He had numerous solo exhibitions all over the world, including Malaysia, Singapore, America, East Africa, China and Bolivia, South America. He has won numerous art awards, the latest in 2014, as one of the seven winners of the first regional Artpop competition in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, USA. The winners’ artworks were displayed on highway billboards for the year in 2015. I am indeed privileged to be associated with this artist, who is outstanding in his work, yet very humble in his social interactions.
…Dato Dr. Tan Chee Khuan, Executive director, The Art Gallery, Penang, Malaysia. Vice-chairman,
Penang State Art Gallery, Penang, Malaysia
…This combination of the East and West, this marriage of the timeless landscapes of 12th
century Sung painting to the liberation of the unconscious which is the contribution of the abstract expressionist, is at the heart of Hong’s work ….Malcom Preston, “Newsday” Art Critic |
…Hong Tatt is a Poet’s Painter. His work is pure poetry. He is a “romantic” poet in the
sense that his visual images of Nature are not directly recorded by assimilated, transformed, elevated and reorganized into a new universe which the canvas has become. He would seem to approach his canvas with nothing save the creator’s instinct. A few calligraphic strokes begin to set up a dynamism which explodes in his psyche; to stimulate a movement which carries him to fulfillment. His sub-conscious artistic instincts have take over. Images long forgotten come to the surface; rocks; flowers, trees, sunshine, snow – all the phenomena of nature. Human figures also and crowds are sometimes discernible, though mystically veiled. Abstract ideas are not shunned; nor are abstract forms lacking in which he can express them. And he handles all with superb technical skill and craftsmanship, such as enables him to lay bare his emotion …Bro. Joseph McNally, F.S.C., A.N.C.A., Former Director of St. John’s Institution |
…”His paintings, full of glorious colors, seemingly shifting shapes, and gentle, flowing rhythms,reward the viewer who looks more than once, as layer after layer of meaning is revealed deep beneath their surfaces. In their complexity lies the simple peace and joy at the heart of Hong’s work and world
…..Debbie Ackerman, VP for Institutional Advancement, Lincoln College |