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VISUAL ARTIST - GOH EE CHOO
QUOTATIONS
Creating Healing Art
To me, art is like an embodiment of truth in visual form.
Like religion scriptures it is the truth that shines on the path towards liberation.
It is this that I seek to attain in my work.
An embodiment of truth in visual form and the path to liberation, the truth that mankind, artists, thinkers and philosophers has been searching for centuries and the path that can provide meaning to life. But what actually is this truth and path? As I pondered on these questions, of finding a meaning to this path and truth, to what I am doing, to the purpose of my role as an artist and my responsibility as a member of the human race. I am confronted with the simple truth, that the more I search outside myself for the answer, the more I lose finding it.
Travelling to different countries and searching for different answers from different cultures; from the Eastern culture to the Western culture, from past to the present, I find that I am not any closer to it. I looked into all the different philosophies, from modernism to post-modernism, still the answer eluded avoided me. Confused and tired, I sat down, looking at the sunset, enjoying the sun retiring from its day of work. As I relax, enjoying the setting sun, suddenly all becomes clear what this truth and path is. It is actually here and now; just being what you are and who are you. It is discovering your basic human nature and expressing this basic nature- good heart. The simple truth is that art has never been separated from the heart - human nature and it is from the heart that it grows.
This simple truth makes me realize that art needs not be complex, with all its high sounding theories; about post-modernism, deconstruction¡ It only needs a good heart, a pure and sincere motivation, to help others, to make others happy, on the basis of kindness, love, respect, and clear realization of the oneness of all human being. It also makes me realise that the path of being an artist is to be an instrument to help the human community. From this, any human being can be an artist, as long as he/she has a pure and sincere motivation to help others and is able to use his/her talents to help the human community. All the great people, who have made contributions to the peace and harmony of this world, can he seen as great artists. Their whole life is an artwork and they are artists of life. Their life touches our heart and inspires us, like great works of art. By realizing this simple fact of art and being an artist, the notion of an artwork need not be restricted to a form, it can be a process; a life, which is an artwork in itself.
It helped me to see that responsibility of fine arts can he expanded beyond its present boundary; from playing a passive role, of object making, to a proactive one, of culture making, in society. This covers four areas.
1. Creating the Good World - loving and caring for humanism and the natural environment and resource of the world.
2. Cultivating the Good Heart - developing the right attitude toward others on the basis of kindness, love, and respect and on the clear realization of the oneness of all human beings.
3. Developing the Good Society - where intuitive, aesthetic and moral sensibility can grow.
4. Nurturing the Good Mind - generating a good, pure and sincere motivation to care, serve and bring happiness to other.
Based on this, fine arts is not about adding or making another meaningless object to this world but making objects that can benefit, provide happiness and peace to others.
Based on this, an artist is not just a maker of art objects, but takes on three roles or responsibilities. The artist is firstly a cultural maker/creator. Secondly, he is an educator/researcher and last, he/she is also a professional.
As a cultural maker/creator, he/she
1. Creates positive art that can transform and effect good changes in society and the world so that a more loving and caring world can be created.
2. Provides humanity a meaning to life and its existence.
3. Cultivates a peaceful and humane environment, where good human qualities; love, compassion and kindness can co-exist.
4. Provides hope to mankind that the world can be a much better and happier place with less suffering; caring for the people and a natural environment.
As a Educator/ Researcher, he/she
1. Educates all levels of people to the finer things/ pursuit in life.
2. Makes art education accessible to all levels of the people.
3. Instils and cultivates good human values such as love, compassion and kindness.
4. Teaches art that is appropriate to the country is culture and value so that the right intuitive, aesthetic and moral sensibility needed for the country can develop.
5. Develops a critical audience so that people can distinguish between good and bad art or whether that art, is appropriate or not for that country.
6. Keeps abreast on the latest development in human life and development.
7. Nurtures artists that are creative, critical, discipline and world conscientious.
As a Professional, he/she
1. Maintains a high standard of art practice and commitment to cultural making.
2. Protects artists' legal rights and contributions of their artworks and expertise.
3. Respects other artists' works and profession.
4. Upholds the country's culture.
Having expanded the role of fine art and the artist, I begin to look for ways to fulfil my role as an artist and to transform art into a path of liberation. I realized this path of liberation is no other than having a good heart and the right motivation. In everything that I do, I hope it can help others. In art and life, I hope I am able to raise the overall energy of the viewer; the spiritual, emotional and intellectual level, but not the conceptual level. Like meditation, yoga, spiritual practices, relaxation, I see art as medicine that can heal and transform humanity and the world. It is like an energy enhancing practice that raises the energy level of the viewer and dissolves conflict, tension and anger in the viewer so that they can be happy and generate the good heart. It heals the sickness of society. I see art as having the qualities of healing and of transformation.
Since the whole theory of art in Eastern culture and Western culture has never separated from the human nature or the heart it is the qualities of the heart that counts and what constitutes this is no other than compassion and truth (wisdom). With compassion and truth, art/beauty manifests itself naturally. Where there is compassion and truth, there, art/beauty will be found.
The search for truth in visual form and the path to liberation has been a slow process but a "meaningful" one. It is this "meaningful" element that I seek in my work, the meaningful to depict a simple truth in everyday life. It has also made me aware that art needs to be respected and revered for its truth and for its power to effect positive change in the viewer. Art has never been separated from us in the first place and it is within us. It is there, waiting for us to awaken it like the kundalini energy.
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