Online exhibition "The Poetic Beauty of Transparency, Light and Space" by Malaysian Watercolour Artist Yong Look LamTime：2026-08-14
.png)
The online exhibition, "The Poetic Beauty of Transparency, Light and Space" by Malaysian Watercolour Artist Yong Look Lam, organized by DoBe Italy, the Sino Italian Design Exchange Center, the Malaysia Impressions Arts Center, IMPSART, and supported by the Municipality of Florence, the Shanghai Promotion Center for City of Design, curated by art critic and curator Becky Choong, launched on August 14th, 2026, at 12:00 (Italian time).
Yong Look Lam – A Distinguished Malaysian Watercolour Artist
The Poetic Beauty of Transparency, Light and Space
By Becky Choong
Watercolour possesses a unique poetic charm. Through its transparency, fluidity and luminous washes, it captures not only the beauty of nature but also the artist’s inner emotions. Beyond technical mastery, it demands a sensitive understanding of light, colour, atmosphere and the harmony between observation and personal expression.
Yong Look Lam is one of Malaysia’s distinguished watercolour artists and a former Senior Lecturer in Watercolour at the Kuala Lumpur College of Art. Since the 1980s, he has devoted his life to watercolour painting through artistic practice, teaching and continuous exploration. For him, watercolour is more than a medium—it is a lifelong artistic language through which he communicates with nature, humanity and the world around him.
Yong believes that technical excellence alone is not enough. Once an artist masters technique, the greater challenge is to develop a personal artistic voice. As he has remarked, every artist is unique, and only by expressing individual thoughts and emotions can art continue to flourish with diversity and vitality.
Throughout his career, Yong has travelled extensively, painting fishing villages, historic towns, ancient architecture and cultural landscapes across Southeast Asia and beyond. His works are inspired by weathered stone streets, old buildings, tranquil waterways, forests and distant mountains. Rather than simply recording these scenes, he transforms them into poetic compositions enriched by memory, emotion and artistic interpretation.
While firmly rooted in the traditions of transparent watercolour, Yong continues to expand the expressive possibilities of the medium. In recent years, he has introduced geometric compositional structures that reorganise architectural forms and spatial relationships, creating dynamic interactions of light and shadow. He also combines fountain-pen sketches, transparent watercolour and deep blue ink washes to develop a distinctive visual language that balances the lyrical qualities of traditional watercolour with a contemporary sense of space and design.
His paintings are characterised by harmonious earth tones, luminous blues and flowing brushwork. Layer upon layer of transparent colour creates atmospheric depth and quiet rhythm, conveying serenity, elegance and a profound sense of place. Rather than depicting scenery alone, Yong presents a poetic dialogue between humanity and nature, inviting viewers to experience not only the landscape itself but also the emotions and memories it evokes.
Yong Look Lam paints far more than landscapes. Through transparent washes, shifting light and carefully orchestrated spatial compositions, he expresses the enduring relationship between humanity, nature and the passage of time. Guided by a deep humanistic spirit and an unwavering commitment to artistic innovation, he has established a distinctive artistic language that has made him one of Malaysia’s most accomplished contemporary watercolour artists.
Watercolour works
.png)
徽派建筑｜Huizhou Architecture
Watercolor
53cmx38cm, 2022
.png)
泉州开元寺双塔 | The Twin Pagodas of Kaiyuan Temple, Quanzhou
Watercolor
76cmx56cm, 2026
.png)
宏村 | Hongcun Ancient Village
Watercolor
53cmx38cm, 2023
.png)
开元寺古街 | Ancient Street of Kaiyuan Temple
Watercolor
76cmx56cm, 2026
.png)
安徽黄村 | Huangcun Village, Anhui
Watercolor
53cmx38cm, 2024
.png)
淡水英专街 | Yingzhuan Street in Tamsui
Watercolor
68cmx110cm, 2026
.png)
老街记憶 | Memories of the Old Street
Watercolor
76cmx56cm, 2023
.png)
古屋记忆 | Memories of the Old House
Watercolor
53cmx38cm, 2023
.png)
淡水渔人码头 | Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf
Watercolor
68cmx110cm, 2026
.png)
印尼菜市场 | Indonesian Market
Watercolor
76cmx56cm, 2023
.png)
印尼平民区 | Indonesian Neighborhood
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2023
.png)
晋江梧林古村“修养楼” | Xiuyang Mansion, Wulin Ancient Village, Jinjiang
Watercolor
53cmx38cm, 2026
.png)
泊 | Mooring
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2020
.png)
休息 | Rest
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2026
.png)
马来西亚麻坡巴冬渔村 | Badong Fishing Village, Muar, Malaysia
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2026
.png)
揭阳古城 Jieyang Ancient City
Watercolor
68cmx68cm, 2026
.png)
森州盧骨河口 | Lukut River Estuary, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia
Watercolor
76cmx56cm, 2023
.png)
小食档 | Food Stall
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2023
.png)
马来西亚丁加奴甘马挽渔港 | Kemaman Fishing Harbour, Terengganu, Malaysia
Watercolor
38cmx53cm, 2026
.png)
马来西亚丁加奴甘马挽渔港 | Kemaman Fishing Harbour, Terengganu, Malaysia
Watercolor
76cmx56cm, 2026
.png)
淡水老街 | Tamsui Old Street
Watercolor
38cmx53cm, 2025
.png)
停靠 | Moored Boats
Watercolor
76cmx110cm, 2020
.png)
马来西亚丁加奴渔村 | Terengganu Fishing Village, Malaysia
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2026
.png)
揭阳揭西古城 | Ancient Town of Jiexi, Jieyang
Watercolor
68cmx68cm, 2026
.png)
马来西亚关丹原住民村 | Orang Asli Village, Kuantan, Malaysia
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2018
.png)
泊 | Mooring
Watercolor
76cmx56cm, 2019
.png)
青島崂山渔港（1 ）| Laoshan Fishing Port, Qingdao (I)
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2018
.png)
青島崂山渔港（2 ）| Laoshan Fishing Port, Qingdao (2)
Watercolor
56cmx76cm, 2018
.png)
Yong Look Lam
Watercolour Artist
President of the Negeri Sembilan State Art Association.
Italian Royal Pen Drawing,
Vice President of the Malaysian Branch.
Vice President of the Contemporary Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Association of Malaysia, Negeri Sembilan Branch.
Watercolor Advisor of IMPSART.
Advisor to the Asian Artists Association.
2026 Invited to participate in the Global Ink Painting Exhibition Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations, China.
2026 Invited to participate in the Maritime Silk Road Overseas Chinese Heritage · Art Gathering in Quangang – International Artists’ Symposium and Exchange Exhibition, Quanzhou, Fujian, China.
2026 Invited Artist-in-Residence at ArtPillar Fine Art Center, Taipei, and participated in the Embracing Beauty · Myriad Artistic Expressions International Art Exchange Exhibition at the Taipei International Convention Center Exhibition Hall, Taiwan.
2026 Invited to participate in the “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” China–Malaysia–Singapore Invitational Painting and Calligraphy Exhibition, Linyi, Shandong, China.
2025 Honoured to be invited to the Yellow River Watercolour Biennale, held at the Wubao Stone City Museum, Shaanxi, China.
2025 Invited to participate in the “Southern Style Reimagined” Malaysia–Singapore–Thailand Masters Exhibition, organised by ArtPillar Fine Art Center and co-organised by Impressions Art Center, at the Taipei International Convention Center, Taiwan.
2025 Invited to participate in the “Reflexion of Nature ” Harbour Road Painting Exhibition, Haicang Cultural Centre, Xiamen, China.
2025 Invited to participate in the “Lines and Colours in Motion” Malaysia Scenery Pen Drawing Exhibition, School of Architecture and Landscape Design, Peking University, Beijing, China.
2025 Invited to participate in the “Inheritance and Beyond” China–Malaysia Wangchuan (Royal Barge) Cultural Heritage Art Exhibition, Xiamen Art Museum, China.
2025 Participated in the “Ink Rhythms Connecting Malaysia and China – Twin Cities Pen Drawing Exchange Exhibition”, Penang, Malaysia.
.jpg)
Becky Choong
Art Critic｜Art Exhibition Curator｜Artist
Born in Penang, Malaysia.
1973-1978 SMJK Jit Sin High School
1983 graduated from National Taiwan Normal University NTNU.
2016 Graduated from Nanjing University of the Arts, China.
1992 Founder & Art Director of Impressions Arts Center, Malaysia.
2018 Founder & Chief Editor of Internet Art Platform 【国际艺象IMPSART】.
2023 Curator & Art Critic of Sino-Italian Design Exchange Center operated by DoBe Group ，China.
Committee Member of Penang State Art Gallery, Malaysia.
Becky Choong formerly served as the Chairperson of the International Watercolour Society (IWS) Malaysia. She was the Chief Judge for the state-wide children’s art competition organized by the century-old Kwong Wah Yit Poh and has written art critiques for major Chinese-language newspapers such as Kwong Wah Yit Poh, Guang Ming Daily, Sin Chew Daily, and Nanyang Siang Pau. She has also contributed as a columnist and art critic for art magazines including Cai Die Xuan and others.
She has acted as an art advisor to various associations and has held six solo exhibitions. In collaboration with China, Malaysia, and Singapore, she has planned and directed numerous Chinese orchestra concerts and art charity exhibitions in support of social causes. Over the years, she has curated more than 80 art exhibitions and participated in over a hundred local and international group exhibitions of varying scales.
Solo Exhibitions
2003: Lotus by Becky Choong – Equator Art Academy, Penang, Malaysia
2004: Purity – elle six gallery, K.L.
2006: 3rd Solo Art Exhibition – Journey to Freedom, Oil Painting of Lotus by Becky Choong – Galeri Seni Mutiara
2017: Metamorphosis – Modern Legacy of Traditional Batik Art on Rice Paper
2022: Zen Jolfuness (The 5th Solo Art Exhibition)
2024: The 6th Solo Art Exhibition by Becky Choong “IMPRESSION & IMAGERY ”～ Series of Innovative Dreamlike Landscapes
In 2014, she was invited by the Penang State Museum and Art Gallery as the chief curator for the “ Retrospective of Cheong Pooi Yip “and served as a principal art critic for the exhibition. In 2015 and 2017, she was invited to write art critiques for the Soka Gakkai Malaysia solo exhibitions for Cheong Pooi Yip and Dato Tan Chiang Keong. In 2016, she was the lead art writer for the “Retrospective of James Sum “ also held at the Penang State Museum and Art Gallery. In 2019, she was once again invited by the Penang State Art Gallery to serve as Guest Curator and principal critic for the “Retrospective of Cheah Yew Saik” honoring the Art Director of the Kuala Lumpur College of Art.
Her artworks are held in private and corporate collections, including listed company Action Industries(Malaysia) SDN BHD , the Penang State Museum and Art Gallery, the Henan Overseas Chinese Calligraphy & Painting Academy (China), Henan Art Museum (China), Seni Gallery Mutiara and other private collectors and institutions.