Malaysian Contemporary Artist & Art Conservator
A visual record of the present. Exploring Malaysian identity, memory, and time through painting and the language of Batik.
Tony developed a love for comics and cartoons during childhood, starting by copying and drawing them. Encouragement from classmates fueled his passion. During secondary school, he began learning oil painting, traveling daily by motorcycle from his Chinese village to a Malay artist's studio in the countryside. These journeys exposed him to everyday scenes of Malay village life—elderly men in sarongs, people gardening, groups talking—which left a deep impression and introduced him to the beauty of Batik.
Over time, Batik became much more than a pattern; it evolved into a visual language exploring life, memory, Malaysian identity, and time. In earlier periods, such as his "Life is Beautiful" series, Batik interpreted his thoughts about life and its beauty.
Later, he began to interpret Batik as a representation of Malaysian land. By placing different objects and scenes against Batik motifs in his still-life works, he expressed his inner consciousness of his birthplace and his deep connection to Malaysia's multicultural landscape. The Malay language and Batik are integral to his identity, not as exotic references, but as the foundational cultural landscape that shaped him.
"I see myself as a visual recorder of my time. Like a journalist uses words to record events, I use painting to record the time I live in."
Series (Started 2025)
With the Wings of Echo series (planned for exhibition towards the end of 2026, currently comprising 7 works), Batik becomes a language for recording contemporary events. The series reflects a period of significant change: the pandemic, political shifts, the rise of technology, and information distortion.
The concept suggests that things happening today influence tomorrow. The mechanical butterfly represents our technology-driven era, while the Batik motifs represent culture, memory, and heritage. The mechanical element signifies weight; the butterfly carries cultural memory on its wings. Despite the weight, it must continue moving forward.
The first work of the Wings of Echo series.
Grand Prize — MR D.I.Y. Art Competition 2026 (Malaysia)
Intentionally titled in Malay to strengthen its Malaysian identity, this work stands as a neutral visual record of the present, absent of political bias or judgment.
2015
acrylic on canvas
60 x 60 cm
still life series
2018
acrylic on canvas
152.5 x 152.5 cm
Life Is Beautiful Series
2018
acrylic on canvas
85.9 x 133.3 cm
Give Birth a New Life series
2018
acrylic on Jute
152.5 x 152.5 cm
Still life Series
2018
Oil on canvas
91.5 x 91.5 cm
Ukiran Series
2025
Mix media on canvas
100 x 100 cm
Wings of echo series
2026
Mix media on canvas
100 x 100 cm
Wings of echo series
2025
Mix media on canvas
100 x 100 cm
Wings of echo series
2025
Mix media on canvas
100 x 100 cm
Bayang Dan Arah (Shadow and Direction) MR.DIY Art Competition 2026 — Public Category Grand Prize Winner Artist: Tony Ng Chit Keong
2016
Acrylic on canvas
100 x 100 cm
Pantai Timur Series
2017
Acrylic on canvas
86.36 × 76.20 cm
Pantai Timur Series
2019
Oil on canvas
100 x 100 cm
Ukiran Series
New Straits Times
Charcoal sketches, still life pieces take centrestage at Galeri Prima this month
berita harian
Tony Ng, Ronnie Mohamad kongsi pentas pertaruhkan karya
MR.DIY Official News
MR.DIY 2026 art competition winners reimagine “Strength & Resilience”
Tony Ng is also an art conservator and completed art restoration studies in Italy. His restoration practice focuses on preserving artworks and their material history.
His two professional practices are connected by a shared relationship with time: Restoration preserves traces from the past, while his art records and interprets the present.
Visit Restoration Studio