Lee Weng Fatt

1967 saw the birth of W.F. Lee. In 1987, he graduated from Kuala Lumpur College of Art with a diploma in art and design. Old heritage buildings where Lee has lived or played are his main focus.

He has a fondness for historic structures, which he has meticulously captured over the past 30 years. Any ancient building can suffice for the artist; in fact, the older the better, as it signifies the building has 'lived' and he can converse with it. Lee is able to elicit the stories from the building's mysterious exterior for our enjoyment. The building has a history and a personality. A vintage car, birds, bird cages, shopfronts, people milling about a pharmacy, shophouse facades, and sunlight flowing through the open area are all things we notice.

The artist's undying love for these structures allows him to capture their essence and give them a timeless quality that transcends their real chronological age. Instead than focusing on the specific physical aspects of the subject, he prefers to capture the emotion of a situation. His subjects have been converted by the artist into ethereal "beings" who ought to arouse wonder and veneration. The structures have a personality of their own. The common birdcage, a single bird, or a flock of birds that signify human habitation may be seen in the majority of his paintings.

When he discusses the necessity to protect our heritage, Lee is not haughty. This gentle spirit accomplishes things in his own quiet, distinctive manner. It's as if these structures recognise an old friend and beg him to save them; he hears their pleading and, equipped with his brush and palette—the artist's tools—immortalizes them for prosperity. He displays stoic defiance in the face of hardship and constraints, and his artworks will endure even though the structure may eventually be destroyed by development.