Patrick Comerford
Throughout the streets of Kuching over the past four or five weeks, I have admired Leonard Siaw’s awe-inspiring murals, which depict traditional life in Kuching.
His best-known work is probably ‘The Last Ring Ladies’, a mural at Mile 10 Kota Padawan, entitled ‘Dayung Hmaui Semban’ (‘The Beautiful Ladies of Semban’). I have passed many times in the past month, but have not yet managed to photograph it.
But his inspiring work can be found throughout the old town, in streets like Carpenter Street, China Street, Bishopsgate Street, on the gable ends of buildings in Padungan and in streets off the Main Bazaar and the Waterfront such as India Street and Kai Joo Street.
Leonard Siaw’s artistic journey began as a self-taught mural artist. He was born and raised in Kuching, and studied at Limkokwing University in Kuching and at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge and Chelmsford, graduating with an honours degree in graphic design in 2010.
His works can be seen in several prominent places throughout the city but are also seen Kuala Lumpur, the Genting Highlands, Penang and others parts of Malysia. Before the pandemic, he had been invited to paint as far as Boston and Australia, and he was the first Asian to be part of the Wall to Wall Festival Benalla 2018 in Melbourne.
He has taken part in many competitions and exhibitions, including the ‘Strong Word’ Art Exhibition, Tun Jugah Portrait Competition, the Rainforest World Bazaar T-shirt Design Contest and many more.
For Leonard Siaw, walls have become his canvas, and he specialises in infusing realism with optical illusions that play on the interaction between the viewer and his artwork. His creations have become tourist landmarks in Kuching and have had a strong impact on the local street art scene, inspiring a new interest in public art in the city.
His artwork is deeply intertwined with the intimacy and relationships he shares with his subjects. With his distinctive style and his adept use of colour, dynamic motion and impactful imagery, he breathes life into his work.
Historians continue to debate whether the name of Kuching is derived from a word meaning cat, or from an old well that was once located off China Street, near the corner with Carpenter Street. Both traditions are depicted in murals he has created in China Street.
His murals collectively are awe-inspiring and are a testament to the rich, vibrant cultures, stories, history and traditions of Kuching. They are heartfelt tributes to Sarawak and have inspired a resurgence in public interest in street art in this city.
He says, ‘When life gets tough, art is absolutely the first thing to go. You must find the courage to prioritise your art, you must dare to protect your creativity.’
‘Sometimes your emotions can paint your life in beautiful and shimmering colours, while other days are darker, more muted, less alive,’ he says. ‘To be more specific, you can’t rush the feelings and emotions that come with the situations that life throws at you. Or brush them aside, for that matter. No, really. You can’t. You shouldn’t. And yet, you do. Yes! We all do.’
He asks: ‘When was the last time you slowed down your pace and sat down to do some self-reflect and go through your emotions? Or open up a diary and wrote down what you were feeling? … You can’t get rid of your emotions. To be human is to have them.
In addition to his mural work on the street of Kuching, he is an active member of the Sarawak Artists Society. Recently, he has expanded his creative horizons by venturing into canvas painting.
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