“To travel and see and paint is for me a way of learning. It is a part of my life philosophy. Throughout the journey, the things you see, the people you meet, even the air you smell can give you so much enjoyment. I don’t count how many paintings I can do every trip – this way, the travel is full of potential and surprises.”
– Chang Fee Ming
Chang Fee Ming (1959, born and based in Terengganu, Malaysia) works in watercolour to portray the people and places of Southeast Asia. Through a dynamic interplay of colour, light and texture, his dramatic compositions of rich landscapes and human activity are marked by vivid detail, establishing his reputation as a leading watercolourist in the region.
A self-taught artist, Chang began his career in his coastal hometown, where exposure to social realism in the 1980s shaped his practice of painting live scenes during independent excursions. His subject matter ranges from the daily life of local fisherfolk, particularly in early works, to exotic travel narratives as he began to venture across the South Asian region. Works such as Fragrance (1999) and Garden by South China Sea (2015) exemplify the artist’s bold cropping of human figures and intricate rendering of traditional garb, where drapery, pattern, posture and anatomical detail reveal the atmosphere and action of each scene.
Chang’s work is found in numerous collections including the National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur; Bank Negara Malaysia Museum, Kuala Lumpur; National Gallery Singapore; Singapore Art Museum; Singapore Philatelic Museum; Neka Art Museum, Bali; Agung Rai Museum, Bali; National Museum of Singapore; Taipei Fine Arts Museum; Thailand Cultural Centre, Bangkok; and Shanghai Museum of Art.
Notable recent exhibitions include Gerak BAYANG (2023), Bank Negara Malaysia Museum, Kuala Lumpur; Two Houses (2018), Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore; Terengganu (2016), Bank Negara Malaysia Museum, Kuala Lumpur; Bersama (2013), and Bank Negara Malaysia Museum, Kuala Lumpur. The artist has also participated in major international festivals including Alami Belas Be Loved (2017), 1st Kuala Lumpur Biennale; and the 19th International Brussels Independent Film Festival Exhibition (1999).
Chang had his residency at the STPI Workshop in 2009, resulting in the exhibition Imprinted Thoughts (2009).