The display of paintings by Tan Meng How at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre from 29 April to 22 May 2022.
The pain of mourning for the loss of a loved one can be indescribable. For a 78-year-old elderly who stays alone, Tan Meng How picked up painting and took to art therapy to express his emotions of losing his beloved wife to illness, making grief more manageable for him.
Tan Meng How’s experience showed how art could strengthen a person by walking him out of the shadows of death. As such, Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre (HYC) worked with Grief Matters to hold a three-week art exhibition from 29 April 2022 to display Tan Meng How’s paintings.
HYC and Montfort Care hoped that public awareness of life and death matters and art therapy could be introduced by bringing arts to the community. “Grief Matters” is a programme promoted by a social service agency named Montfort Care to focus on coping with the departure of family members and issues of life and death.
What does the word “Hope” remind you of? With “Hope” as the theme, not only does it carry the meaning of “viewing”, but it is also symbolic of several emotions like despair and hope for the future. (Image provided by Montfort Care)
The theme of the art exhibition was the Chinese character “望” (which means “hope” in English). The word not only carries the meaning of “viewing” but also symbolises several emotions like despair and looking forward to the future. Tan Meng How had 19 paintings on display for the art exhibition held at Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre (HYC) from 29 April to 22 May 2022.
Admission to the exhibition was free and open to the public. Guide booklets were distributed at the exhibition to illustrate the stories and significance behind each painting.
The art exhibition displays 19 paintings created using markers, watercolours, pens and highlighters.
Inspiring Hearts and Minds by Bringing Arts to the Community
A launching ceremony was also held at the HYC on the first day of the exhibition at 4pm. The CEO of Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore), Low Swee Seh, said during his welcome speech that mental well-being has long been the focus of Tzu Chi HYC and Montfort Care. For Tan Meng How, it was through art that he emerged from the grief and ordeal of losing his wife.
“From despair to hope, and from hope to aspiring to become an artist. His determination and passion are worth learning,” said Low Swee Seh. He hoped that by bringing arts to the community, people of all ages could be inspired by Tan Meng How’s spirit of creativity.
The CEO and founder of Montfort Care Centre, Samuel Ng, cited a phrase on mourning from an ancient Chinese poet Su Shi that reads, “十年生死两茫茫，不思量，自难忘” (which translates to “For ten years we have been set apart by life and death, I try not to think of the depth of the void in our hearts but never can I forget”). This phrase has highlighted the loneliness and pain of losing a loved one. However, it may be hard for a grown-up man brought up in the Chinese culture to talk about his grief.
As such, Samuel felt that it was admirable that Tan How Meng was able to gradually heal under art therapy after losing his wife two years ago. Not only was he able to convey the longing for his wife through painting, but the stories behind his paintings were also motivational. His effort has been a commendable show of his courage.
From left, HYC manager Lim Choon Choon, Tzu Chi Foundation (Singapore) Medical Consultant, Dr Edwin Lim, Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore) CEO Low Swee Seh, Artist Tan Meng How, Monfort Care CEO Samuel Ng, “Grief Matters” programme in-charge Zhu Hui Er and Art Therapist under “Grief Matters, Chiang Shu Wen.
All paintings displayed at the exhibition were drawn using markers, watercolours, pens and highlighters by Tan Meng How, who learned to paint by self-taught in the last two years. During the interview, he expressed his gratitude and joy for the success of holding the exhibition. He also mentioned that his greatest wish was for his creativity to bring attention to empathy and understanding of grief management among the audience.
There were 60 guests at the launching ceremony. Among the guests were entrepreneurs, seniors from the Tzu Chi Seniors Engagement and Enabling Node (SEEN) and beneficiaries from “YAH!”, a flagship programme of Montfort Care.
CEO Low Swee Seh (on the right) giving his speech during the launching event, expressing his hope to spread the spirit of Tan Meng How’s creativity to more people of all ages by bringing arts to the community.
Learning about Life
The manager of Tzu Chi HYC, Lim Choon Choon, hoped that Tan Meng How’s personal experience and creations could bring about reflections and a fresh look among the younger generation on the challenges their parents or grandparents may face, namely: ageing, falling sick, and death of loved ones.
Lim Choon Choon also hoped that the art exhibition could help promote emotional connection across different generations to achieve co-creation between the old and the young.
68-year-old learner Ng Bee Kim from the YAH! Happy Learners Academy said that she was relieved and happy to be able to enjoy the exhibition in such a beautiful environment after the uplifting of COVID restrictions.
Birth, ageing, sickness and death are an inevitable progression of life. Despite not being a frequent visitor of exhibitions, Ng Bee Kim was touched by Tan Meng How’s artistic creations. She said: “The programme organiser of Grief Matters shared the stories and drawing techniques behind every painting. It is exceptionally inspiring to see how Tan Meng How is able to change his thoughts for the better in the darkest days of his life by expressing the misses he has for his wife through his art works. More importantly, he regained his strength to continue with life.”
Public members admiring Tan Meng How’s work of art.
The first day of the art exhibition coincided with the “Kidz Hideout” programme activity day. The children, in the company of Tzu Chi volunteers, took on the role of a one-day ambassador to share the stories and meaning behind each painting to visitors at the exhibition.
“Kidz Hideout” is an after-school programme jointly organised by the Youth Centre and the Ministry of Education to provide long-term support and companionship to children from needy households.
Behind every painting by Tan Meng How lies a story and its distinctive way of drawing. A one-day ambassador participant (first from the left) from “Kidz Hideout” programme is seen introducing the marker and water-coloured painting titled “Her Favourite Fruit” to visitors.
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