A monsoon morning on Pulau Perhentian Kecil

I will never forget experiencing the onset of the monsoon while I was on Pulau Perhentian Kecil. The entire island was deserted as resorts had closed for business during this wet spell. But my friend who owns Mira Beach Resort made special arrangements for me to go to the island during the brief lull in the season.

On our third morning there, the weather suddenly changed rapidly right before my eyes. The clouds became a deep, dark blue while the blue-green sea churned strong waves towards the shore. In the distance, the colours of the sky bled into the sea and you could no longer discern the horizon line. It was an rare sight as the morning sea on the island is usually calm and still. This rapid change in weather is the kind of scene you only get when you are on an island at the onset of the monsoon.

I would have loved to continue my stay there, but due to dwindling food supplies, we had to return to the mainland. Perhaps one day, I will be able to be a Robinson Crusoe on Perhentian Kecil during the entire monsoon season and paint the big waves coming ashore!

 

This sketch was done quickly with water colour on a 7in x 10in 140lbs water colour paper. I used viridian green, cobalt, Prussian and cerulean blues, yellow ochre and Indian red. My Tengkujuh exhibition at Artelier Gallery in Publika, which ends tomorrow, displays the paintings and sketches of my 4-year experience of the monsoon season.

 

Originally published in the New Straits Times.

Tengkujuh exhibition featured in My Tourism TV

My interview with My Tourism TV during the opening of my "Tengkujuh" exhibition on 27 August 2014.

See the news video here.

Zainal Abidin Musa and his Tengkujuh exhibition, featured in Harian Metro

Zainal was interviewed bySiti Salmiah A. Hamid of Harian Metro in this article "Sentuhan Seni Musim Tengkujuh" which appeared on 22 August, 2014.

"SENTUHAN SENI MUSIM TENGKUJUH"

Oleh Siti Salmiah A Hamid

Musim tengkujuh sering disalah erti sesetengah masyarakat sebagai musim yang tidak membawa rezeki atau musim musibah kerana anggapan skeptikal, serong dan tidak bersyukur di atas pemberian Allah.

Untuk menikmati sendiri pengalaman di musim tengkujuh, pelukis Zainal Abidin Musa sanggup menghabiskan masa sejak 2010 dengan berkunjung ke Pahang, Kelantan dan Terengganu. 

“Ia satu cabaran kepada diri sendiri untuk melukis dan merakamkan gambar ketika musim tengkujuh,” katanya. 

Musim tengkujuh adalah fenomena alam semula jadi, justeru bagi masyarakat pantai timur mereka sudah lali dengan fenomena itu.

LORETAN cat minyak dalam Tengkujuh: Nelayan Kuala Besut.

Zainal memulakan ekspedisi menyusuri pesisiran pantai sepanjang musim tengkujuh dari Kuala Lumpur ke pantai timur. Pengalaman tinggal di Batu Rakit dan di Pulau Perhentian Kecil selama tiga malam tidak dapat dilupakan.

Mengenai lukisan, dia gemar melakar secara bersahaja kerana teknik itu lebih menyatakan isi hati dan perasaan ketika musim tengkujuh. 

Jika sebelum ini dia gemar warna terang dan cerah, di pameran itu Zainal menggunakan warna lebih natural selain menampakkan formasi awan dan hujan. 

Berasal dari Batu Gajah, Perak, Zainal tidak mengehadkan kehalusan karyanya menerusi cat minyak malah sentuhan emosinya dinilai di atas kanvas yang dilakar menerusi cat air, akrilik dan pastel. 

Sentuhan pelukis kontemporari negara yang pakar dalam genre impresionis ini pasti tidak mengecewakan. 

Sebanyak 47 lukisan dihasilkan daripada pengalaman sepanjang empat tahun namun hanya 20 lukisan dipamerkan untuk pameran Tengkujuh itu. 

Pameran itu berlangsung sehingga 19 September ini.