AT THE HEART of Tan Chiang Kiong’s “Odyssey—A Lifelong Journey Through Art” blooms a single, insistent motif: the lotus. Across 98 works, Tan returns to this flower not as a mere ornament, but as philosophy. In Buddhism, the lotus rises clean from mud, a symbol of resilience, purity and the stubborn possibility of beauty in adverse conditions. It is a metaphor Tan paints again and again, a quiet faith rendered in pigment and brushstrokes.
Penang’s Soka Gakkai Centre is a fitting site for Tan’s exhibition. The venue now houses 168 of his works, turning the space into both gallery and archive. The exhibition highlights Tan’s long engagement with the lotus across mediums—watercolour, ink wash, acrylic and mixed media. More than decoration, Tan employs the flower as a symbol of resilience and spiritual clarity, urging viewers to see beyond technique to the values that define his practice.
