Self-portrait, 1995

CIKGU Mansor lived in the old kampung which has mostly been able to keep its character despite undergoing tremendous changes with modernisation. The alacrity was obvious in the simplicity of the natural rustic environment that he knew so well, during his long walks or in his slow drive-past and singgah sini-sana. As one who had experienced the English countrysides during his short studies there, in the wind-swept Brighton in the 1960s, Haji Mansor Ghazalli did not snot the airs of his foreign training, but remain true to the spirit of his home place and origins.

Such was his humility and self-effacement. Such is the traditional Malay kampung – without ostentatious display of modern trappings except maybe brickwork and the now electrical conveniences and the forest of Astro satellite shields. He shows he is still very much a part of the traditional kampung in spirit, if not in form.

Padang Sekolah, 1981 (Image courtesy of Jaff Point)

Morib, 1996 (Image courtesy of Jaff Point)

He belongs to a dying breed of the alfresco artists, who delighted in the spontaneity of the moment and changes of light in his watercolours, putting the sketchbook or painting pad on his laps and painting away to capture the scene – of ramshackled houses among sparse vegetation or undulating terrain, or a riverside sojourn, the stilt Malay houses with airy verandahs. A stalwart member of the Malaysian Watercolour Society since 1984, he neither craved the spotlight as official or artist, merely delighting in taking part in activities through displaying his works. He has also painted in oils and done numerousdrawings during his Brighton days, and subsequent travels in Europe, as can be seen in his post-humous ‘mini retrospective’ of his paintings done from 1955 to 2008 at the RA Fine Arts in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. The exhibition which opened a day after his sudden death on June 10 at the age of 79, celebrated his happy life as an artist and journeyman .

(Image courtesy of Jaff Point)

Born in Bukit Chandan in Kuala Kangsar, Mansor taught Art at the Sekolah Menengah Bentara Luar in Batu Pahat until his retirement in 1986, for which he was awarded the title of Most Active Art Teacher in the Batu Pahat district. He moved to Bangi, Selangor, later and kept on going on outdoor painting in watercolours, mostly on his own. He was always ready to teach anyone willing to pick up the finer points of paintings, the latest following being Mohammad Faizal Zainal.

Despite failing eyesight, he joined the Malaysian Watercolour Organisation (the former MWS before reverting to MWS presently) painting expeditions to India in 2000 and Jordan in 2003, besides local excursions to Kelantan, Sabah and Pahang.

I was embedded with the MWO in their punishing painting expedition of India from November 15 to 29, 2000 which covered New Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Jaipur and Joelikot-Nainital.

Pulau Kekabu, 2007 (Image courtesy of NN Gallery)

Kampung Kepayang, 2005 (Image courtesy of NN Gallery)

I was sponsored by the National Art Gallery to capture what they saw and experienced with the crushing multitudes of people in the chaos of the streets, the ruins and monuments. When not painting, he would regale us with a few tunes from his harmonica and against his better judgment, he would give alms to the street poor and urchins.

It is somewhat fitting that his final moments in an exhibition representing various stages of his art and media was staged at RA Fine Arts, which is owned by Raja Amirullah Ahmad, who first gave him a solo in his now defunct Kafe Kayu Manis gallery in Kuala Lumpur in February-March 2001, and the From The Street To The Peaks solo last year. His Perak Arts Foundation also gave Mansor its Arts Award in 1998.

In his statement in the 1994 MWS catalogue, Mansor reflected: “I feel my work reflects the melancholy, the serenity and the joyous life apparent in the village. My style of work is spontaneous, devoid of inhibitions to reflect my feelings.”

(Image courtesy of NN Gallery)

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Ooi Kok Chuen is a journalist of 34 years and art writer for more than 27 years. He is awarded Australian Cultural Award in 1991, Goethe-Institut Fellowship in 1989, National Art Gallery Art Writer’s Prize in 2003. Ooi has written 40 books and catalogues on art, judged several art and photography competitions, and organised art charities. He is also the project coordinator 1^st Malaysia Art Tourism Expo in Malacca 2006, and deputy chairman 1^st Art Expo Malaysia ’07.