Soon Lai Wai was born in 1970 in Penang. He grew up on Campbell St, back when it was normal to see gambling coffee patrons, drunken brawls in the street and drug addicts shooting–up in broad daylight. To the relief of his family, the moment he reached adulthood, he left home for Kuala Lumpur, to escape the unsavoury environment of his childhood and to pursue his love for art.

Born Out of Mud is as much an analogy of Soon’s life as it is the poetic rise of his signature flower, the lotus, emerging whole and beautiful out of murky waters. This exhibition at the E&O Hotel’s Art Colonnade marks Soon’s ninth solo exhibition, having displayed his mixed media paintings locally and in galleries around the world, such as in Thailand, Korea, Indonesia, China and Singapore. His works are also in private and corporate collections in UK, Germany, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, USA, and Japan.

Multiple art award winner, Soon has an expressive style, modern in outlook but oriental at heart, originating from his eight year study of Chinese art. Adhering to an old principle in Chinese art, the notion of breathing space in a painting is that there must be ample space to allow a horses passage, yet dense enough to keep out the wind. Powerful brush strokes and contrasting colours inject texture and vibrancy making it hard to resist running one’s fingers along a crumple of lotus leaves.

Born Out of Mud is a refreshing celebration of beauty and joy stemming from humble beginnings, a journey of trust and acceptance in the ultimate quest for success.