11 - 31 July 2026
PINKGUY Gallery
PINKGUY Gallery is honoured to present HORSEPOWER, a special exhibition featuring fifteen masterful horse paintings by one of Malaysia's most important modern artists, Lee Joo For (1929–2017).
A painter, printmaker, playwright, educator, philosopher, and cultural visionary, Lee Joo For occupies a unique position in the history of Malaysian art. Educated at Brighton College of Art, Camberwell School of Art, and the Royal College of Art in London, he belonged to the pioneering generation of Malaysian artists who received formal art training in Europe before returning home to help shape the artistic landscape of a newly independent nation.
Throughout his remarkable career spanning more than six decades, Lee Joo For continuously explored the relationship between Eastern artistic traditions and Western modernist expression. His works are distinguished by their intellectual depth, expressive energy, and unmistakable visual language.
Among the many subjects that appeared throughout his artistic journey, the horse remained one of his most enduring and meaningful motifs.
For Lee Joo For, the horse was never merely an animal. It symbolised vitality, movement, balance, freedom, and the limitless potential of the human spirit. He once described the horse as possessing a unique combination of strength and grace, power and elegance, instinct and intelligence. These qualities made it a powerful vehicle through which he could express both physical energy and spiritual aspiration.
The fifteen works presented in HORSEPOWER reveal the extraordinary range of the artist's vision. Some horses surge forward with explosive force, while others emerge from only a few spontaneous brushstrokes. At times, the forms appear almost abstract, dissolving into rhythm and movement. At other moments, they stand as powerful symbols of determination and resilience.
Executed with remarkable confidence and spontaneity, these paintings demonstrate Lee Joo For's mastery of line, form, and gesture. Drawing upon the fluidity of Chinese calligraphy while embracing the freedom of modernist expression, he transformed the horse into a living embodiment of energy and motion.
More than a thematic presentation of horse paintings, HORSEPOWER offers a rare opportunity to revisit the legacy of an artist whose influence extends far beyond the canvas. It is a celebration of a creative spirit that challenged conventions, embraced experimentation, and helped define the course of Malaysian modern art.
As interest in Malaysia's modern art pioneers continues to grow, HORSEPOWER invites audiences to rediscover the enduring vision of Lee Joo For through a body of work that remains as dynamic, relevant, and inspiring today as when it was first created.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition: HORSEPOWER
Artist: Lee Joo For (1929–2017)
Dates: 11 – 31 July 2026
Venue: PINKGUY Gallery, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
Official Opening & Unveiling Ceremony
Officiated by Mr. Lee Khai
Chairman, Penang State Art Gallery
We welcome collectors, art enthusiasts, scholars, and members of the public to experience this remarkable exhibition celebrating the life and legacy of one of Malaysia's most distinctive modern masters.