Tan Swie Hian, Singapore's hummingbird

SINGAPORE, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- The celebrated Singaporean artist/philosopher Tan Swie Hian is about to receive another prestigious award. On Jan. 28, the World Economic Forum will award Tan, as well as actress Julia Ormond and New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conductor James Levine, a Crystal Award 2003 for outstanding contributions to cross-cultural understanding.

Tan has often been called a Renaissance man. He is not only a poet and philosopher who has written countless essays and stories, but also a versatile artist at ease with a wide range of media like painting, sculpture, calligraphy and printmaking.

"I think the significance of the nature of an award may vary. But the intention of the giver and the feeling of receiver are always the same. To give is to encourage. To give recognition and to receive is to be moved, be touched, and to be told to go on working well," the 60-year old artist told United Press International in an interview.

The artist has just completed a gigantic enamel mural and immense floor calligraphy in granite for a soon-to-be opened subway station in the Singapore's old Chinatown quarter. In his mural, he has taken the unorthodox approach of depicting Chinese coolies, who are rooted in the history of Chinatown, as Greek gods.

"No one wants to be a coolie. I thought representing them as coolie was a cliché approach. They try to make it out of the ruins and what drove them on was their fighting spirit," the artist explains, adding, "they represent the fighting spirit of Singapore, and it's the same spirit that is still going on today, and that's more important than the portrait."

For the last two years, Tan has also been working on the world's first earth art museum, the All Wisdom Gardens, which sprawls over a mountain range of 2 square kilometers in Qingdao, China. So far, only one third of the museum, which is funded by private investors and the Chinese government, has been completed.

"I'm turning the whole mountain into art in a very environmental way. The mountain is a work of art and will be a whole body of work by one artist," he explains, pointing out that the mountain is also covered with his calligraphy and handwriting.

Over the years, the self-taught fine artist has accumulated awards and accolades for his work. He is the only Southeast Asian artist correspondent-member to the prestigious Academy of the Arts of the Institute of France, and in 1998, was selected by the United Nations, along with such established artists as Hockney, Christo and Lichtenstein, to illustrate a new edition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Sporting a perpetual shy smile and a strong dose of humility, Tan seems the personification of his Buddhist beliefs.

"Artists should not be too presumptuous. You have to learn humility," Tan says. "My message is be free and take art as it is. It's not omnipotent, but it can be a rainbow that leads to the ultimate white light."

Buddhism is the most important thread that runs through his life. It has helped him free his mind. Prior to discovering the art of Buddhist meditation in 1973, the artist was already enjoying fame and recognition in literary circles. He was feeling a sense of achievement, but he wasn't happy. "Like the existentialist, you exist, but you're not happy and you don't know why," Tan laughs. "After, I was a changed person. It was a watershed. I was able to love."

Nowadays, the artist, who has no preference for media or color, will normally work sitting cross-legged on the floor with the painting propped-up against the wall. He spends his afternoons chanting and meditating, and paints at night in his studio.

Tan believes the mind of an artist should be free like a hummingbird "so it can sustain itself like a helicopter in mid-air and flies in all directions."

"It all boils down to having a free mind. For all the good creators, no matter where ever they are, even in prison, what is important is that they are free in their mind. This is more important that the environment. Some artists find Singapore stifling, but it is not a problem at all for me," he says. He also points out, however, that his ability to cross disciplines has given him additional freedom to express himself, as he can select the best medium for what he wants to say.

"Look at Eastern European artists -- they've never cared about censorship, they've danced with it. The market adapts with your ability at dancing," he adds.

In fact, Tan doesn't mind being controversial. He has used nudes in Chinese ink, considered as taboo for this medium in Chinese culture.

Tan remains committed; his fascination with civilizations has led him to explore the cultures of India, Southeast Asia, China and the West.

"I happen to be Chinese, and it's important in the sense that you are routed somewhere. That's important, because if you want to be cross-cultural, you need to have a strong stomach in order to absorb," Tan says. "It's like the roots of the tree. You have to sink deep into tradition and at the same time your branches reach out to the world."