MAY 9 — The tiger, now an endangered species of wild life, mainly due to increasing number of poachers and deforestation, is found only in a few natural habitats. We are fortunate that in the Malayan jungle, in the 1950s (though they were already being hunted then), there were about 3,000  of these magnificent creatures.

Now it’s estimated that only 500 are alive (WWF sources).

Our nation’s emblems, crest and coat-of-arms, proudly carry the signs of the tiger. We also put the “tiger” in our car petrol tank. Many drink the “tiger” beer. And the Malayan Banking logo also uses the tiger as a symbol of strength and national pride.

In India, there are only 1,200-1,500 White Bengal tigers around. The Siberian tiger is down to 350-450 in the whole of Russia. Thailand and Vietnam have about 1,000 Indo-Chinese tigers. Sumatra has between 400 to 500 of their Sumatran creatures. The tigers in China are almost extinct except for those kept in their zoos.

Ironically, though, the tiger is a prominent feature in Chinese myth and culture, the Chinese people, however, prefer it as a gastronomic experience on their dinner table (only for those who can afford it).

Many of them believe that eating certain parts of the tiger can cure them of certain illnesses or bodily deficiencies. Besides, consuming that animal is seen as a metaphor of possessing the qualities of the tiger — royalty, fearlessness and wrath.

The tiger is also one of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals and this year is the Year of the Tiger. This cat, as a symbol, as a personality profile and character, is the topic of conversation among the Chinese this year. It’s also a major subject for many artists painting in the traditional Chinese ink painting technique. Han’s Art Gallery has put together an exhibition of Chinese paintings and drawings of this beast.

Khor Seang Cheng, the gallery director, explained that the idea behind this show was to display a wide variety of images of this animal and that there is a tiger painting to suit every occasion. The tiger is powerful and rivals the Chinese dragon.

The tiger appeals to the business executives in the competitive commercial jungle.  Therefore in their place of work they might need a sign that  represents strength and bravery that would ward off any ill fortune or rivalry.

For the family home, Khor suggested getting a painting of the tiger family with cubs, for security.

This ink painting of a tiger by Chong Chen Sun, who is now 75, was done in 1975, and it is one of the fine examples of his command of his art at that time. His current works lack details when compared to this vintage piece.

This is a common traditional design, a high angle view, showing a cat like a snake about to pounce on their prey. Its strong forelimbs are placed perfectly in the foreground.

Tigers have exceptionally large canine teeth  and in this work its shows the prominent teeth ready to tear up the raw meat for a meal.  The tiger’s eyesight is six times better than ours and is adapted to night vision. The eyes in this painting clearly mark out this distinctive feature of the tiger’s head.

This is an aesthetic view of nature in its own wild beauty and setting undisturbed by human hands.

This painting by Hu Kun, from China, is another popular Chinese story, with a Buddhist touch, that suggests that men have the ability to tame nature or to overcome suffering. The tiger, though with its jaws growling a few inches from the half-naked sage, is obedient to its master,  with his left hand pointed at it. Man at the moral centre of nature.

Even though this may be an artistically excellent representation of the two subjects, but is the artist aware that this traditional human centred concept, that Nature is there only for our pleasure and for our use, is being replaced by a more environmentally and ecologically sustainable one?

Nature art, like these visuals of the tiger, perhaps can help the artists, art dealers, collectors and the public to see and to explore deeper ideas about Nature and our changing relations with it.

Ethically, we cannot continue to exploit our planet Earth with ruthless disregard to our own and our children’s future survival. Enjoy the last tiger show.

Han’s Art Gallery, Amcorp Mall, 18 Persiaran Barat, Petaling Jaya, hp : +6012 2870511

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.