Sarawak artist brings Borneo’s wild beauty to Taiwan

KUCHING, 1 July 2026 - A watercolour artist from Lundu is putting Sarawak on the international art map, one brushstroke at a time. Bong Shin Siong’s newest work, Flora and Fauna of Borneo II, is now on show at the Asia University Museum of Modern Art in Taichung, Taiwan, as part of the exhibition “Tanahair – Navigating Asianness”, which runs from June 30 to Nov 1, 2026.

Stretching roughly 20 metres long and five feet wide, the painting is thought to be one of the largest watercolours ever produced in Malaysia. It took Bong close to a year to finish, and this exhibition marks the very first time the piece has been shown to the public in full.

Bong’s fascination with plants and animals goes back to his childhood. His father kept a home full of orchids, and growing up surrounded by them sparked an interest that never faded. Over the years, friendships with wildlife photographers opened his eyes to many of Borneo’s more unusual creatures and plants, several of which eventually found their way onto his canvas.

That curiosity grew into something more purposeful once Bong began to notice how many of these species were under threat. Habitat loss and overexploitation are pushing many of them towards extinction, and he wanted his art to do more than simply look beautiful. 

“My goal is not simply to create a large painting, but to document Borneo’s natural heritage through art,” he said, adding that the painting also became a way of nudging viewers towards caring about conservation.

In total, the artwork brings together 128 native species (18 mammals, 58 types of birds, 19 amphibians and reptiles, and 33 insects and other small creatures). Among the standouts are the increasingly rare Peacock Pheasant, the Helmeted Hornbill (long targeted for its solid casque), gibbons under pressure from shrinking forests, and the “golden orchid” Anoectochilus roxburghii, prized in traditional Chinese medicine and heavily overharvested as a result.

Interestingly, the painting was never meant to be this big. Bong originally set out to create a 10-metre piece, but the deeper he researched Borneo’s ecosystem, the more species he felt deserved a place in the composition.

“The artwork naturally expanded into a 20-metre composition,” he said, adding that “it has been a journey of continuous exploration and discovery.”

He isn’t stopping there, either. Bong has already begun work on a follow-up piece measuring 30 metres, which he says is roughly halfway done. This next instalment will focus on forest floor life, with a wider range of reptiles, terrestrial animals and native plants that didn’t make it into the current painting.

Composing a piece of this scale, he explains, isn’t really about hunting down interesting subjects. That part comes naturally through his network of wildlife photographer friends. The real challenge lies in arranging everything so it reads as one harmonious scene. Drawing on techniques from traditional Chinese painting, Bong arranged birds, animals, butterflies and plants so that elements echo one another across the full length of the canvas.

Because he doesn't have the space at home to lay the painting out in its entirety, watching it installed at the museum was a new experience for Bong himself. He described sending photos to friends in China and Taiwan straight after, who responded with simple amazement at the scale of the work.

Despite the recognition, Bong is quick to point out that painting has always been a passion rather than a career. Each new piece, he says, pushes him to learn more, not just the techniques, but the biology, ecology, and the habits of the creatures he paints.

Although the painting has found an international stage, Bong hasn’t forgotten where he started. He credits the Lundu Chinese Association for backing him in the early years of his career, giving him his first opportunities to exhibit locally and building his confidence as an artist.

Looking ahead, he hopes to bring both the 20-metre painting and its 30-metre successor back to Sarawak for a dedicated homecoming exhibition, ideally in Kuching within the next few years. He’s also exploring plans for a new gallery space in his hometown, so that local audiences, many of whom have never seen this side of his work, finally get the chance to.

Asked why he remains so devoted to painting Borneo specifically, Bong’s answer is simple: it’s home.

“Borneo is home to one of the world’s richest tropical rainforest ecosystems, and it is also my homeland,” he said. “Through my paintings, I hope to document these precious living treasures, introduce Borneo to a wider audience, and encourage greater awareness of biodiversity and environmental conservation,” he added.

For Bong, the exhibition in Taiwan is “not only a personal achievement, but also a source of pride for Lundu, Sarawak, and Malaysia.” Through the painting, he hopes international audiences come away with a new appreciation for Borneo’s forests, and a reason to help protect them.