YOU may still find today artists who live as recluses in the manner of Vincent Van Gogh. The Dutch painter was a social outcast and often plunged into depression, eventually mutilating his ear and suffering a tragic end.
Should artists be confined to their eccentric world or should they be highly knowledgeable and constantly update themselves with new information from the field of politics, economics and business, to culture, science and even religion?
This is one conviction that I, as a regular traveller and artist, holds fast to.
After my degree studies at Monash University in Melbourne and at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom, I will tell you this: Artists today have a much bigger role to play.
A well-travelled artist can be one who reads widely, is active on social media, gains new knowledge from the many new friends he meets as he goes from country to country, and is constantly updating himself with the latest information on a variety of things.
Artists and artistes can unite in the public sphere of cyberspace to spread the message of peace and goodwill via the arts and their artworks.
We cannot adopt the "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil" mentality anymore. Through our art, we can spread and promote peace, harmony and understanding among humanity.
These days we often notice racial discord and tensions in our midst. Art is universal and transcends all human differences: it has an intrinsic power to bring the world together.
Artists should always be above politics. We can see how people are used like pawns for various selfish agendas. A culture of greed dominates.
There seems to be never enough to satisfy the top elite of the world. Lives can be ruined just because Wall Street or certain politicians have a "winner-takes-all" mentality.
The creator of any art form should be above all this. His or her sole aim is to make the world a better place.
I have always been travelling, especially to places that are off the beaten track.
After having completed my college studies, I lived in the United States for five years, and before long, I had embarked on an experientially-enriching journey, stopping by at most cities located on the fabled Silk Road. This then has led me to to Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Turkey, just to name a few.
With my background in art, I have a natural curiosity to see and explore different cultures. The history of these peoples also fascinates me. I have been fortunate as well to have joined an educational organisation known as LSC, which is London based.
They have tasked me with placing students from Central Asia, and especially Mongolia, into their UK campus, and this project has helped to support me financially. Naturally, I always go back to my brushes, charcoals, oils and watercolours whenever the opportunity arises.
Apart from art, I also dabble in scriptwriting for movies. Decades ago, I even had my own band, and we made some money performing in leading hotels. We wrote songs and had a lot of fun.
A leading film producer from Hong Kong has asked me to begin a script on the story of the voyages of Admiral Cheng Ho to Malacca.
When it is ready, it would be a joint Hong Kong and Hollywood production which will possibly rope in big stars like international action icon Jacky Chan and western stars to play leading roles.
The objective of the film is also to build and strengthen bridges between nations and between peoples of different cultures.
Apart from this, I am also preparing for an exhibition which will raise funds to support orphanages, and which carry a theme that emphasises the urgency for humankind to stare down an increasingly self-centred global culture that most probably has its roots in Wall Street's focus on "greed is good".
The gap between the ultra rich and the abject poor is becoming unbearable and unsustainable.
The world has evolved into a huge machinery which efficiently transfers larger and larger sums of money right into the coffers of the elite.
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