"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed;
if in terms of ten years, plant trees;
if in terms of 100 years,
teach the people."
Confucius
On a rather warm mid-week afternoon,
I made my way to the
Upper East Side
of
Manhattan
to visit
Mee-Seen Loong
at her art-filled
apartment.
New York
in
Summer
is
usually
hot & humid,
with the locals all out
&
about,
enjoying the spoils of warm weather.
This day was no different.
A rush of cool air
engulfed and barraged
my senses
as
I stepped into the serenity of
this
beautiful apartment.
You are at once taken by the
bright splashes of colour
everywhere.
Nowhere in sight are the
"play-it-safe"
shades so favoured by
urban dwellers.
Instead, you get
red in every intensity, bright yellow,
turquoise and other
"senses-awakening"
hues
hues
that transport you back to the days of the
exotic orient.
The lady of the house was dressed in a
Chinese inspired
Middle Kingdom jacket,
probably made from the last bolt of
an
expensive & rare silk.
The
clean & precise
lines of the garment
reflected the personality of the
wearer.
Sharp, clear & collected
are words I would use to
describe
her
&
to that
add
informed, well-travelled & eloquent.
You know a person has lived well when
she has many
brilliant stories
to
recount.
Mee-Seen Loong,
wife,
mother
&
Fine Art Specialist,
seen here taking me on a
verbal journey
to one of her many, many
interesting encounters.
This magic carpet ride with her
is filled with
exotic locations
&
colourful people.
Her profession has certainly granted her access
to fabulous opportunities
of not just meetings.
Instead, this formidable woman
has had many possibilities to
hold,
touch
&
curate,
rare & precious art.
The light-filled apartment
perched high above
Manhattan
has the good fortune of windows all around.
Feng-Shui
experts would agree in unison
that this space has good Chi.
Of course,
the inhabitants has a great deal to
contribute to this fact.
Mee-Seen
greeted me with a exquisitely laid out table
using table linens purchased from
our store last April.
On her annual visits to
Kuala Lumpur,
she stocks up
&
stockpile
textiles.
A conversation with her is like an
education in itself.
Her delivery is smooth.
While her
story-telling is melancholic
yet informed.
Her voice is a mix of
"husky & confidence."
All the while making you feel
welcome & comfortable.
We chatted away on various
topics while devouring delicious pastries
from the
Union Square
farmers market.
What motivates you?
Creativity.
Favourite TV show?
Downton Abbey
Jeans or skirt?
Jeans.
Your hobbies?
Window-sill gardening.
Favourite colour?
Red.
( Incidentally...the objects in this photo are
entirely made up of ceramic!)
French or Ethiopian food?
Ethiopian
What were your first thoughts this morning?
The Farmers Market.
If I say jump, what would you say?
"Oh no...!"
Define passion?
"A relentless enthusiasm for something."
Greatest achievement?
Bringing up my daughter to be the person she is today.
What puts a smile on your face?
A little baby.
Your life philosophy?
Always be kind.
Favourite city?
New York City.
What are you reading now?
A book about apples.
What do you admire in a person?
Verbal ability?
What makes you happy?
Beauty in everything.
What trait in a person you most deplore?
Cruelty.
Finish this sentence..."the long and winding road
...is what I'm still on."
Describe your style?
Fearless.
The spirit of success resonates all over.
Her positive outlook enhances the mood
as we continued our chatter.
Sunlight poured into the living space in
bright sharp rays,
further amplifying the
vivid colours of the objects in the room.
All around us, strategically placed
art
in all
shape & form,
gather,
as if awaiting their
turn for fame.
She clearly enjoys living in
New York
&
indulge in her passion
for
Ballet & Theatre
whenever an opportunity presents itself.
" This city frees us from driving
&
I really relishes the seasons".
On the subject of antiques...
"It has been kept for so long.
Admired & protected.
The intrinsic beauty &
secondly,
the history
that comes along with a piece of
time-treasured antique,
makes it very desirable."
Her world is filled with
art,
travel,
family
&
friends.
The essence of joy that makes
Mee-Seen Loong
who she is.
Her long and established career with
Sotheby's,
has cemented her position in the
world of
Chinese Art.
Nowadays,
Mee-Seen
is also championing
emerging
Chinese Contemporary ink artist
&
Ceramicists.
The fantastical is not about to happen everyday.
But if we desire it,
somehow & sometime,
it could.
Our paths have crossed many times.
Yet, this is my first clear impression
of
Mee-Seen Loong
in her own space.
Making the encounter more
intimate
&
relaxed.
Choosing to focus in the rarefied world of
Chinese art
has defined her.
This woman definitely has
profound qualities
as rare as the
art
she curates.
As tea comes to an end
&
I beg my leave,
we embraced for a moment,
secured in the knowledge
that we had
made a connection.
See you soon in
Kuala Lumpur!
"To attract good fortune,
spend a new coin on an old friend,
share an old pleasure with
a new friend,
&
lift up the heart of a
true friend by writing
his name on the
wings
of a dragon."
Old Chinese Proverb.
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Nice of you to write!