THE unexpected rumble of thunder disrupts what has been forecast as a sunny day, prompting me to quicken my pace as I navigate through a labyrinth of indistinguishable buildings. My sense of direction failing, I finally reach for my phone and call Joyce Moi, confessing I'm now not only late, but lost as well.
Calmly, Moi inquires: "Can you describe your surroundings? Tell me where you are." I offer the name of the shop I'm standing in front of, to which she responds gaily: "Ah, you're at the right spot! Just proceed to the adjacent elevator, get to the first floor, take a left, then make a right turn. I'll be waiting outside!"
I breathe a sigh of relief as I carefully follow her clear directions. Soon, I spot her from afar, an elegant figure in a bright, colourful top, waving to me. At last, I have reached my destination — the Janet Lee Gallery, nestled within the bustling confines of the Cheras Business Centre.
I made it just in time. In just moments, the skies turn dark and thunder rumbles again. This time, it's louder and ominous. As she pushes the door open and beckons me inside, I'm greeted by bright colours on large canvases that are hung on the walls. Bright blues are juxtaposed against splashes of yellows, pinks and purples. Standing transfixed in front of those paintings, I begin to forget about the bad weather outside.
Moi begins in a hushed tone: "These are all Janet's paintings...", accompanied by a pensive smile. In every corner of this gallery, Janet Lee's paintings reign supreme. Vivid flowers, swathes of lively colours and sprawling rose fields — I can't help but feel as though I'm stepping into Janet's world, viewing it through her unique perspective.
Her thoughts take the form of pictures, and they are profoundly beautiful. While many of us rely on words to shape our thoughts, our culture has become exceedingly verbose: teachers lecture, religious leaders preach, politicians give speeches, and we often watch "talking heads" on television. We typically refer to most of these individuals as neurotypical — following predictable developmental paths and predominantly communicating verbally.
However, for Janet who's neurodiverse with intellectual and developmental delays, this exceptionally talented young woman broke free from her isolating barriers through a torrent of exquisitely crafted artworks. Her creations speak a language we have, regrettably, forgotten how to decipher.
"It has been quite a journey," her mother confides. Her eyes glisten with tears as we share a silent moment. In this place, Janet's memories are vivid and tangible.
EARLY YEARS
"What a beautiful, lively baby she was!" Moi recollects wistfully with a laugh. Janet, the younger of two siblings, appeared perfectly healthy until a pivotal night when she was only 8 months old. Moi's husband noticed her uncharacteristic lack of responsiveness and quickly alerted his wife. "I immediately felt that something was amiss," Moi remembers. "My knowledge of baby care told me that Janet's symptoms needed immediate medical attention."
Deeply concerned, the parents rushed her to hospital, where they received shocking news that their baby had suffered a seizure.
Initially, doctors attributed the cause to a viral infection. "I had my doubts because my baby wasn't ill," Moi adds, shaking her head in disbelief.
Janet enjoyed another peaceful eight months before the seizures returned and they became distressingly frequent. "This time, they were quite severe, and I was absolutely terrified," Moi confides. "She would suddenly collapse and start having seizures."
Frequent visits to the doctors yielded no results. Their baby underwent numerous tests and was put on various medications, but none were successful in treating her condition.
"It was devastating," she admits. "We had to be constantly on edge, watching over her and hoping she wouldn't harm herself." However, more challenges arose as her daughter grew older. When Janet started school at age 5, her mother soon noticed that she had learning difficulties. "She couldn't retain what she was taught. She couldn't read a word, but my in-laws advised me to be patient. Children develop at different paces, they said. Some just need a little more time."
Nonetheless, Moi and her husband took Janet to an educational psychologist, who determined that it was the epileptic drugs that were hindering Janet's learning progress. "Give her time," he advised. "Eventually, she'll catch up with the rest." But that wasn't the only challenge the couple faced. Finding a school willing to accept Janet due to her seizures also proved next to impossible. "Not many schools were willing to take on that responsibility of having an epileptic child as a student," Moi dryly remarks. After a long and frustrating search, they finally found a private school that was willing to accept her.
She sighs and blurts out: "She was such a lovely little girl. She had so many friends, but she would often doze off in class. She adored going to school, even though she struggled to learn."
DIFFICULT YEARS
As Janet approached puberty, her parents became worried about her vulnerability at school, and they made the hard decision to register her as an Orang Kurang Upaya and enrolled her in a special needs class. "It was a difficult decision," she reminisces. "Janet appeared so neurotypical and full of joy. It was painful to see her being placed in a class with children who had more severe disabilities. But we felt that the environment would be safer for her."
Soon, Janet herself realised that she wasn't progressing as much as her sister and cousins. "On some level, she sensed it, and it saddened her," Moi recalls. During this time, Janet also faced challenges at school, particularly from a schoolmate, who frequently assaulted her. "She would come home with bruises, and it made her angry and helpless. She couldn't express her feelings verbally, so she started becoming aggressive and angry."
Janet was eventually removed from the school, and Moi arranged for her to attend private classes instead. "It was a tough period for Janet because she was shuttled from one activity to another. It was also challenging for me because I was coordinating all these activities for her, and I soon realised that not everything suited my daughter."
A breakthrough came when Janet turned 16. During a family trip to Australia for her older daughter's graduation, Moi used the opportunity to consult specialists there. Following a series of assessments, Janet was diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Undeterred, Moi managed to find a specialist who could assist Janet in her learning journey. "I simply followed the specialist's guidance, and in that very year, my daughter learned how to read and write," Moi shares. "Janet had a passion for learning, and I finally found someone who could teach her in a way that suited her needs."
RISE OF AN ARTIST
Moi tirelessly sought out opportunities and interests where Janet could thrive. "Every mother's fear is to wonder what will become of her children when she's no longer here to provide care," she admits. "I wanted Janet to be as independent as possible, to find something that could offer her a chance to make a living."
Recognising Janet's interest in art, Moi attempted to enroll her in art classes, but again, many teachers were hesitant to accept her. "It was challenging to find a teacher who was willing to work with Janet and help her," she explains. After approaching five teachers, they all concluded that Janet wasn't a 'gifted artist, possibly due to her difficulty in following certain rules or specific structures when drawing.
Thankfully, Moi found an art mentor who recognised Janet's unique talent as a colourist. Her paintings were inspired by nature, with colours serving as the dominant feature or subject.
In 2014, Janet had her first exhibition in the United States.
She had finally found her place, among colours and paints. On canvas, Janet would let her imagination and fantasy loose. In her world, a banana could be purple and the ocean would be yellow. There were no limitations to what she could do with a paintbrush in hand.
"I just wanted her to paint what she likes. I wanted her to have a purpose in life, enjoy what she does and have people appreciate that she can deliver something within her own capabilities," explains Moi.
The young artist continued to forge ahead, earning numerous accolades along the way. These included the Young Inspiring Woman Award in 2021, the NFT Superstars Award in April 2022, and the Highly Commendable Award from the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) in June of the same year.
I LOVE YOU
However, fate continued to deal her cruel blows. As Janet's star glittered brightly in art circles, both locally and internationally, her health began to deteriorate especially after she contracted Covid last December. A few months later, Janet began experiencing stomach pains, which ultimately led to her cancer diagnosis. "By the time we convinced Janet to undergo a check-up, it was already at an advanced stage," Moi recounts.
The prognosis was bleak, and Janet chose not to pursue the intensive treatment that had been recommended for her. Her concerned parents sought many second opinions from various doctors, but each one delivered the same verdict — Janet needed to undergo an invasive operation, endure punishing rounds of chemotherapy, and her epileptic condition would make it unlikely for her to survive the aggressive treatments. "My husband and I had to engage in yet another difficult conversation," Moi says softly. "Did we want her to endure painful treatments and suffer to the end, or could we allow her to make her own choice?"
They finally agreed to let Janet make the decision and she bravely chose to spend her remaining time at home. Though her body might be frail, her spirit was ever robust, and she wanted to live life on her own terms.
In the last days before her passing, Janet was finally able to articulate her emotions. Calling out to her parents and her sister, she constantly told them the same thing: "I love you. I will always be with you. I will never ever leave you. We are a family."
Tears run freely down Moi's face. "My daughter who was never able to express her feelings, told us these words again and again."
On July 7, Janet passed away peacefully at the age of 33.
We sit quietly in this space, surrounded by Janet's art.
INCREDIBLE LEGACY
After a while, Moi composes herself and tells me that she intends to continue keeping Janet's legacy alive by providing other neurodiverse artists a space to showcase their artworks. "I've learnt so much just by being Janet's mother," she tells me, her voice heavy with emotion. "I want to help other parents who are going through the same difficult path with their children."
Janet's life, she says, is proof of the incredible power of art, resilience and determination. "As we move forward, it is my honour and duty to continue her mission, making individual achievements into successes for everyone. I want to carry on Janet's legacy, where art brings hope, unity, and empowerment to all."
As our conversation winds down, Moi leads me through the halls, proudly pointing out Janet's artworks. The riot of colours infuses the cavernous space with life, and it's almost as if her laughter and voice have been captured within the very essence of these canvases.
In this place where oceans are yellow, skies are green and flowers are a vibrant pinks, purples and reds — Janet continues to live on.
JANET LEE'S 3RD ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
When: Nov 11 to 13
Time: 11am to 4pm
Where: Janet Lee Gallery, 20-1-4, Jalan 2/101c, Cheras Business Centre, 56100 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
