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Kellie’s Castle, dubbed the Malaysian ‘Taj Mahal’, was built by Scottish planter William Kellie Smith who passed away before its completion in Lisbon, Portugal, after which his wife decided to return to Scotland. The edifice with Indo-Saracenic design and Graeco-Roman interiors lies in Batu Gajah, 20km from Ipoh. Intriguingly, a secret 1.5km-long tunnel leading to a Hindu temple of the Akkal goddess was discovered in later years. The tiny Malaysian flag with its blue canton and red stripes stands out in the sepia-toned veneer. Pheh It Hao is known for his superb draughtsmanship of architectural facades. The partly denuded trees flanking the work exude an eerie feeling about the place. It was left in ruin until recently refurbished and converted into a tourist attraction.

Pheh studied at Surrey Institute of Art and Design, University College in 1991 and worked as a curator at Elle Six Art Gallery for four years. He won Third Prize at the Putrajaya National Watercolour Exhibition in 2006. Pheh is known for his exploration of negative space in his works that adds a new dimension to the buildings, landscapes and cityscapes he portrays. Solo exhibitions were held at Alpha Utara Gallery, Penang in 2007 and Nelson Hays Gallery, Bangkok in 2008, while also actively participating in group exhibitions in Malaysia, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and United Kingdom. Pheh is currently living in Adelaide, Australia with his family.