AUGUST
2015
Matt W. Moore Shadovvs SHADOVVS celebrates a new trajectory for American artist & designer Matt W. Moore. During a 2 month stay in Oakland, CA, and a 2 week residency within 886 Geary Gallery, Moore constructed a new body of work that fuses his bold, graphic, op-geo vocabulary with extruded mosaic forms that bring the works to life in three dimensions. The series is activated by the angle and intensity of the light source, be it a deliberate directional lamp, or the natural curve of each day’s sun cycle. Symmetries and depth are revealed in a spectrum of proportions, and color palettes are expanded upon, into numerous parallel hues revealed by the shadows. The exhibition is comprised of 5 chapters, each with its own concept and aesthetic. A series of greyscale cut-paper mosaics created in Montreal in Fall 2014 is displayed as evidence of the explorations that led to the lay-
ered sensibilities of the more elaborate colorful works created during this Bay Area residency. A series of 4 pure symmetry colorful compositions reminiscent of sacred geometry grids, timeless diamond cuts, and architectural monuments hangs as a family on one side of the space. Opposite this wall is a series of 12 square works that bring Moore’s signature graphic syntax into three dimensions, playing with the eye when viewed from different vantage points. One extra large modular construct composed of 5 pieces that hang synchronized
Photographer
ARTIST
Greetings from mars by Julien Mauve
Fashion Illustrator Esra Røise
is displayed void of color to allow the viewer to explore the subtle nuances of light and shadow without the distraction of color. On the back two walls of 886 Geary Gallery, Moore has constructed a large mosaic dimensional mural comprised of the same forms used in the rest of the series. This in-situ installation has been left to chance and intuition, with Moore opting to freestyle the build spontaneously rather than reference drafted blueprints.
Exhibition
Greetings from mars by Julien Mauve
In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered America. Less than 500 years later, it has become a common touristic destination for wealthy people from every part of the world. What remains of the Wild West has now been transformed into National Park where people can quietly enjoy breathtaking landscapes.
Artist
Unknown worlds are now located
up with this project, which is about
far from Earth and our most fa-
space exploration and discovery.
mous explorer is a robot. “Curiosi-
But it’s also about our behavior in
ty” is the Christopher Columbus of
front of landscapes and how we
our century, crawling the surface
create pictures that will share our
of Mars, searching for clues and
personal story with the world. In ev-
information about its past. As with
ery spots I stopped, carefully cho-
the Wild West, we could imagine a
sen for their similarities with the
point where Mars would become
red planet, I imitated stereotypical
a touristic destination for people
tourist poses. It’s interesting to ob-
to visit and experience. NASA and
serve the way we act in front of the
SpaceX are already working on it
camera, how we include ourselves
and if no catastophic event hap-
in the landscapes, how those land-
pen, in less than 50 years, humans
scapes trigger the desire to affirm
will walk on Mars. I have always
our presence. And how the way we
wondered what it would be like to
take pictures exposes the vanity
discover a totally different world,
involved in our endless pursuit of
lifeless, full of wild landscapes and
self-definition. A special thanks
to photograph it for the first time
to the whole SONY team for their
as if I was Ansel Adams. So I came
trust and support with this project.
Some years ago, taking pictures of landscapes was enough. And we were not able to share them before we came back home. Today we have added ourselves on the pictures. Our faces are everywhere. We share everything instantly; we feel the need to do it. The connection is permanent and the experience becomes different. With Internet available everywhere, there is no “being-far-away� anymore. So we might ask ourselves, do we travel to discover new places, change of scene, new cultures, or do we travel to look for pictures of ourselves and to prove that we exist?
Artist
Esra Røise Norwegian illustrator Esra Røise works mainly with pencils, watercolours and ink on paper. She says she enjoys the juxtaposition of analogue and digital combined saying that although she tries to always maintain an analogue starting point, most of her works are a combination of the two.
Esra Røise is a Norwegian freelance illustrator who studied for two years at Einar Granum School of Art, recently finishing a BA in Visual Communication at the Academy of the Arts in Oslo. Some of her latest projects have been in collaboration with Vogue, Milk, Spin, Vice, Nike, and Levi’s Curve ID – a line that will be released sometime this autumn. In addition, Røise’s “Sleepovers” is now being sold by the Popshot Magazine Print Shop, as the magazine
decided to take six of its finest illustrations from the past two
years and turn them into collectable art prints. Often uneven and jauntily framed, Røise’s illustrations recall spur-of-the-moment photographs. Distinguished by their elegance, playfulness and romanticism, the drawings capture the spirit of what it is like to be young, free and living in the moment.
Artist
What techniques to do you use most? I’ve always been drawn to naturalistic pencil drawings, and it’s what I enjoy most. That, and inkblots. What was the inspiration behind the image you made for Popshot Magazine? The illustration is of a beautiful poem called “Sleepovers” by Bethan Parker-Luscombe, about the joys of childhood slumber parties; a time where sleepovers were sacred and anything was possible, and you’d stay up all night and share your secrets. A kind of awkward grown-up still holding on to the memories of an innocent childhood that is no more. Which clients have you worked for? These have included Vogue (China), Wallpaper*, Levi’s, Nike, Nylon, Vice, GQ, United Airlines and Volkswagen.
What projects do you have lined up for the future? Esra Røise: I have lots of fun things going on this fall, which I am really excited about. Among other things are starting a new children’s book project, and also organizing and illustrating a big fashion editorial. What is the last art exhibition you have been to? Esra Røise: A collection of Antoni Gaudí’s works. What was the inspiration behind the image you made for Popshot Magazine? The illustration is of a beautiful poem called “Sleepovers” by Bethan Parker-Luscombe, about the joys of childhood slumber parties; a time where sleepovers were sacred and anything was possible, and you’d stay up all night and share your secrets. Favourite websites / blogs? Ha ha, well except from DA, I’m a big fan of www.reddit.com, where I can spend all day basically. And also Pinterest, where my endless browsing finally feels like it serves a purpose. I also have a long list of blogs I check in on a daily basis, including butdoesitfloat.com. hedislimane.com/diary and stopitrightnow.com. How do you make your illustrations? I’ll start off drawing by hand, with pencil and pen, then maybe add some watercolour and/or ink before I scan the drawing and play around with it in photoshop. Recently I have started using digital embellishments in a greater scale than before, but my starting point is almost always analogue.
Artist
Each month there are numerous art exhibition being held in town. Your complete guide to Kuala Lumpur’s art exhibitions, featuring all the top shows you need to see in town. KL’s art scene is finally getting the attention it deserves. RESTU-Guardian Spirits-Tribute to Pak Mie Foyer, Auditorium DBKL
03 SEPT 04 OCT
The late Pak Mie was an extraordinary human whose love for animals led him to provide shelter for over 700 stray dogs and cats. Guardian Spirits, an exhibition of paintings, drawings and sculpture contributed by a group of Malaysian and international artists, pays homage to his memory. Curators Dinanath Pathy & Sivarajah Natarajan
Momentum by SoonHoe
07 SEPT -
Farenheit88 Grand Atrium, KL
20 OCT
SoonHoe is a Melbourne-based Malaysian artist using photography as a medium of artistic expression. His chosen medium for this series is black&white photography using both film and digital formats. His current series pays homage to the intrinsic beauty of the seas that surround Malaysia. Many of his images are open to self-interpretation.
Penang art: then and now The Edge Galerie, KL
11 SEPT 20 OCT
This is a special, non-selling exhibition of 41 artworks inclusive of paintings and sculptures sourced from private collections in Penang. Supported by IJM Land, this Corporate Social Responsibility project is aimed at promoting a greater appreciation of Malaysian art principally produced by prominent artists associated with Penang.
RECENT ACQUISITIONS EXHIBITION National Visual Arts Gallery, KL
14 DEC 15 DEC
it’s an exercise in chest-thumping with a showing of their most recent acquisitions. Recent being works collected between 2012 and 2014, with 50 of their favourites being put on display. What exactly have they been spending our tax ringgits on? A mixed bag, it appears. ‘Diverse forms and categories of works created in several eras have been acquired based on their impact on the narratives of Malaysian art, from its modern to contemporary period,’ the gallery’s representative explains. Vague? As it always is with these mixed shows, but the miscellany in ‘Recent Acquisitions’ does afford audiences the ability to traverse across different periods in Malaysian art, as well as gain a cursory introduction into the different artistic gestations from the past century by way of artworks by leading artists like AB Ibrahim, Mansoor Ibrahim, Fatimah Chik, Shia Yih Yiing, Yap Sau Bin, Yee I-Lann, Haslin Ismail and Anne Samat. Newbies will be tickled, and the more seasoned, a tad cynical. Something for everyone then.
Events
Guide to Art Events Twins: Works by Oliviero Rainaldi Galeri Petronas, KL
22 AUG 31 DEC
Some 35 works comprising drawings, paintings and sculptures feature different techniques and material such as bronze, plaster, gold, marble and glass; works by Italian artist and sculptor, Oliviero Rainaldi. The artist focuses on the metaphysical nature of the human figure and concentrates on the body language and gestures.
22 AUG 31 DEC
Picturing the Nation Ilham Gallery, KL
As part of its opening, ILHAM will be launching their inaugural exhibition, aptly titled ‘Picturing the Nation’. The exhibition largely features works from the personal collection of Dato’ Hoessein Enas, one of Malaysia’s pioneering portraiture artists, whose work was key to defining art during the post-independence years and whose practice was synonymous to the birth of Malaysia as a multicultural nation. The exhibition also features the works of four contemporary artists, Ahmad Zakii Anwar, Dain Iskandar Said, Vincent Leong and Yee I-Lann, who will be displaying pieces that explore the concept of capturing the nation in pictures. In a way, the exhibition showcases a snapshot of this nation’s art history through Dato’ Enas’ work but also provides a snapshot of how the art landscape would look like in the future through the works of the four younger artists.
Motherland BY Sean Lean Wei-Ling Contemporary, KL
22 AUG 11 SEPT
Featuring the works of emerging Malaysian contemporary artist Sean Lean, Motherland showcases Lean’s work on large canvases. This marks the artist’s second solo exhibition and will touch on themes such as the contradictions between traditional Eastern values and the lure of popular Western culture.
Events
SUB URBAN Group exhibition 11am-7pm, Tues-Sun 15-Aug - 20-Sep-2015
Fergana Art Space 14A & 16A The Whiteaways Arcade, Lebuh Pantai, 10300 George Town, Penang
www.fergana-art.com