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Malaysian art now

TRANSFORMASI PERANAN: ‘KURATIS’ ART STAGE SINGAPORE SOCIAL POLITICAL TRENDS IN MALAYSIAN ART INDIA ART SUMMIT THE 14TH ASIAN ART BIENNALE BANGLADESH 2010

C O N T E N T S

Staff Writers :

Editor

inc.

Anugerah Seni Citra Kencana 2010:

Suzlee Ibrahim by Erry Arham

12-14 Baca dan Lihat: Nasir Baharuddin by Faizal Sidik 15

Rantai Art presents ‘Gravity’ by Wan Faizun Zafran

Interview: Jeganathan Ramachandram and Symbols-

Salam Sejahtera, Greetings and Salam 1 Malaysia! I hope the New Year ushers glad tidings and positive beginnings for everyone. As for the National Art Gallery, we ended 2010 by having a year-end-sale of selected merchandises from the gallery’s shop as well as new and rare exhibition catalogues and books at extremely affordable prices. Needless to say, the sale, especially our publications were snapped up by the armful by art aficionados, book collectors, artists, academicians, students and visitors. With such encouraging response, the gallery plans to organize an arts book fair by the end of this year. We will invite institutions of higher learning from the public and private sectors, galleries and other publishers of books on Malaysian arts and artists to participate in this event. It will be the first book fair focusing exclusively on the arts on a national level. Over Chinese New Year vacation in Jogjakarta, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Ibu Dyan Anggerani, Director of Taman Budaya Jogjakarta. I was given a tour of Taman Budaya and introduced to some artists and was later hosted by prolific artist Nasirun at his beautiful home. I was pleased to be immersed in an atmosphere of pure artistry. I believe there is much that our can co-operate and share with our Indonesian counterparts. I am also especially impressed by their independent spirit, selfsustainability and commitment towards their art and craft.

In order to better serve our clients and readers, is offering free advertisement space in each coming issue for a duration of one year. This is to provide more opportunities for our artists, young and old to promote themselves, their artworks and their services. Galleries, art activists, art shops, publishers and other contributors to the local art scene are also welcome to place ads or announcements in the next 5 issues. A reader’s feedback column will be added to gauge the interest and to receive constructive suggestions or criticisms in improving our newsletter. Beginning with this issue we will highlight selected Malaysian artists based abroad under the title ‘Malaysian Artists Overseas’. Our chosen artist for this issue is Mr. Leon Lim, who has been based in New York for almost 12 years. We hope to inform and update our readers the activities of their fellow artists abroad and inspire more of our Malaysian artists to reach for greater heights in their artistic pursuits. In this issue : • NAG’s assistant curators Kannathasan Thanapal interviewed veteran artist Jeganathan Ramachandram while Wan Faizun Zafran shares with us the success of ‘Gravity’, a multi-arts event organized by Rantai Art which was held at the gallery’s venue recently.

House of Natural Art by Kannathasan Thanapal 22-3

Transformasi Peranan: Kuratis by Faizal Sidik

Malaysian Artist Abroad: Leon Lim

Guest Contributers : 08-9

Art Stage Singapore by Rachel Jena

10-11

Social Political Trends in Malaysia by Ooi Kok Chuen

16-17

India Art Summit: A report by Lina Vincent Sunish

18-19

The 14th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2010 by Tan Seihon and Yap Saubin

BSLN Sana Sini

BSLN Publication

26-7

What’s On

PUBLISHER

Balai Seni Lukis Negara National Art Gallery Malaysia Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture Malaysia No 2. Jalan Temerloh Off Jalan Tun Razak 53200 Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA P : 603 4026 7000 F : 603 4025 4987 www.artgallery.gov.my www.facebook.com\artgallery.gov.my

l EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ambassador Dato’ Mohd Yusof Ahmad l EDITOR Tan Seihon l ASSISTANT EDITOR Anis Amizan Hussein Lim | DESIGNERS Nuzaihan Mustapa, Shamizar Rahim & Norhaslina Ahmad Kamsin l PHOTOGRAPHY Mohd Khazrul Sharuddin, Mohd Yuzaini Ahmed, Mohd Adzim Abd Wahab l

can be accessed at www.artgallery.gov.my/senikini

• Our regular staff writers, curators Erry Arham highlights an honor bestowed on one of our painter, Suzlee Ibrahim and the ever prolific Faizal Sidik writes about the works and the ideas behind Nasir Baharuddin’s conceptual, minimalists pieces and the definition of the term he coined ‘ Curatist’ (Curator-Artist)

Any feedback and comment please email to us at : anis@artgallery.gov.my and tanseihon@hotmail.com

• Academician and visual artist Yap Sau Bin and NAG curator Tan Seihon reports on their trip to the 14th Asian Art Biennale in Dhaka, Bangladesh 2010.

• Our regular contributors Rachel Jenagaratnam shares with us her experience at the Art Stage Singapore event while veteran art writer Ooi Kok Chuen gives us a short introduction on the social-political trends in Malaysian art, dispelling the notion that Malaysian artists were not concerned with the socio-political situation of the country. I welcome the report on the India Art Summit by independent curator from India Lina Vincent Sunish. Finally, my heartiest congratulations to all the winners of the Young Contemporary Awards 2010 and may all achieve greater success in the years ahead.

Ambassador Dato’ Mohd Yusof Ahmad Editor-In-Chief

The publisher, National Art Gallery Malaysia, holds the copyright of all editorial content. SENIKINI (ISSN : 1985-7233) is published six times a year by National Art Gallery Malaysia.

COVER : “The Way It All Works” memaparkan tema kekeluargaan dalam karya instalasi ini, dengan gabungan buku, arca kertas, pop-up, potongan kertas dan juga kolaj. Semuanya melibatkan dunia kertas yang mana ia merupakan salah satu alat komunikasi sejak awal pembuatannya. Konsep harmoni yang dipegang juga sebagai sokongan terhadap tampalan timbul haiwan-haiwan, sebagai satu keluarga yang membentuk satu komuniti lengkap. Di bahagian hadapan di bentuk kertas keras menjadi muka yang bermisai, satu penonjolan terhadap ‘potret dewasa’, yang juga melihat terhadap persepsi ketika kecil terhadap bapa saya.

HASLIN `ISMAIL The Way It All Works, 2010 Campuran, kayu dan kertas Mixed media, wood and paper 171 x 122.5 x 122 cm

ni Se er an Pa m ah bu Se

koleksi seni

Art collections of former Malaysian Ambassadors

14 Mac 24 April 2011 Balai Seni Lukis Negara

FEATURES

cooL stuďŹ&#x20AC; SOCIAL

DESIGN EVENTS

Aesthetics Online Magazine issue 16 / February : www.aest.my

SUZLEE IBRAHIM

MENERIMA ANUGERAH TOKOH SENI :

ANUGERAH SENI CITRA KENCANA 2010

l Arham Azmi

Satu

Malam Anugerah Seni UKM 2010 telah diadakan pada 8 Januari lalu bertempat di Dewan Canselor Tun Abdul Razak (DECTAR), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor. Anugerah Seni UKM yang telah bermula pada tahun1994 telah mengiktiraf para seniman di Malaysia yang diantaranya ialah Sasterawan Negara Dato’ A. Samad Said dan Tan Sri Dato’ Jins Samsudin. Manakala anugerah Anugerah Citra Kencana pula adalah kelangsungan daripada Anugerah Tokoh Seni dan mula diperkenalkan sejak tahun 2009. Penerima Anugerah Citra Kencana sebelum ini ialah Dato’ Dr. Johari Salleh (Tokoh Muzik) dan Dato’ Ismail Hutson (Tokoh Bidang Seni Lakon). Pada tahun 2010, Anugerah Seni Citra Kencana telah diberikan dan mengiktiraf Tokoh dalam Bidang Seni Tampak iaitu Encik Suzlee Ibrahim yang merupakan seorang pensyarah dan pelukis Malaysia. Anugerah tersebut telah disampaikan oleh Prof. Dato’ Ir. Dr. Hassan Basri, Timbalan Naib Canselor UKM. Pengiktirafan Tokoh Seni Tampak ini telah membuktikan bahawasanya ia juga merupakan bidang terpeting dalam cabang seni. Suzlee Ibrahim dilahirkan di Kuala Terengganu pada tahun 1967 dan merupakan bekas pelajar Sekolah Menengah Tengku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu dan mendapat pendidikan formal dalam bidang seni halus pada tahun 1987dari InstitutTeknologi Mara, shah Alam (kini Universiti Teknologi Mara). Beliau merupakan pelukis Malaysia yang sangat prolifik dan sering mengadakan pameran di Malaysia dan diperingkat Antarabangsa Diposisi Akademik, Suzlee pernah berkhidmat sebagai pensyarah sambilan di Fakulti Seni Lukis dan Seni Reka, Institut Teknologi Mara dari tahun 1993 hingga1996 dan bertugas sepenuh masa di fakulti yang sama (Universiti Teknologi Mara) dari 1997 hingga Oktober 2009. Pernah juga berklhidmat sebagai pensyarah sambilan Kokurikulum Kesenian (Seni Arca) di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (2002 – 2009) dan Visiting lecturer, ‘Program Seni Budaya’, Pusat Perkembangan Profesional INTAN, Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur (2010). Kini, Suzlee merupakan pensyarah tetap di Fakulti Seni Halus, Akademi Seni Budaya dan Warisan Kebangsaan (ASWARA),Kuala Lumpur. Respon beliau terhadap penganugerahan yang diberi, katanya :

Gambar 1: Suzlee menerima Anugerah Seni Citra Kenchana 2010 daripada Prof. Dato’ Ir. Dr. Hassan Basri sambil diperhatikan oleh Dato’ Ismail Hutson dan Drs Rafie Haji Mohammad.

“Sepanjang saya melibatkan diri dalam dunia seni lukis, saya tidak pernah terfikir untuk mendapat apa-apa anugerah. Saya melukis dan berpameran kerana minat dan ingin berkongsi idea dan astetika yang ada pada sesebuah catan yang saya hasilkan. Apatah lagi anugerah Anugerah Tokoh Seni yang diberikan oleh sebuah universiti seperti Anugerah Seni Citra Kencana ini. Anugerah ini merupakan satu penghormatan kepada saya dan pembakar semangat untuk saya bergiat lebih aktif dan cemerlang di masa-masa yang akan datang.” Komitmen dan minat beliau di dalam bidang seni lukis tidak perlu diragukan. Karya-karya Suzlee pernah antaranya dipamerkan di England, USA, Denmark, Jerman, Perancis, Belgium, Itali, Brazil, Cuba, Sepanyol, Kanada, China, Jepun, Argentina, Greece, Poland, UAE, Australia, Bangladesh dan juga Nepal. Beliau sering dijemput sebagai penceramah, hakim pertandingan

melukis, kurator pameran dan sebagai penasihat atau pakar rujuk dalam bidang seni tampak. Suzlee juga merupakan ahli ARG (Artists Respond Globally) yang berpusat di Chicago, USA, dimana kumpulan ini bergerak aktif dengan aktiviti-aktiviti berpameran, dialog dan menghubungkan pelukis dan penggiat seni di peringkat antarabangsa. Suzlee kini sedang dalam persiapan untuk mempamerkan karya siri terbaru iaitu Siri Sahara yang merupakan respon daripada lawatan beliau ke Gurun Sahara pada tahun lalu. Pameran solo yang ke 18 ini akan di adakan di Muzium Seni Asia, Universiti Malaya bermula pada 25 Febuari hingga 25 Mac 2011. Kebanyakkan karya Suzlee kini berada didalam koleksi orang perseorangan, galeri seni atau badanbadan korporat baik di dalam mahupun di luar Malaysia.

ART STAGE

SINGAPORE

was asked to share my thoughts on Art Stage Singapore, an event I covered for New Sunday Times, and as I mentioned at the end of my article in the papers, the fair was quite an experience. The experience was, to be more specific, an eye-opener. It was great to witness international art events – and subsequently, the art itself – coming closer and closer to our shores and the appointment of Lorenzo Rudolf as the Art Director of Art Stage Singapore was undoubtedly a catalyst for the fair’s success. Known as the inventor of Art Basel Miami Beach and the co-creator of ShContemporary, his appointment garnered a lot of attention and gave Singapore the props to present Art Stage Singapore with credence on the art circuit. The fair’s location added to its plush and trendy image. Held at the Marina Bay Sands, one of the island’s newest developments featuring a 5-star hotel and casino, the art fair found itself a prestigious home that matched its characteristic as an up-andcoming element on the art circuit. It opened its doors on January 12 and the sheer size of the art fair was one to be reckoned with. The partitioning walls of each gallery evoked a sense of grandeur; exhibitors came from all corners of the globe (26 countries to be specific); and the art – oh, the art – well, that requires a whole paragraph on its own.

There were historical gems like Picasso’s, which had serious collectors salivating; galleries surmounted logistical issues and presented artworks of gigantic scale; artworks flitted between the traditional and the modern (like one produced on an iPad); T Venkanna, a performance artist from India, had to leave the fair before its end, as the nudity in his performance violated a Singaporean law; and, there were a bevy of works by big names like Chris Levine, David LaChapelle, and Ai Wei Wei that elevated the entire fair, giving regional collectors and audiences a shot at the major leagues. Artists like Takashi Murakami – complete with a celebrity-worthy entourage – even made an appearance at the fair’s vernissage, and, the fair’s guestbook also saw the likes of Zeng Fanzhi, Yoshitomo Nara, T.V. Santhosh, Jitish Kallat, Shen Shaomin, Agus Suwage, Ronald Ventura, Wim Delvoye, and I Nyoman Masriadi, altogether driving home the point that Art Stage Singapore is set to be Asia’s next big thing after ART HK.

I missed the hoopla of Art Stage’s opening night, but arrived on the second day of the fair, paying particular attention to the Malaysian galleries that had made the cut for the list of exhibitors, some of whom had secured additional Project Booths – experimental spaces where the works of a single artist or work could be showcased – for themselves. Of all our local exhibitors, Valentine Willie Fine Art (VWFA) had the largest showing at Art Stage Singapore. An all-woman theme permeated their main booth under the theme Poetics of Time and Space, where they featured a selection of works by Amanda Heng, Geraldine Javier, Mella Jaarsma, Nona Garcia, and Simryn Gill. And, what further positioned the gallery as the go-to source for the best in Southeast Asian contemporary art were their two project booths. One featured a video by our very own Chris Chong (BLOCK B), and the other, documentation of the performances of Melati Suryadormo. The Southeast Asian theme also prevailed at Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA), who exhibited a miscellany from the region. The opening of their new space in Singapore coincided with the fair and became one of its fringe

l Rachel Jena

The entire work served as a vehicle to comment on cultural values, whilst exhibiting the works of young artists Haslin Ismail, Rozana Musa, and Izat Arif. Artworks by the trio were interspersed with groceries, much to the confusion of the art-intelligentsia, and selling items like kaya, bread, and tidbits alongside these artworks could have been read as a subversive poke at the commercial aspects of art fairs.

In effect, this illustrates the curatorial hand in all aspects of the art fair. And, whilst such commanding art and project direction could easily be misused to promote particular agendas or overtly project the emphasis of one individual or group, in this case, it ensured a balanced distribution of galleries from East and West and that quality for Art Stage’s inaugural outing was of nothing but the highest calibre. events, whilst at the fair itself, RKFA gained great interest for the works of Natee Utarit and his Project Booth featured a young Thai artist, Kedsuda Loogthong, whose poignant work featured personal letters from her family in the Southern town of Songkhla. A regional art institution secured its future and this is only evidence that art fairs like this are vital exposure for artists, particularly younger ones. TAKSU, with bases in Singapore and KL, featured artworks by Norberto Roldan. A small, but impressive showing under the header The beauty of history is that it does not reside in one place, the choice of Noberto Roldan was, as I learnt, a decision made by Rudolf’s curatorial team.

Wei-Ling Gallery was also subject to this “quality control”. Ivan Lam’s large glossy paintings attracted the attention of Rudolf’s team and the gallery duly transported a handful of Lam’s artworks to the fair. Their showing in Singapore embodied Lam’s latest body of works, the full spectrum of which will be shown at his solo exhibition, Together Alone, in Kuala Lumpur this month. 12, led by artist Shooshie Sulaiman, only had a Project Booth, but together with her team, produced one of the most attentiongrabbing elements of the fair itself: a highly realistic ‘kedai runcit’. The quintessential store was built entirely from scratch and characteristics of original ones were duplicated with mind-blowing authenticity.

Kedai Runcit 12, however, contained a far more crucial lesson: it questioned the very meaning of art itself. By displaying Haslin’s elegant paper-cut works alongside packets of instant noodles, letting Izat’s drawings compete with colourful product labels, and housing Rozana’s adorable little ceramic cupcakes in old-fashioned glass biscuit jars, audiences were not only transported to the vestiges of their youth, but also propelled to consider trajectories in art like the notion of the readymade. Like Andy Warhol’s Campbell soup tins, what is art - a pot of kaya or a painting? On a whole, Art Stage Singapore had all the components of a success art fair. Big names, precise organization, and even the superficial additions like champagne sponsored by Veuve Clicquot made all the difference. Combined with a world-renowned Art Director with stirring credentials, there was little to detract or downplay the critical value of the artworks, but instead all the right ingredients to make the international art world sit up and take notice of Art Stage Singapore.

SOCIAL-POLITICAL TRENDS AS

recently as November 2005, blogger (Small Acts)-arts critic Dr Carmen Nge lamented the lack of Social Realism and art activism in Malaysian art. “Malaysian art is self-involved, preferring to languish in its own ivory tower … never directly immersed in the conflicts of the present day.” But socio-political works can be found in Dato Chuah Thean Teng’s works - Breaktime (woodcut, 1936) and Kampung Life (linocut, c. 1940). Teng, as the world-acknowledged batik art founder is called, also did several antiJapanese woodcuts under the pseudonym Choo Ting during the Japanese Occupation, as did Yong Mun Sen. Others like artistplaywright John Lee Joo-For, who had migrated to Australia in 1973, revisited the wartime trauma decades later in comics-like narratives.

Social Realism never caught on because of the leftwing stigma and propaganda zeal, which is said to stifle imagination and creativity.

violations in the aftermath of the Operation Lalang political crackdown (1987) was held at the National Art Gallery’s Creative Centre. It featured works by Bayu Utomo Radjikin (Warbox), Wong Hoy Cheong (lalang) and Raja Shahriman Aziddin (Killing Tools)

Even Datuk Ibrahim Hussein had recorded injustices and inhumanity in works like Lebai Malang (corruption) and the Sabra and Chatila massacre.

Hoy Cheong consistently churns out works with trenchant socio-political barbs, from suburbia irony to a new wave of migrant workers (Migrant Series). ‘What About Converging Extremes?’, curated by him in 1993, brought together a slew of socially charged works and performances.

More subtle social commentary can be found in the works of Lai Foong Mooi’s Sansui Woman and Kuo Juping Indian labourers and Cowherds, while M. Salehuddin, Abdullah Ariff and Idris Salam dealt with social themes

Kok Yew Puah’s works dwells on the changing youth landscapes, while the installations of Zulkifli Yusoff, Tan Chin Kuan and Noor Azizan Paiman question sociohistorical constructs. Chin Kuan, Chuah Chong Yong and Chai Chang Hwang are Chinese-educated artists whose works touch on the marginalisation of Chinese in opportunities in education, employment and business. Newer social problems are addressed in the works of artists such as Loh Bok Lai, Ooi Kooi Hin and Phuan Thai Ming.

At the turn of the 20th Century, artists of Chinese descent closely followed political upheavels in China, from the May Fourth Movement of 1919, in reaction against imperialism and feudalism, to Mao Zedong’s 1942 formula of Social Realist art.

Kow Leong Kiang’s Hey Mr Foreign Speculator, Leave Our Country Alone (1998), which won the Asean Art Awards in 1998, is a poignant take on the Asian economic contagion, and Wong Woan Lee’s Wong Woan Lee Someone Forgotten (1999) looks at the predicament of old age.

Two icons of Social Realism art in the National Art Gallery collection are Lee Boon Wang’s Worker and Lim Yew Kuan’s Night Arrest. Both were stalwarts of the Equator Art Society founded in Singapore in 1956. The society was avowedly nationalist and anti-colonialist, and had its paternity in the Arts Association of Chinese High School and members included Chua Mia Tee, Lim Mu Hue, Tan Tie Chie, Dr Lai Kui Fang and Koeh Sia Yong.

Hamidah Abdul Rahman unleashes a series of feminist works that question religious strictures on women. Matahati, a loose co-operative of former ITM students formed in 1989, engages in the issues of the day and the past, in a multiplicity of styles and media. The works by Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Ahmad Fuad Osman Ahmad Fuad Osman, Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Masnoor Ramli Mahmud and Hamir Soib @ Mohamed are a significant bellweather of the changing times.

LAI FOONG MOI - Sansui Woman, 1967 Oil Paint, 90 x 60 cm

in their cartoons contributions to the print media. Latter-day cartoonists of note are Rejabhad (Rejab Had), Lat (Datuk Mohamed Nor Khalid), Reggie Lee and Zunar (Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque).

LIM YEW KUAN - ‘The Arrest’, 1954 Oil paint, 116.5 x 142 cm

ZULKIFLI MOHD DAHALAN - ‘Shops’, 1973, Acrylic on canvas, 157.5 x 267 cm

Then there is the phenomenon of the two ‘Zuls’ - Zulkifli Mohd Dahalan with his forked stick figures in purgatorial pursuits and Dzulkifli Buyong with his sinister psychological mini dramas involving children.

LEE BOON WONG - ‘Worker’, 1955 Oil Paint, 82.5 x 96.5 cm

An important factor is the critical imperative and the pungent immediacy of issues. Nirmala Dutt Shanmughalingam and Kung Yu Liew use photography montage and collage respectively to comment on diverse subjects. Nirmala flays against social injustices, war and famine while Kung Yu makes photo installations to mock unsavoury cultural rites (Cheng Beng Festival). An exhibition questioning human rights

TAN TEE CHIE - ‘Back Lane’, 1953, wood cut, 38.5 x 43.5 cm

NIRMALA SHANMUGHALINGAM - ‘Beirut II’, 1983, Oil on canvas, 122 x 122 cm

MALAYSIAN ART REVIEW

l Ooi Kok Chuen

EXHIBITON

J. Anu consistently explores the Indian condition with great irony, more recently in his MY GOD IS MY TRUCK solo, while Chang Fee Ming’s recent VISAGE uses collage elements in references to vexing political events. At the height of the Reformasi protests spearheaded by the sacked Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Artis Pro Active organised the APA exhibition involving several senior artists at a vacant shoplot. Artist Laureate Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal was also at the forefront with protest works such as ?, while I-Lann Yee’s disoriented and disenfranchised water buffaloes can be seen as symbolic of the Hindraf street agitation. In the wake of the eviction of squatters of Kampung Buah Pala, better known as Penang’s High Chaparral, some 14 artists including Tan Lye Hoe, Koay Soo Kau and Chong Hon Fatt made a visual record of the place. As befitting the time, most young artists prefer an art of engagement, empowerment and interactivity. So you get Lost Generation Space organising Bangun (2009), a multimedia community arts festival involving clan jetties in Penang. There were performances, installations, photography, music and exhibitions. In Youth Lens, street kids in Chow Kit were let loose after being equipped with cameras and basic knowledge. In November 2010, another group put together a community mapping project called the Chow Kit Kita Festival for street children, and more recently, there’s Arts-Ed with its historical survey of Balik Pulau in Penang.

CHUAH THEAN TENG - ‘Break Time’, c. 1936, Wood cut, 16.5 x 13.5 cm

KOW LEONG KIANG - ‘Mr. Foreign Speculators Stop, Damaging Our Country’, 1999, Acrylic on canvas, 83 x 183 cm

In Literature, Social Realism can be found in the works of K.S. Maniam (The Cord), Datuk Usman Awang, Datuk Shahnon Ahmad (Ranjau SePanjang Jalan), Datuk Samad Said (Salina) and Tan Sri Samad Ismail. In Photography, there are Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin, Ismail Hashim, Eric Peris, Wong Kou Fou (Iban tribes people), Hari Ho and Chan Kin Wah (old tenants of Central Market and Petaling Street respectively), Colin Nicholas (indigenous people) and Victor Chin (handicapped children). So, there you are, our artists are not blithely producing hunky-dory works oblivious to the conditions and grievances of the day.

BAYU UTOMO RADJIKIN - ‘Bosnia’, 1994, oil on canvas, 127 x 97 cm

All images courtesy of National Art Gallery

CHAI CHANG HWANG - ‘Siri Pelukan II : Budaya Tuan Punya’, 1992, Acrylic on canvas, 171 x 122.5 cm

SAMSUDIN WAHAB ‘Self Portrait as a Patriot’ 2009 Print on Paper 79 x 118 cm

SIEW LEE WONG - ‘The Reformasi Series’ (selected pieces) 2001/ 2005, woodcut, 41 x 30 cm

NASIR BAHARUDDIN : BACA DAN LIHAT l Faizal Sidik

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Baca dan Lihat’, Teks komputer, foto dan objek, 38 x 44 cm (20 pcs),1995

Nasir

Baharuddin boleh dianggap sebagai seniman ‘gelombang’ kedua yang dikenali begitu komited dengan aliran konseptual dan minimalis selepas pengiat seni apa yang dikenali ‘The New Scene’ pada sekitar tahun 1970 an di negara kitayang mana kelompok ini cuma mengetengahkan persoalan-persoalan dalam pembuatan atau penciptaan karya seni. Pengkaryaan seni mereka menitikberatkan karya yang pelbagai dimensi dalam membina sistem tanda. Mereka juga membuat pendefinasian semula antara catan dan arca dalam membahagi dan mengkombinasikannya semula dalam mencipta pendefinasian baru terhadap identiti, falsafah seni, estetik, status terhadap kategori-kategori seni dan penerimaan seni. Mereka mengistiharkan konsep dan ideologi yang radikal dimana bertujuan untuk mencabar, mengali semula, perlakuan nilai estetik dalam seni lukis kontemporari Malaysia

Konseptul minimalis yang beliau bawa lebih menekankan sesuatu idea daripada pembentukan rupa. Pengkaryaannya selama lebih 20 tahun cenderung bermain dengan dunia tanda atau apa yang dikatakan sebagai ‘sign’ Selain itu idea daripadanya akan mencadangkan bahasa dalam sistem visual dan pengisiannya menggunakan aturan geometrik dan metodologi.Ferdinand de Saussure ahli linguistik dari Swiszerland pernah memperkenalkan ini dengan mengkategorikannya kepada dua iaitu ‘signifie’ (penanda) dan ‘signfian’ (penanda) iaitu yang terdapat di dalam buku beliau yang bertajuk ‘Course in General Linguistic’ dengan mengatakan: “Bahasa adalah suatu sistem tanda yang mengekspresi idea-idea (gagasan-gagasan) dan oleh kerana itu dapat dibandingkan dengan sistem tulisan, huruf-huruf untuk orang bisu dan pekak, simbol-simbol keagamaan , aturan-aturan sopan santun, tanda-tanda ketenteraan dan sebagainya. Namun itu semua hal yang sangat penting dalam keseluruhan sistem tersebut. Suatu ilmu yang mempelajari tanda-tanda kehidupan dalam masyarakat bersifat dapat difahami. Hal itu merupakan bahagian dari psikologi sosial atau berkaitan dengan psikologi umum. Saya menyebutnya sebagai semiologi (dari bahasa latin semion: tanda) Semiologi akan menjelaskan unsur yang menyusun suatu tanda dan bagaimana hukum-hukum itu mengaturnya”(1) Menurut Nasir etiologikal atau asalan daripada itu representasi visual yang timbul dalam bentuk gambaran semulajadi dan penataan objek itu akan menghasilkan sistem terhadap fenomena visual. Ia bermaksud untuk menstrukturkan aturan pada sistem kehidupan melalui garisan dan ukuran sebagai sifat dan keperluan diri terhadap penerokaannya yang penuh dengan keanehan. Penerokaan ini mempunyai kaitan dengan teori sistem kehidupan yang mana sistem manusia akan diintergrasikan atau dipersatukan dengan aturan semulajadi.

Karya Nasir Baharuddin yang bertajuk ‘Baca dan Lihat’ dihasilkan pada tahun 1995 ini mempunyai 20 buah bingkai yang bersaiz 44 x 38 sentimeter setiap satu yang disusun boleh dianggap sebagai instalasi dinding atau ‘wall installation’ menggunakan pelbagai bahantara seperti teks komputer, foto dan objek antaranya pita kaset, jangka lukis, minyak, kulit kerang, foto imej lampu, akar kayu, speaker, sudu,foto gerbang masjid, penutup lubang saluran air, cip, kompas, pembaris, duit syiling RM 1, 10 sen dan 20 sen. ‘Baca dan Lihat’ merupakankarya koleksi terkini dalam perolehan Balai Seni Lukis Negara 2010 yang kini terpilih untuk di pamerkan di dalam pameran ‘ABC: Antara Bahan Campuran’ iaitu sebuah pameran yang menghimpunkan karya-karya koleksi seni lukis negara yang menggunakan campuran bahantara dalam karya seni dari tahun 1990 an hingga kini. Karya ‘Baca dan Lihat’ pernah dipertontonkanbuat pertama kalinya di dalam pameran ‘Art & Spirituality’yang dilangsungkan di Balai Seni Lukis Negara juga pada tahun 1995 dan kemudian menerima jemputan untuk diterbangkan ke Eropah Timur pada pameran Malaysia Contemporary Art In Prague di Manes Gallery, Prague, Republik Czech pada 1998.

Menurut beliau lagi teori sistem kehidupan menjelaskan kepada kita bahawa dunia ini terdiri daripada sistem-sistem yang berjaringan diantara satu sama lain dan mempunyai hubungan diantara bahagian-bahagian secara keseluruhan dimana ia memberi maksud suatu pengertian. Hidupan dan organisma saling memperlengkapkan naratif visual pada jaringan semulajadi dan struktur kesejagatan yang hidup didalamnya pada kedua-dua peringkat iaitu ‘sub-atomic’ dan ‘inter-galactic’. Kita dapat melihat perihal ini melalui jarak antara, tingkah laku dan elektron pada tahap ‘sub-atomic’ yang memikul bebannya sama juga yang ada pada bintang dan planet di alam ini Dalam penulisan katalog oleh Harun Abdullah Coombes yang bertajuk ‘The Islamic Spirit: Social Oreintation in Contemporary Malaysia Art’sempena pameran ‘Art & Spirituality’mengatakan bahawa karya Nasir Baharuddin sebagai representasi tenaga baru dalam pengkaryaan seni berkonsepkan Islamik dari segi penggunaan media yang lebih kontemporari. Pilihan beliau yang memilih surah 96 Al’ Alaq (Iqraa) yang bermaksud: “ Bacalah dengan nama tuhanmu yang telah jadikan. Ia jadikan manusia dari sekepal darah. Bacalah kerana tuhanmu itu yang amat mulia. Yang mengajar dengan (perantaraan) qalam. Ia telah ajar manusia apa yang mereka tidak tahu. Sayang! Sesungguhnya manusia itu suka melewati batas. Lantaran ia melihat dirinya cukup. Sesungguhnya kepada Tuhanmulah tempat kembali. Tidakkah engkau fikirkan (bagaimana baiknya) jika ia (berjalan) atas pimpinan? Atau ia menyuruh

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Baca dan Lihat’ (Jarak dekat) Teks komputer dan pensil, 38 x 44 cm

(manusia) berbakti? Tidakkah engkau fikirkan (bagaimana jeleknya) jika ia dustakan dan berpaling? Tidakkah ia ketahui bahawasanya Allah melihat? Ingat! Sesungguhnya jika ia tidak berhenti nescaya kami sentak jambulnya. Jambul yang dusta, yang derhaka. Maka biarlah ia panggil tentera (kami) yang gagah. Ingat, jangan engkau taat kepadanya , tetapi hendaklah engkau sujud dan berhampir berdiri”. Didalam Al-Quran dipilih sebagai ekspresi motif terhadap kedua-dua ketajaman dan kekuasaan. Kepada manusia yang tidak pernah kenal AlQuran ayat ini adalah disampaikan oleh Malaikat Jibrail kepada Nabi Muhamad yang diketahui tidak tahu membaca didatangi oleh peristiwa sebegini. Iqraaadalah bahasa Arab yang bermaksud ‘bacalah’. Surah ini sering dikaitkan dengan pendedahan ilmu dan kuasa ilmu pengetahuan itu sendiri. Nasir menerangkan beliau memilih untuk mengalih bahasa surah ini di dalam bahasa Melayu sebagai penegasan latarbelakang karya ini yang beridentitikan Melayu/Islam. Beliau kemudiannya membina tema terhadap penghantaran ilmu pengetahuan dengan menggunakan objek untuk mengambarkan pemindahan Perkataan Suci (Divine Word) kearah realiti kehidupan harian (objek), yang memperkasakan manusia sebagai khalifah. Surah ini sendiri mengingatkan kita daripada penyalahgunaan anugerah Tuhan yang menciptakan kita. Karya ini merenungkan kepada kita persoalan hubungan antara daya pancaindera dan daya akal manusia dalam cara kita melihat objek. Wajah teks itu sendiri merupakan objek persepsi yang diolah dalam melihat sepintas lalu antara objek dan teks. Kekaburan itu memberi kepada suatu konflik mata untuk mengambil keputusan diantara mana pilihan ‘persepsi’ yang menjadi pilihan. Beliau berharap agar audien ‘mencari’ apa yang dimahukan oleh mereka.Karya beliau membawa audien untuk ‘berinteraksi’ dengan cara melihat dan melihat atas keputusan dirinya sendiri mengenai apa yang dilihat. Secara asasnya karya itu sendiri mengajak penonton untuk berinteraksi atau berkomunikasi. Persembahan karya ‘Baca dan Lihat’ ini bukan sahaja spesifik kepada format tradisi segi empat konvensional malah karya ini boleh disusun mengikut psikologi ruang dimana ia mahu

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Unity’ , Tali dan cat, 152 x 135 cm, 1984

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Baca dan Lihat’ (Jarak dekat) Teks komputer dan kompas, 38 x 44 cm

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Still Life’, Teks Komputer atas kertas, 36 x 43 cm (4 pcs), 1999

diperletakkan. Ia juga boleh di susun secara vertikal atau horizontal mahupun susunan seperti dalam permainan bahasa silangkata, setiap petakan berkaitan rapat dan mempunyai maksud dengan petakan yang lain. ‘Baca dan Lihat’ boleh dikatakan sebagai kesinambungan idea daripada karya sebelumnya iaitu “Still Life” pada tahun 1999 yang menggunakan medium kertas dan teks komputer yang telah dipamerkan di dalam pameran ‘Imbasan Bakat Muda Sezaman’ pada tahun itu. Untuk memahami karya ‘Baca dan Lihat’tidak lengkap sekiranya kita tidak dibawa bersama untuk melihat dan mencungkil semula perkembangan pengkaryaan beliau sebelum ini bagi membantu kita dalam membuat interpritasi kembali karya-karya mutakhir beliau. Penulisan ini juga akan menyelusuri bagaimana proses pengkaryaan beliau berlaku terutamanya kesannya terhadap karya ‘Baca dan Lihat’ dengan mengali kembali pernyataan pengkaryaan beliau dengan membahagikanya kepada beberapa proses sepertisumber literatur, metodologi, analisis, penemuan dan penerapandalam pengkaryaan. Komitmen beliau terhadap pengkaryaan yang bernafaskan seni Islam berkonsepkan idea bukanlah baru dalam seni lukis di Malaysia ia telah mula diterokai oleh beliau sejak tahun 1980 an lagi dalam pameran pertandingan Bakat Muda Sezaman 1984 dengan karya beliau yang bertajuk‘Dari Satu Kewujudan’ dan satu lagi ‘Unity’ telah mula menampakkan idea-idea ke arah ini. Penteorian literatur pengkaryaan seni Nasir berkait rapat dengan apa yang dikemukakan oleh James Miller dalam“Teori Sistem Kehidupan” yang popular pada sekitar tahun 1960 an. Miller menanggap sistem kehidupan sebagai set yang kecil terhadap semua sistem.Sistem kehidupan adalah membuka sistem organisasi diri yang mempunyai sifat yang istimewa dalam kehidupan dan berinteraksi dengan persekitarnnya. Peralihan ini berlaku daripada perubahan kuasa material. Sistem kehidupan boleh menjadi mudah sama seperti sel tunggal atau yang kompleks sebagai satu persatuan yang unggul. Nasir mengatakan pemikiran kita sering tidak menghiraukan nilai dan keperluan spritual dan pendekatan saintifik dalam membuat interpritasi visual. Minda kita sering tertarik akan tarikan ketepatan yang ada dalam sains matematik yang bersifat ‘abstrak’ terhadap doktrin keEsaan yang terletak pada aturan sistem alam, dimana ia mempercirikan keseragaman yang memberi penghormatan pada masa dan ruang. Ianya adalah penerokaan fizikal alam yang berbeza daripada sifat keindividuan yang memerlukannya dan mencipta ruang kondusif sebagai renungan dan meditasi dengan menggunakan bentukan geometrik,

Dalam pendekatan metodologi pula Nasir memokuskan kepada 2 pendekatan pertama teori sistem kehidupan dan teori etiologi iaitu pengkajian bagaimana sesuatu itu terjadi, dalam hubungannya dengan matematik dan disiplin yang lain. (perkataan yang biasanya banyak digunakan dalam bidang perubatan dan teori falsafah, dimana ia digunakan khusus untuk merujuk pengkajian bagaimana sesuatu perkara itu berlaku, atau malahan alasan yang terhasil disebalik keberlakuan sesuatu, dan dalam penggunaannya dalam bidang falsafah, fizik, psikologi, pemerintahan, perubatan, teologi dan biologi ia merujuk kepada sebab penyebab terjadinya pelbagai fenomena. Secara dasarnya metodologi ini timbul atau berlaku daripada mekanisma pembuatan tenunan tradisional dengan menggunakan aturan dan sistem pengiraan sebagai ekspressi artistik. Ianya adalah kesinambungan daripada antropologi visual yang bersifat mistik yakni transformasi sistem kehidupan kepada dunia digit dalam konteks epistimologi visual dan maksud. Dalam kata lain, proses ini adalah adaptasi daripada representasi kebudayaan serantau, terutamanya dalam teknologi tenunan seni halus dalam praktis kontemporari. Proses tenunan ini diadaptasikan dalam kata bagaimana proses lapisan itu dibina, yang mana setiap satu unit dibuat perkiraan. Metodologi kedua beliau merujuk kepada seni bina Mario Botta, dimana perancangan dalaman dibangunkan dengan grid dan menyarankan lapisan kerataan, Dalam perihal ini, ukuran asas digunakan. Cara pengukuran dibina daripada ciri-ciri yang dibentuk daripada digit angka dan garisan empat segi, kemungkinan yang terhasil daripada bentuk bulatan dan segiempat bujur. Karakter garisan jika diamati adalah suatu yang wujud dapat dirasakan dan disentuh atau apa yang disebut ‘permukaan tampak’ bertindak sebagai pemetaan dan menghasilkan illusi. Tujuannya bukanlah untuk membentuk permukaan sebagai permukaan itu sendiri, tetapi permukaan itu adalah dimunculkan dan diambil alih sebagai ‘objek tampak’ melalui lapisan rupa dan grid. ‘Permukaan garisan’ itu adalah gelombang bukan sahaja ciri-ciri yang merubah namun adalah satu eksplorasi terhadap pencarian yang lebih spesifik kepada alam dan perubahan didalamnya.

EXHIBITON

Nasir memisalkan kita semua adalah ‘sistem terbuka’ sebagai hidupan organisma atau kumpulan organisma yang hidup. Mengajak kita berfikir seketika tentang kecelaruan kreativiti dan aturan tindakbalas kebiasaannya pula adalah kespontanan timbul daripada suatu yang dilihat berada didalam kecelaruan yang lain pula. Beliau mengatakan impak peranan seseorang artis itu amatlah besar dan jika kecelaruan yang memainkan peranan dalam memunculkan aturan (karya), sebagai artis menurutnya kita boleh bermula dengan melihat apa yang dikatakan sebagai konteks kecelaruan itu sebagai permasalahan artistik dalam satu pandangan yang baru. Sebaliknya tambahnya lagi dalam melihat kecelaruan, kita boleh bermula dengan memerhatikan bagaimana ianya menjadi lebih teratur dan melihat corak alam sebagai asas kepada penyelesaian masalah. Untuk kearah itu mungkin boleh dilakukan dengan mengenali dan pengkaryaan mengikut aliran alam dalam memunculkannya dan melihat sebarang penyelesaian yang kita cipta itu boleh membuka penyelesaian baru pulaterutamanya dalam aturan sistem yang sukar difahami lagi merumitkan dan tingkah laku manusia sememangnya tidak dilatih untuk melihat atau memungkinkan sesuatu itudalam memahaminya.

REVIEW

dan bahan semulajadi. Maksud beliau disini adalah untuk memperlihatkan kepada kita dengan lebih dalam dan lebih tenang hubungannya dengan kita. Sehubungan dengan itu dalam sistem teori kehidupan, ianya menjelaskan kehidupan di alam ini cenderung untuk mengatur setiap tahap kerumitan dalam jaringan, corak dan struktur yang muncul terbit kelihatan kacau yang tanpa kebebasan dan arah. Kefahaman terhadapnya akan membabitkan pemikiran setiap tahap dan kepada keseluruhan sistem kehidupan organisma dan tingkah laku manusia.

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Dari Satu Kewujudan’, Campuran, 135 x 152 cm, 1984

Dari segi penganalisaan pengkajian Nasir ini, ia memperlihatkan alam semulajadi dan sistem kehidupan adalah dibina berdasarkan perhitungan yang abstrak dan penghasilan ilmu pengetahuan sebagai fenomena visual atau objek. Terhasil daripada teori etiologi (iaitu bagaimana sesuatu perkara itu berlaku) yang mana ‘objek sejarah’ itu timbul, (dalam bahasa visual, misalnya seperti bentuk dalam garisan) diambil sebagai komponen pembentukan ‘neurosis’. Pendekatan psikologi ada pengkajian terhadap kegelisahan manusia dan keanehan, imaginasi dan realiti dan fenomena antara sedar dan tidak sedar. Oleh yang demikian analisis ini menyatakan bahawa proses alam dan sistem kehidupan adalah mempunyai sistem yang menstrukturkannya, mempunyai abstraksi alamiah yang merubah asas pengetahuan dan aturan kewujudan semua fenomena visual dan penciptaan manusia. Apa yang ditemui dalam penemuanini kata beliau lagiini adalah berdasarkan proses sistem alam semulajadi dan manusia, yang di bangunkan daripada pembentukan baru interpritasi. Apabila pembentukan ini telah dibentuk, ianya bukan lagi merupakan proses pengembangan yang berkenaan dengan sejarah, namun lebih kepada proses pengulangan yakni dimana idea daripada pengulangan itu menitiberatkan pembentukan keesaan dan subjek ‘penting’. Bagi beliau ia lebih terfokus dan ‘tidak tetap’.Ianya bukan berkenaan dengan ubah dan gerak, dimana prosesnya bersifat sejarah, tetapi ia lebih kepada pengulangan dan bergerak. Pada Nasir alam pengulangan adalah

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Self Scripture’, Kayu, Tali dan Photo 168 x 160 cm, 1994

14 mempraktikkan penggayaan seni formalis namun beliau telah membuka satu lagi lapangan yang jarang-jarang diterokai oleh artis disini seterusnya memberi sumbangan besar dalam memperkayakan falsafah seni halus di rantau ini dan ‘membetulkan niat’ artis kita dalam pembuatan seni (art making) mereka agar tidak melihat nilainya dari aspek komersialisasi sahaja. Kebanyakan karya Nasir termasuklah karya ‘Baca dan Lihat’ini sebenarnya menyarankan idea, setiap petakan karya ini adalah istilah-istilah semacam ditandakan (konsep), kod-kod, ikonikon dan indeks. Pengkaryaannya tidak berminat untuk menengahkan isu atau pengkaryaan yang bersifat memori historikal, karyanya membawa kederiaan kita ke dalam merenung kembali penciptaan seni itu sendiri sebagai apa yang dikatakan sebagai ‘sains imperialistik’ iaitu ilmu sains yang dapat diterapkan dan dipergunakan untuk berbagai bidang kehidupan yang lain sebagai ‘tanda’ memahami media massa, budaya popular, dan kehidupan seharian dengan lebih baik dan lebih bermakna.

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Portrait of a Line’, Campuran, 168 x160 cm, 2008 (Koleksi Shalini Ganendra Fine Art)

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Visual Independent’ , Campuran, 122 x 122 cm, 1995

merupakan konsep perubahan itu sendiri, dan ia merupakan satu kepercayaan kearah satu struktur dimana pembentukannya berasal daripada sesuatu kemunculan terhadap apa yang diniatkan. Ianya berkenaan ‘sesuatu’ dan mistikal sifatnya. Samada pembentukannya berasal khusus daripada bentuk digit angka atau bentuk ukuran, sebagai skema dan dimensi, semuanya adalah objek pemetaan itu sendiri. Dalam kata lain, ianya adalah pembentukan matriks pengetahuan sebagai ‘asas kepada pengetahuan’ Hasilnya penerapan pengkaryaan jelas Nasir dihasilkan dengan menggunakan unit asas sistem pengiraan dalam membentuk imej pada bentuk empat segi kepada empat segi. Segi empat bereaksi sebagai latar depan dan ruang fizikal 2 dimensi yang tersirat. Refleksi daripada pembentukan yang boleh di rasa dan di sentuh ianya akan menghasilkan cadangan imej yang kosong dan kerataan pada pengulangan dalam pembentukannya. Tindak balas aktiviti pengulangan adalah sebagai pengucapan semula secara visual terhadap masa dan ruang dalam aturan membentuk logik pada komposisi terhadap fizikalnya. Daripada formula visual ini ia diharap untuk

Rujukan Arthur Asa Berger, Tandatanda dalam Kebudayaan Kontemporer, Pt Tiara Wacana Yogja, Yogjakarta, 2000. Harun Abdullah Coombes ,The Islamic Spirit: Social Oreintation in Contemporary Malaysia Art,dalam ‘Art & Spirituality’, Balai Seni Lukis Negara, 1995

Nasir Baharuddin, ‘Dot On Dot’, Campuran, 152 x 168 cm, 2008 (Koleksi Shalini Ganendra Fine Art)

menyarankan metodologi baru dalam pembentukan sesuatu itu dengan melihat aturan alam dan sistem kehidupan sebagai unit objek dan kewujudan penciptaan. Kesimpulan

Nasir Baharuddin, Artist Statement dalam www. visualcrackers. blogspot.com

Walaupun apa yang dibawa oleh Nasir agak ‘berat’ yang boleh dikelaskan dalam kategori heavyweight untuk dimengertikan, sebenarnya ia memerlukan ‘pemBACAan’ dan ‘pengLIHATan’ yang mendalam terutamanya kepada mereka yang

N A T A W JA

G N O S KO

Jangkamasa dan jadual kontrak adalah pada bulan Februari - April 2011 / Mei - Julai 2011 / Ogos - Oktober 2011 / Setiap hari Sabtu dan Ahad [Kecuali hari cuti awam]

Bayaran Tenaga Pengajar : RM 800 sebulan / 2 jam sehari Sabtu & Ahad

Kertas cadangan bahan pengajaran mestilah merangkumi : Pengenalan dan asas sejarah seni Pengetahuan dalam sejarah pelukis dan penggiat seni dalam module pengajaran. Mempunyai tajuk, tujuan dan objektif, hasil akhir pembelajaran serta rujukan yang jelas dan fokus Tenaga pengajar bertanggungjawab menyediakan bahan pengajaran kepada pelajar untuk setiap sesi.

AR PENGAJ ENDIDIKAN A G A N E P UNTUK T JARINGAN DAN N

BAHAGIA

LAMA 3

AK SE [KONTR

BULAN]

Syarat-syarat tenaga pengajar : Mempunyai sijil-sijil yang berkaitan dalam bidang seni atau menceburi bidang seni tidak kurang daripada 3 tahun. Berpengalaman sebagai tenaga pengajar untuk kanak-kanak berumur 7-12 tahun, remaja berumur 13-17 tahun dan golongan orang kurang upaya (OKU). Bersikap tanggungjawab, berdikari dan berdedikasi.

Sijil-sijil yang berkaitan, kertas kerja dan biodata lengkap tenaga pengajar boleh dihantar kepada : Bahagian Jaringan dan Pendidikan Balai Seni Lukis Negara, No. 2, Jalan Temerloh, Off Jalan Tun Razak, 53200 Kuala Lumpur [u.p Encik Mohd. Razmi Ab Rashid] Atau email : razmi@artgallery.gov.my Pertanyaan selanjutnya : 03 4026 7000 Tarikh akhir penghantaran permohonan adalah selewat - lewatnya 28 Januari 2011

Rantai

Art adalah satu organisasi seni yang tidak berasaskan keuntungan bagi menggalakkan penyertaan orang ramai terhadap seni. Rantai Art mewujudkan satu tempat awam bagi meluahkan ekspresi medium dan berkongsi karya seni dimana ianya dapat memberi faedah kepada orang ramai. Rantai Art dicipta melalui rangkaian pereka-pereka muda, artists, ahli muzik, pelajar, tech geeks alike yang datang dari pelbagai latar belakang. Ini adalah satu platform bagi mempamerkan bakat-bakat muda seperti ini dalam menonjolkan seni moden agar dihargai dan ini adalah apa Rantai Art maksudkan. Bagaimana ia bermula…. Organisasi ini bermula pada tahun 2006 dimana pada awalnya mereka cuba mendapatkan maklumat melalui laman web dan rangkaian sosial untuk mereka berkongsi mengenai keghairahan seni bersama. Oleh yang demikian, mereka memutuskan untuk menubuhkan satu festival seni yang merangkumi seni persembahan, seni fotografi, seni kontemporari, seni arca, seni filem dan puisi. Rantai Art mendapat sambutan hangat pada Disember 2006 apabila acara pertama mereka telah mendapat perhatian umum. Dengan jangkaan yang besar, festival seni ini telah menjadi acara seni tahunan sehingga hari ini. FESTIVAL RANTAI ART 2010 | GRAVITY Bagi tahun 2010 dengan tema GRAVITY, ia berasaskan lokasi festival iaitu komuniti ini telah memilih Balai Seni Lukis Negara (BSLN) sebagai lokasi yang strategik. Ini kerana BSLN merupakan pusat tarikan seni dan kegiatan seni di sekitar ibu kota. Berpandukan tema ini juga, ia cuba menyatukan beberapa jenis hasil karya untuk di pamerkan selain persembahan pembacaan puisi, muzik, akustik, bengkel penceritaan, bengkel fotografi, lomografi dan banyak lagi aktiviti seni yang lain. Antara nama yang terlibat mengadakan bengkel pada festival kali ini ialah seperti Sue Anna Joe, Lomokids, Komuniti Frinjan, The QUMS Actors dan ramai lagi. Komuniti ini juga cuba menarik minat orang ramai dan generasi muda untuk mendekati seni. Idea dari proses penyatuan rakyat dan seni, maka pada kali ini Rantai Art telah menganjurkan Rantai Art Festival 2010|GRAVITY. Festival Rantai Art 2010 ini telah berlangsung selama seminggu bermula 20 hingga 26 Disember 2010. Buat julung kalinya Rantai.Art pada kali ini dikira amat berjaya kerana sejak dimulakan pada 2006, kini setelah 5 tahun ia masih kekal utuh tanpa ada sebarang fasa ‘hibernasi’. Seramai hampir 1000 pengunjung yang hadir sepanjang festival ini berlangsung. Selain persembahan yang menampilkan anak-anak muda yang berbakat, festival ini tidak akan meriah jika tiada aktiviti jualan seperti ‘flea market’ di Anjung Aras 1, BSLN. Sebanyak 34 gerai jualan telah dibuka bagi memeriahkan festival ini. Antara yang terlibat adalah Airplane Systm Malaysia, Pepatun Artwork, ChiickyFox™ , Giffy, Reportfolio Republic Studio, LocoLove, Handmade Item Shifa Mahmud, Modish Mode House, Pieces Of Key, Sparknique, 84cube, Hippietized yang menampilkan pelbagai jualan aksesori, muzik, cupcake termasuk pakaian berjenama.

www.rantai-art.blogspot.com

RANTAI ART l Wan Faizun Zaffran

crowds at the Summit

INDIA ART SUMMIT

Ketna Patel - painted Tata Nano car, part of ‘Stop! Indians ahead’ art project

January

20th to 23rd 2011 saw the third edition of the India Art Summit™ underway in Delhi, India. The country’s first and largest modern and contemporary art fair in India, it is the focus of much discussion because of the responsibilities automatically thrust on it – those of projecting a pan-Indian artistic position within the international circuit of art fairs, providing a neutral platform for the mingling of artists, collectors and gallerists, also creating a setting for the theorizing of a contemporary Indian art history. The fair itself has grown immensely from the previous edition in 2009, when the mood was still wary in the aftermath of the economic downturn. This year saw 84 galleries from 20 countries participating in the show, presenting the work of more than 500 artists. Structured booths arranged in a large quadrangle housed myriad works – paintings, photographs, sculptures, mixed media installations, and prints – generating diverse and distinct reactions amongst the viewers, as is the case when such a variety is available. Besides the main hall of booths, there was an open air sculpture park with large three-dimensional works, a video lounge presenting the work of international video artists, and several simultaneous

- A REPORT

art initiatives developed by individuals or groups that were meant to bring about an interactive engagement between the art works and the public. These took various forms, from a live blog ‘Project Feedstation’ by artist Abhishek Hazra and Foundation of Indian Contemporary Art (FICA) that published an ongoing commentary on the Summit, to a live street art project by contemporary French artists L’Atlas and Tanc supported by Alliance Francaise de Delhi. There were more than forty art and art history students interning with the participating galleries and the Summit management working on a range of interactive art walks and also helping visitors to navigate the displays and spaces. The Speakers forum was also one of the larger attractions, with the inclusion of internationally acclaimed speakers including Anish Kapoor (Artist), Hans Ulrich Obrist (CoDirector of the Serpentine Gallery, London), Homi Bhabha (Director of the Humanities Centre, Harvard University), Sheena Wagstaff (Chief Curator, Tate Modern), Urs Stahel (Director and curator of Fotomuseum, Winterthur), Hou Honru (Director of Exhibitions and Public Programmes, San Francisco Art Institute) and established Indian art historians, curators, art practitioners, gallery directors, critics and cultural theoreticians – among them Geeta Kapur, Saryu Doshi, Jyotindra Jain, Ranjit Hoskote and Peter Nagy. The panel discussions touched upon a range of subjects, from the making of Indian modern and contemporary art and its presence on the international art circuit; infrastructure building and art policy; arts and philanthropy; the changing roles of curators; art collecting; and dialogues with various artists on the challenges and perks of art making and its reception.

l Lina Vincent Sunish 2011

All images courtesy of AISHWARYAN. K.

Subodh Gupta - view of work at Summit entrance

The Summit draws artists, students, gallerists, patrons and the general public (many firsttimers) in large numbers, not only from Delhi but from all over the length and breadth of India. It is perhaps the one event that allows for the viewing of a rough historical progression of Indian art, with representations of art from several generations of artists both late and practicing. It brings together all mediums, conventional as well as experimental and allows all these to be viewed outside the confines of the gallery spaces. The inclusion of galleries exhibiting contemporary western art allows for parallel studies to be made in the growing global art scenario. The art market in India is geographically centered, with the political and economic capitals of Delhi and Mumbai functioning as locus points. These cities have the best infrastructure to support the network of art makers, displayers, purveyors and buyers of work in terms of the primary and secondary markets and access to foreign markets. The Summit allows gives primary access to galleries and artists from smaller peripheral cities from the south or north east and is also becoming a model on which smaller fairs are being planned. The brainchild of Ms. Neha Kirpal, who has over 8 years of experience in the creative industries, art marketing and management, the Summit is expected to become a onestop destination for Indian art globally.“… It has catapulted India to be the epicenter of the burgeoning Asian Modern and Contemporary art..” she says. What the Summit has succeeded most in doing is unifying the varied and individually operating sectors of the Indian art world, (be it academic, commercial, or practice oriented), and producing an atmosphere conducive to a creative dialogue that succeeds in bringing art closer to a viewing public. Lina Vincent Sunish 2011 lina.sunish@gmail.com

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LINA VINCENT SUNISH

General display

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My work experience has included numerous part time jobs and consultancies in illustration, design, teaching, research and curation. I have taken active part in all other projects undertaken by both Jackfruit and A.R.T. From May 2007 to January 2008 I handled all Jackfruit and A.R.T projects in Mumbai, as I was residing there. I write for Art & Deal, Contemporary Art Journal Mumbai, and am regional editor for Art Fair magazine. ‘Art Walk’ was my column in a Bangalore weekly ‘Bangalore Bias’ between 2006 – 2007. My writing has been published online in www. mattersofart.com; www.citizenmatters.net; I have an ongoing paper titled ‘Printmaking in South India’ which I intend to convert into an exhibition and workshop. I have traveled through India, the United Arab Emirates and Italy, and am an active Rotarian.

Gigi Scaria - work in Sculpture park

Mansoor Ali, ‘Dance of Democracy ll’, sculpture park

18TH ANNUAL

FREEMAN FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR ASIAN ARTISTS Sponsored by the Freeman Foundation, ten fellowship awards for mid-career artists from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. [facebook] [twitter] [wordpress] [youtube] April-1-2011 deadline

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THE 14TH ASIAN ART BIENNALE BANGLADESH 2010 l Tan Seihon and Yap Saubin

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“That which fails to illuminate the intellect, and only keeps it in the obsession of some delusion, is its greatest obstacle.” ___________________________________________ As there was only one flight from K.L to Dhaka departing at 10.30pm daily, we arrived in the wee hours of the morning. Our tired looking guide was obviously not pleased. He had also waited for us the day before, due to some misunderstanding with different time zones which one must admit, the fault was not his! We left the airport greeted by armies’ mostly of old vehicles, ‘classic’ cars and rickshaws, with their incessant honking and jostling for space in the already tightly crammed roads. The scene reminded one of the streets of New Delhi, India almost 10 years ago. It was a trip down memory lane for seihon. Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh gave first time visitors the impression that it’s a tough place to live. For the duration of our stay, we were bombarded daily with news coverage of political strife, economic disparities and social conflicts. The murder of a union leader by thugs during a political procession, partly caught on tape was also aired repeatedly over the news. The weather didn’t help as it was pouring for days resulting in parts of the capital incapacitated with floods and traffic jams. When it’s not raining, the weather is very much similar to Malaysia or K.L in particular on any other day. Among the most populous nation in the world, there were the usual gap between the ‘filthy’ rich and ‘dirt’ poor, the desperation and apathy in the always busy streets, the reckless flouting of traffic rules but solemn observation of public functions etc. Lest we be taken by the ‘3rd-world country’ impression painted, Bangladesh through India, was the spiritual birth land that gave the world the great Bengali poet and patriot Rabindranath Tagore (18611941)who was also the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel prized for literature in 1913. Bangladesh was the little David, who fought and triumphed over their goliath of a neighbor Pakistan, in the brutal Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, losing a whole generation of their intelligentsias, professionals as well as civilians, martyred on their path to independence. Bangladesh

is also the epitome of religious tolerance and acceptance, where four main religions of their populations are observed and celebrated side by side in official functions. In short, Bangladesh, as a relatively ‘young’ country with the deep trauma of struggle and loss still fresh in their collective memories is a country in a dynamic state of flux and discrepancies, which brings us to the biennale. “I do not put my faith in institutions, but in individuals all over the world who think clearly, feel nobly and act rightly. They are the channels of moral truth.” ___________________________________________

Organized by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, with strong official support and involvement (the heavily secured event was launched by the Prime Minister, Madam Sheikh Hasina) the Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh, now in its 14th year, elicits pertinent questions and provokes strong reactions that were mostly expressed privately. There were the disproportionate quality of works submitted, the weak curatorial aspect or the lack of it, the layout of the exhibition space and the overall direction. Since its inception back in 1981, the biennale was considered an important and fledging platform for many Asian countries to showcase their best. It was a source of pride to be able to participate and exhibit along other Asian giants in staking a claim in contributing to the modernity project through the visual arts and Malaysia had participated in almost every biennale held in Bangladesh. A short list of Malaysian artists who’ve in the past participated were Zainal Othman, Choong Kam Kaw, Kok Yew Puah, Ponirin Amin, Ismail Abdul Latiff, Abdul Latiff Mohidin, Lee Kian Seng, Long Thien Shih, Sulaiman Haji Esa, Anuar Rashid, Syed Tajudeen, Chia Yu Chian, Yusof Ghani, Awang Damit Ahmad, Loo Foh Sang, Juhari Said, Sharifah Fatimah Syed Zubir and numerous others. Though last year it received many participation, the biennale was unable to attract or appeal to more progressive local visual artists and foreign ones judging from the numerous mediocre works on displayed.

A visitor taking a closer view at one of the winning pieces of artworks by a Bangladeshi artist...

Some of the photo-realist paintings submitted by the South Korean representatives for this exhibition...

The Japanese, South Koreans and a handful of video art with installations by Bangladeshis and others were the saving grace. The chief reason for both of our attendance there was the seminar entitled ‘Contemporary Asian Art: New Realities, New Space’. There were the usual country presentation about each other’s art scene, some research papers etc. It could have been more engaging if the audiences were made up more of art academicians, critics and students instead of mostly foreign participating artists who were impatient to visit galleries, studios as well as other touristy activities! (The Japanese artists and their compatriots did not even bother to join any of the activites and gatherings that were part of the schedule) Aside from the usual accolades and the overtly optimistic forecast of the future of Asian art, particularly Indian Contemporary Art by mostly gallerists, there were no critical dialogue and feedback regarding pressing issues such as challenges to the definition,

Wakirul Rahman, Bangladeshi artist who is based in Berlin and friend at the Dhaka Art Center.

circumstance, was not forth coming. Could this be due to the tight schedule and also the language barrier? Perhaps. All this though have not escaped the more critical and globalised eyes of the younger generation of Bangladeshi artists. A handful of them, now our new acquaintances, observed that institutional involvement had a regressive effect. The whole event was seen to be dominated by officials and administrators (propagating nationalistic narratives through the arts) even senior artists and activists (with their insecure need to preserve their so-called legacy as founders and early supporters of the biennale) which was believed to have over the years contributed to the decline of the biennale, becoming less dynamic, safe and predictable and probably led to its inability to draw serious participation from around the region and beyond. According to them, there was indeed a need to honestly relook or, to stipulate now and again what are the contemporary art practices in Asia, and how Bangladesh’s Asian Art Biennale can play an effective and decisive role in the future and

The outcome of our visit and participation had been most interesting and definitely an eye opener. It had not only widened the horizon of our perspectives in these areas but also raised critical questions in relation to Malaysia’s own modern art practices and institutional impingement (through policies) in regulating the areas of art and culture. For some developing countries, official support is pivotal in developing the art scene and industry, while others may prefer a laissezfaire approach. The many participants whom we’ve spoken to at length have differing opinions about approaches and solutions to the obstacles back in their country in regards to the issue of art etc, but one thing that all agreed was the need to be proactive in working towards the betterment of their art scene and support for their artists.

Participants of the biennale from the Asian, South-East Asia and the MiddleEastern region...

This is the challenge facing the younger generation of visual artists and the art community at large and it will be interesting to see how they will respond, react or engage to such circumstances in time to come. ___________________________________________

Indonesian painter Deddy Paw infront of his work..

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”

19 The works of three Malaysian visual artists were specially selected by the National Art Gallery to take part in the 14th Asian Art Biennale. Their works were chosen based on their excellent track record and their commitment to their art.

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Interesting questions such as how far the role of ethnicity, traditional and contemporary culture and politics had conveniently made modern art ‘Asian’ (what makes Asian Art ‘Asian’?) or vice versa and is this strategy still relevant or even exciting in today’s

not just another outlet for nationalistic pride. Looking back at the history of modern Bangladesh, the significance given to its modern art event is interesting. The idea of art serving a social – political function is evident when a newly liberated country leads, organizes and participate in an art event such as the Asian Art biennale. We wondered, were our senior artists who participated in the past impressed by the perceived high regard the Bangladeshi government had for the arts as important vehicles to disseminate nationalism? Were they inspired to proceed in such a direction and in favor for the nationalizing our modern arts or instead opted for the modernization of our national arts? On the other hand, has the impact and consequences of official and institutional involvement been studied and compared with other biennales and triennales organized by other countries around the world?

Chang Yoong Chia, ‘One Day…..’ Oil on Ceramic plates, 15.5cm x 15.5cm x 2cm (x5), 2006

Born in 1975 in Kuala Lumpur, Chang Yoong Chia is a full-time artist living and working in Kuala Lumpur. A diploma graduate from the Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA), majoring in painting (1993-1996) Chang Yoong Chia consistently produces works that pushes the boundaries of formal art discipline and definition. He has been involved with numerous art exhibitions and projects in the country and abroad. He is known for his unconventional use of materials and subject matter. His works sometimes falls under the Magic Surrealism category, but Yoong Chia has successfully eluded being pigeon-holed in any single art category or genre. For more information, please visit www.changyoongchia.net

Aznan Bin Omar, ‘Ikan Tongkol (Tongkol Fish)’ Aluminum and wood, 72 x 62 x 30 cm, 2010

Born in 1973 in Alor Setar, Kedah, Aznan Omar received his formal art education majoring in sculpture from the MARA Institute of Technology (1992-95). He went to complete his MA studies in Art as Environment at the Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester (2008). An active participant in many group exhibitions and winner of numerous awards, Aznan’s sculpture works are witty expressions of sharp observations that works as a commentary on the socio-political situation of the country. He is presently a lecturer at the Fine Art Department at UiTM Seri Iskandar, Perak. For more information about the artist, please visit http://aznan-omar.blogspot.com

(All quotes by Rabindranath Tagore)

The memorial built to honor the fallen patriots of the liberation war of 1971.

Haslin Bin Ismail, ‘A Portrait of Radiance’ Altered book, 17.7 x 11 x 2 cm, 2010

Hailing from Muar, Johor, Haslin bin Ismail was born in 1984 and completed his undergraduate studies in Fine Art from the Universiti Teknologi MARA (2005-2007), Selangor. He is a full-time artist working in various mediums and produces works that are contemporary in style and content. A versatile artist, Haslin’s works are known for their meticulous details, psychoplogical underpinnings and bold imageries that both challenging and astounds. He recently won the Young Contemporary Awards, organized by the National Art Gallery Malaysia. He can be reached at jiwapanas04@yahoo.com

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content, context and practices of Asian contemporary art today in relations to the title of the seminar.

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JEGANATHAN RAMACHANDRAM AND SYMBOLS-HOUSE OF NATURAL ART.

KANNATHASAN THANAPAL INTERVIEWS THE MAN BEHIND THE ARTIST AND HIS WORKS

(Kannathasan) What made you chose the path of an artist as a career? (Jeganathan Ramachandram) My father was a musician and my initial love for the arts started with music and later street theatre which was staged by my elder brother and his students. I have always been interested in observing people and after school I started doing portraits of friends, family members and Indian film stars as a hobby. Funnily, it never struck me that I too, could be an artist one day. Just like many other teenagers of my age, I tried out for other jobs. I had gone for an interview for a partime sales assistant job in the then Anthonian Bookstore, while waiting for my MCE results. During the interview the manager asked me a simple sales calculation. I went blank and I couldn’t answer! Failing the interview and feeling lost, I was taking a walk near Lebuh Ampang when I chanced upon a signboard, “Art Exhibition by Artist Chandran”.

There is one distinctive feature though, that is very unique in Indian Art. If you just paint, you would be called a painter! Only one who has an understanding in music, philosophy and the visual arts is seen as a wholesome artist. (K) When you started your career as a young artist back in Malaysia, did you have any message and particular audience in mind that you wished to addressed through your work? (JR) It was very difficult then to be a fulltime artist and after just a year of struggling to survive, I rejoined New Straits Times in 1985 and continued my passion in my free time until I left to start my own art studio. I have always been interested in the Indian community and did works that expressed the social and religious perspectives that I believed would create awareness and unity among people. (K) What are the challenges/ obstacles an artist will face and what advice do you have for them?

That changed everything, I walked in and seeing the works, a strange confidence set in, that I could also draw and started drawing portraits and scenaries. It was the job opportunity as an illustrator in Preston Publishers that gave me the first tag, Artist! Soon I was painting and doing little commission works. It’s the acceptance from the local art field which made me believe that I could take up art as a career.

(JR) Obstacles and challenges are the very rudiments in the journey of an emerging artist. How else are you going to express yourself when everything is easy and comfortable? You would see great art coming from nations which went through many crises. To me an artist is a “recorder of time” and the art community should work towards building a strong cultural pillar that would help in the nation’s development.

(K) Which local and foreign artist inspired you and perhaps even influenced your works?

(K) Why aren’t there many Malaysian Indians involved in the visual arts?

(JR) I had a thing for Latiff Mohidin’s works and have been a great lover of Haji Omar Rahmat’s calligraphy, Loong Shee Seng’s illustration and “Jeri”Ahmad Azhari’s “Popart”! Omar Rahmat’s patience greatly influenced me and Loong’s fine illustrations were a great learning for me. Jeri on the other hand influenced me greatly with his “thinking out of the box” style. Though we were all then working in the graphic section of The New Straits Times, it was more like a fine art department where we were exploring various styles.

(JR) Though the Indian civilisation was at its peak in India, the Indians who came to Malaysia were the working class Indians. They brought along bits and pieces of the performing arts to entertain themselves and were contented placing the arts as merely a relaxation tool. This habitual practice stayed long and a career in Art was something the parents could never hear from their children. The best of the Indian community are doctors, engineers, lawyers and accountants.

As for the foreign artists, Marc Chagal is my favourite! I like his symbolism and the dreamy state that he presents his subjects. In India, I copied the style of many masters and was greatly inspired by M.F.Hussain, the Cholamandal artists and traditional Indian sculptures. (K) You studied visual arts in India, could you share with us the experience there and what is so distinctive about Indian Art? (JR) I had gone to India to join in an art college but just after two months I decided to become an apprentice under a master sculptor instead. I wanted to learn the Indian way. This form of learning which is also known as “Gurukulam” allowed me to get closer to the master and soon I stayed with his family. It was a great experience. There was no formal learning here and I was even given free food and lodging. It was more of an apprenticeship. I studied granite sculpturing under master sculptor Thangavel Achari, wood carving from Munusamy Achari and traditional painting from Babu Surender. I also took up music lessons under Vidvan Arjunan and was also exposed to the different ideologies in different religious beliefs which helped me understand and appreciate the sciences that produced arts of different cultures. I also spent a lot of my time in art museums, libraries and performing theatres.

(K) You received the Juror’s choice award in the Young Contemporary Awards competition in 2002 for the work entitled “Fall Out in the Garden Of Life” (1998) which is now part of the National Art Gallery’s permanent collection. What was the concept behind that painting?

But things have changed now. More and more Indians are coming into the art scene and just recently we showcased 19 Indian artists for the first time. (K) What is the concept and intention behind Symbols-House of Natural Art? (JR) I started this space in 2004 after noting that there were very few Indian artists in the art scene. I knew art has a way of moulding a community and to do my bit, I started the Symbols House of Natural Art. Though many people have mistaken it to be a gallery space, the very intention is to have a studio space for Malaysian Indians of all walks of life to experience an art atmosphere. In 2009, we started Symbols Art Club which had two art exhibitions to date, numerous outdoor art sessions and workshops. With 25 members, this club’s main focus is to create awareness particularly among the Malaysian Indian Art Community. (K) The strong aspects of Hindu spirituality in your works are undeniable. Can you comment on this? (JR) Art is an expression of the inner self, an expression that has come with years of believing a certain practical ideology. I have learnt to believe that there is a unity beyond the skin, a borderless perception and a freedom which is so complete in the spiritual context. It is always inspiring to see a Malay artist’s works inclined towards the Malay culture and religion, the Chinese engrossed in painting about their community and being a Hindu by birth it is only natural that I project spirituality from the Hindu perspective.

(JR) I still think that the work was a little bit misunderstood as the symbolic representation which I had applied, gave an impression to many that I was drawing an Indian Goddess and religious symbols. As much as I feel, there is nothing wrong in drawing an Indian goddess; though that was not the case in that particular work. The actual story behind the painting is a theatrical representation of mother Earth and anti-nature! It was the dance portrayal of Mother Nature protecting and defending her children while stopping the ‘antinature man’ from creating further destruction. (K) Any thoughts, comments or suggestions about the future of Malaysian art? (JR) Installation art, the interactive medium of the present era is now sweeping the world and is slowly seeping into the Malaysian Art scene. Emerging artists should take this seriously and evolve out of the “painting box” and see art with a thinker’s cap. An installation artist is needed to play many roles unlike a painter who is placing forms into a canvas. The role of installation art demands that the artist is also a writer, painter, sculptor, musician and many more. His ultimate work must communicate, make people feel and allow them to respond to it. I was recently at a show in the National Art Gallery where 30 artists had displayed their installation skills. My only concern is Installation art of the present and future should happen intelligently natural and artists should have very minimal limitations. I coined the term ‘intelligently natural’ as installation is various ideas put together and without the apt knowledge and skills, one would find it difficult to completely immerse in it. There is plenty of room for improvement, considering that it’s just the start of the era which I’m sure we can overcome in time. It is my opinion that interactive art has come to stay and we have to evolve out of beautiful pictures and move ahead to take our country into the International art scene! For more information about Jeganathan Ramachandram and Symbols-House of Natural Art, please visit : jegaramachandram@blogspot.com

ABILYMPICS Pihak Majlis Pemulihan Malaysia telah bekerjasama dengan Balai Seni Lukis Negara dalam menganjurkan Pertandingan Abilympics (berasal daripada perkataan ‘Olympic of Abilities’) merupakan pertandingan kemahiran vokasional dan leisure skills bagi golongan OKU kategori lukisan. Tajuk lukisan/ karya (mengikut yang ditetapkan oleh pihak penganjur 8th International Abilympics) ialah ‘Flowers and Passion’ yang telah diadakan pada 29 Januari 2010 di Lobi Balai Seni Lukis Negara. Penyertaan pertandingan adalah terbuka kepada semua Orang Kurang Upaya, dan pemenang tempat pertama berpeluang mewakili negara ke Korea Selatan.

BSLN SANA SINI BAKAT MUDA SEZAMAN 2010 Bakat Muda Sezaman (BMS) atau the Young Contemporaries Awards (YCA) merupakan sebuah pertandingan seni lukis berprestij yang diperkenal dan dianjur oleh Balai Seni Lukis Negara(BSLN) sejak 1974 lagi. Pertandingan ini pada mulanya bersifat jemputan sahaja dan kemudiannya dibuka secara umum kepada semua para pelukis di Malaysia. Syabas kepada pemenang-pemenang anugerah BMS 2010 dan kepada ahli juri serta semua yang terlibat dalam menjayakan pertandingan yang bertaraf nasional ini. BSLN berharap pemenang-pemenang tahun ini akan menjadi pengkarya ternama dalam mermartabatkan seni visual negara dan ke persada antarabangsa disuatu hari nanti.

LAWATAN YB SENATOR DATUK MAGLIN DENNIS D’CRUZ,TIMBALAN MENTERI PENERANGAN, KOMUNIKASI DAN KEBUDAYAAN KE BSLN Pada 25 Januari 2011 (Selasa) Balai Seni Lukis Negara telah menerima kunjungan Lawatan di Auditorium dan galerigaleri pameran BSLN oleh YB Senator Datuk Maglin Dennis D’Cruz, Timbalan Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan ke BSLN. Lawatan ini adalah salah satu lawatan rasmi Timbalan Menteri melawat semua agensi Kementerian Penerangan Komunikasi dan kebudayaan. Turut hadir ialah Pegawai-pegawai Kanan Pejabat Timbalan Menteri.

TABUNG BANTUAN SENI Tabung Bantuan Seni (TBS) adalah satu saluran pemberian sumbangan dalam bentuk bantuan kewangan khususnya kepada penggiat seni individu dan berkumpulan yang memohon sumbangan dari jabatan ini untuk menjalankan aktiviti seni, luar dari Balai Seni Lukis Negara [BSLN]. ALAMAT SURAT MENYURAT Permohonan boleh dibuat dengan menghantar surat permohonan beserta dokumen-dokumen yang diperlukan kepada :

Ketua Pengarah Balai Seni Lukis Negara No. 2, Jalan Temerloh, Off Jalan Tun Razak 53200 Kuala Lumpur [u/p : Urusetia Tabung Bantuan Seni] T : 03 4026 7000 F : 03 4025 4987

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TRANSFORMASI PERANAN: ‘KURATIS’

EXHIBITON

REVIEW

l Faizal Sidik Redza Piyadasa

Ismail Zain

Syed Ahmad Jamal

PENGENALAN

yang penting dan berjaya dikuratorkan oleh artis yang mengambil alih peranan sebagai kurator dalam meningkatkan lagi penghayatan seni di negara ini dimana pameran mereka masih lagi diperbincangkan dan diperdebatkan sehingga ke hari ini.

Penulisan

ini adalah anjakan daripada sesi dialog topik Transformation of Roles: The Curatist (Curator Artist) di dalam Persidangan Kurator Muzium Asia ke-5 atau The 5th Asian Museum Curators’s Conference (AMCC) yang telah diadakan di dua buah negara iaitu Singapura dan Malaysia pada tahun 2009 di Rimbun Dahan. Dimoderatorkan oleh Zanita Anuar bertujuan untuk mengupas trend demikian dalam praktis pengiat seni sebegini dalam arus perubahan seni lukis semasa di negara ini.

TERMINOLOGI Siapa itu kurator dan siapa pula ‘kuratis’? Kurator secara tradisinya boleh didefinasikan sebagai pembina, pemelihara, pengurus, pengusha, pengawal dan penjaga di institusi kesenian, kebudayaan dan warisan seperti galeri, muzium, perpustakaan, dan arkib yang bertanggungjawab ke atas koleksi institusi. Biasanya objek yang dipertangungjawabkan dari segi permaknaan terma kurator ini adalah objek yang boleh dilihat dan disentuh seperti karya seni, artifak sejarah dan koleksi saintifik.

Istilah ini dicipta gabungan daripada perkataan artis dan kurator ia cuba melihat perubahan praktis terhadap fungsi seorang artis yang mengambil peranan sebagai kurator. Kelahiran artis sebagai kurator bukan sahaja sebagai mengisi kelompongan apresiasi malah ia membina dan membuka pendefinasian baru terhadap kreativiti penciptaan artistik pengiat seni sebegini.Transformasi ini berlaku kerana kebanyakan institusi pendidikan seni negara ini tidak mempunyai program sejarah seni dan falsafah seni yang khusus seterusnya menghasilkan pensejarahan seni yang menyebabkan ketidakseimbangan dari aspek praktis dan apresiasi.

Sungguhpun begitu pendefinisian ini berbeza mengikut tempat dan peranan. Di Britain dalam istilah pemuziuman kurator adalah pekerja perkhidmatan awam yang menjaga kerja-kerja kontrak arkeologi yang menjaga sumber kebudayaan sesuatu kawasan. Di Amerika Syarikat pula istilah kurator digunakan untuk jawatan ketua bahagian dan organisasi kebudayaan, dan yang terkini dengan perkembangan teknologi terkini skopnya bertambah besar peranan kurator dalam bidang pengkuratoran juga menjadi objek kajian akademik dan penyelidikan ilmiah di insitusi seni utama disana. Namun tajuk pembentangan saya ini tidak memfokuskan kepada kurator semata-mata tetapi artis sebagai kurator yang terlibat secara langsung dalam seni kontemporari dimana mereka berperanan sebagai orang yang membuat pemilihan, pembina dan penginterpritasikan pameran karya seni sezaman dimana mereka juga bertindak sebagai penerbit katalog atau buku sebagai bahan dokumentasi.

‘Kuratis’ bukan sahaja berfungsi sebagai kurator sesebuah pameran malah melebihi daripada itu, pengkuratoran yang dilakukan oleh kuratis mengambil kira daripada aspek pengarahan artistik dimana artis sebagai kurator lebih memahami apa yang hendak disampaikan kepada khalayak terutamanya dari aspek pendekatan dan rekaan persembahan pameran dan juga perancangan yang dirancang untuk mencapai tujuan utama sesebuah pameran itu dibina. Jika di kaji kebanyakan pameran-pameran yang dikuratorkan di negara kita adalah mereka yang berlatarbelakang pendidikan seni halus dimana mereka juga adalah seorang artis pameran-pameran seperti “Towards a Mystical Reality”, “Rupa dan Jiwa”, “Rupa Malaysia”, “Manifestasi Jiwa Islam”, “Seni dan Imejan” dan “Seni Elektronik Pertama” adalah antara pameran

(2) Manifesto ‘Towards a Mystical Reality’ (1972) oleh Redza Piyadasa dan Sulaiman Esa

Artis sebagai kurator atau ‘kuratis’ bukan satu idea baru, ia mempunyai tradisi yang panjang sebelum ini. Dalam perjalanan sejarah seni sebelum ini cuma tidak dibincangkan secara serius. Pada akhir abad ke-19 di Eropah terutamanya di Paris yang menjadi pusat seni dimana artis memprotes juri salon dan institusi yang konservatif pada masa itu iaitu ‘Paris Salon’ 1863 dan mereka membentuk sendiri kumpulan avant-garde iaitu Salon des Refuses atau ‘pameran karya ditolak’ untuk mempamerkan karya mereka diluar penentuan institusi seni. Pada abad ke-20 di New York, tiga puluh tahun kemudian, gerakan artist-run-centre atau pusat seni yang digerakkan oleh artis mula menjadi fenomena di seluruh dunia.

Artis sebagai kurator bukan sahaja mengkuratorkan pameran malah mereka berkemampuan menulis dan menghasilkan buku tentang seni dengan baik artis-artis seperti Joseph Kosuth, Ad Reinhardt, Frank Stella, Donald Judd, Robert Smithson dan di sini pula artis seperti Redza Piyadasa, Suleiman Esa, Syed Ahmad Jamal dan Ismail Zain adalah antara mereka dihormati terhadap sumbangan teks penulisan-penulisan dalam pameran yang dikuratorkan mereka sebelum ini. Kata-kata mereka masih relevan dan masih diguna pakai dan di petik dijadikan pembuka wacana untuk menguatkan lagi hujah bagi mendekatkan audien.

Di negara kita sejarah aktiviti pengkuratoran sesebuah pameran seni boleh dikatakan bermula secara rasmi setelah penubuhan institusi seni nasional Balai Seni Lukis Negara pada tahun 1958. Namun peranan dan sumbangan artis sebagai kurator dalam perkembangan seni lukis Malaysia mungkin tidak disedari oleh kita, mungkin juga tiada perbincangan yang khusus dalam melihat sempadan memisahkan dua peranan ini iaitu antara kurator institusi dan artis sebagai kurator. Disini saya meletakkan beberapa anjakan mengapa tranformasi ini berlaku dan bagaimana ianya berfungsi serta kesan atau impaknya terhadap perkembangan seni visual secara keseluruhannya. MENCABAR KETERBATASAN INSTITUSI KEBUDAYAAN

Hasnul Jamal Saidon

Bagi mereka yang terlibat secara langsung dalam seni kini sudah tentu tidak boleh tidak akan bergerak terhadap zaman dimana mereka berada atau apa yang dikatakan kontemporari yang mengenalpasti dan mengakui model baru, pendekatan terkini dan kecenderungan untuk melakukan perubahan terhadap praktis kuratorial. Pembentukan peranan ini boleh dikatakan berkaitan dengan menidakkan atau anti sejarah institusi yang menginginkan otonomi dan mengikut citarasa sendiri dalam berpameran dan berkreativiti. Artis sebagai kurator melihat apa yang terlepas pandang oleh kurator institusi, tujuan mereka mengkuratorkan pameran dan menulis sendiri konsep pameran mereka adalah salah satu tindak balas reaksi terhadap keterbatasan institusi seni dalam memahami kehendak-kehendak mereka ia seolah-olah mencabar had-had yang dibenarkan oleh pembuat polisi yang perlu mematuhi dengan peruntukan-peruntukan kebebasan yang dibenarkan.

Wong Hoy Cheong

“The arguments regarding curating as art, or uber-curator as ‘author’, stems, therefore from the lack of definition regarding the limits of curating, and consequently troubling the of the potentiallly unfettered power of the agency of curation. The reverse of this, the artist as curator, similarly emerges from collapse of any viable distinction betwen the work of artists and the work of curators, whilts the professional and institutional distinction between them remains and in the process of being professionalized further” (1) Oleh kerana keterbatasan dalam berekspresi ini dihalang maka artis sebagai kurator ini mencari jalan lain yang lebih sesuai dengan misi dan visi yang ingin dibawa oleh mereka dengan bergerak secara kolektif atau membuka ruang alternatif atau artist run spaces yang digerakkan sendiri oleh artis secara solo dan berkumpulan dalam mempamerkan karya sendiri dengan karya lain dengan tema dan arah dan hala tuju yang sama. Antara ruang-ruang yang biasanya di gerakkan sendiri oleh artis sebagai kurator yang terdapat di negara ini antaranya adalah Rumah YKP, Rumah Air Panas, Lost Gen Space, yang diinspirasikan bertujuan untuk menolak kewujudan muzium dan galeri seni dan memaparkan satu inovatif dan eksperimentasi seni terus kepada khalayak baru, ia bukan sahaja dalam seni visual malah dalam muzik (kumpulan muzik indie) menolak syarikat rakaman muzik pop dan juga teater (rumah teater absurd) menentang persembahan teater arus perdana. PENEROKAAN CARA BARU DALAM MELIHAT Pengarahan yang menarik membawa penceritaan yang menarik perhatian audien, kurator seperti juga pengarah filem atau lebih tepat lagi sebagai ‘pengarah pameran’. Di akhir abad ke dua puluh dan seterusnya memasuki abad ke-21 memperlihatkan ramai dikalangan artis mula mengkuratorkan pameran yang menidakkan peranan kurator institusi. Dalam melihat potensi-potensi kreativiti dalam peragaan sudah macam menjadi satu trend semasa di dalam acara-acara besar seni seperti acara seni dwi-tahunan Biennale dan festival seni kontemporari Art Fair pihak penganjur menjemput artis sebagai pengarah seni atau kurator bebas mengkuratorkan pameran. Reputasi yang dicipta oleh artis sebagai kurator dengan persembahan pembinaan pameran yang luar biasa dan idea yang menarik menjadi perhatian khalayak untuk datang melihat. Pendekatan artis sebagai kurator agak berbeza dengan kurator institusi dari segi kreativiti. ‘Kuratis’ datang dengan idea terlebih dahulu sebelum mencari artis-artis yang Niranjan Rajah sesuai dengan idea beliau yang berpusatkan daripada pemikiran beliau daripada aturan pameran biasa yang berasal daripada idea di studio artis. Mereka melawan arah pendekatan konvensional dalam berpameran dengan seboleh mungkin untuk meneroka sesuatu yang belum pernah dilihat oleh sesiapa dari segi rekaan artistik peragaan. Pengunjung ke galeri atau muzium memasuki dunia baru kuratis. Apabila ke galeri audien bukan lagi berada dalam kehidupan biasa harian mereka, mereka seperti berada di dunia lagi satu ciptaan kuratis , dunia estetika dunia yang tidak boleh diucapkan dengan kata-kata, dunia gambaran. Sebab itu apabila anda memasuki muzium atau galeri audien akan ditawarkan dengan imejan aneh ciptaan artis. John Baldessari seorang artis konseptual diberi kepercayaan oleh Los Angeles Contemporary Art (LACMA) dalam mempamerkan semula karya pelukis surealis dalam pengkoleksian mereka. Pameran Magritte and Contemporary Art: The Treachery of Images sebuah pameran diadakan pada 2006 meneroka impak pelukis Belgium Rene Magritte (1898-1967) terhadap pengkaryaan generasi pelukis pasca-perang Amerika dan Eropah.

ARTIS = KURATOR Pameran ini memaparkan 68 catan dan lukisan Magritte dari pelbagai media daripada 31 pelukis kontemporari seperti Richard Artschwager, John Baldessari, Vija Celmins, Robert Gober, Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons, Ed Ruscha, and Andy Warhol. Pameran ini melihat perbezaan dan pendekatan yang tanpa disedari yang hadir dalam seni pop, konseptual dan sensibiliti pasca moden merujuk idea dan imaginasi Magritte. Apa yang menariknya pameran ini adalah reka bentuk pameran Baldessari begitu bersahaja dan melucukan merupakan daya cipta baru dalam persembahan pameran dalam memahami dengan lebih mendalam pengkaryaan Magritte dimana beliau menggunakan subjek awan yang begitu dominan dalam karya artis surealis itu di dinding dan lantai galeri seolah pelawat yang berada dalam ruang pameran ini terapung-apung di udara melihat karya seni di atas awan dan langit yang biru. PENEMUAN DALAM PEMBINAAN PAMERAN

pembinaan seumpama ini yang boleh dijadikan model. Banyak pameran-pameran penting seni lukis dibina oleh artis yang terlibat dalam penyelidikan umpanya pameran ‘Rupa dan Jiwa’ Syed Ahmad Jamal adalah daripada pengkajian beliau berkenaan dengan seni tradisional Melayu. Dapatan dan penemuan beliau itu didokumentasi dalam bentuk buku dan beliau sendiri mengkuratorkan pameran seni terhadap penerokaan pengkaryaan pelukis yang mempunyai kesinambungan daripada seni tradisi. Pameran seni konseptual ‘Towards a Mystical Reality’ oleh koloborasi Redza Piyadasa dan Suleiman Esa adalah yang mengasimilasikan budaya Timur dan Barat dalam perspektif baru seni sebagai sebuah kajian saintifik dari sudut mental, meditatif dan mistikal yang terdapat dalam falsafah Asia berhubung dengan amalan falsafah Taoism dan Zen yang meninggalkan pengaruh dan polemik sehingga ke hari ini. PENUTUP Sedar atau tidak kebanyakan pengkuratoran pameranpameran penting di negara ini adalah mereka yang terdiri daripada artis sebagai kurator. Pengkuratoran ‘kuratis’ mempunyai pengaruh yang besar dalam pengkaryaan seni di negara ini selepas pameran dan saranan-saranan dalam tulisan mereka antaranya seperti Redza Piyadasa, Sulaiman Esa, Syed Ahmad Jamal, Ismail Zain, Hasnul Jamal Saidon, Nirajan Rajah dan Wong Hoy Cheong. Kuratis bukan sahaja berpendidikan malah mereka merupakan artis yang ‘bijak’ yang bukan sahaja mampu membincangkan pengaruh sejarah seni, idea, konsep, teori , estetik dan falsafah dalam pengkaryaan mereka

Susyilawati Bte Sulaiman

secara khusus malah dalam praktis seni secara umumnya. ‘Kuratis kontemporari’ bukan sahaja mengenalpasti dan memperkenalkan pendekatan baru dalam pengkuratoran malah mereka juga bertindak serba boleh ‘multitasking’ sebagai juga pengkritik dan pentadbir seni yang merupakan satu transformasi peranan dualisme yang lebih padu dan berkuasa dalam sistem dunia seni (artis, kurator, pedagang seni, kolektor) akan datang.

Rujukan. (1)Judy Rugg, Michele Sedgwick, 2007. ‘Issues In Curating Contemporary Art and Performances’. Intellect Book.

Nur Hanim Khairuddin

Penemuan-penemuan baru bukan sahaja berlaku di dalam makmal-makmal sains tetapi juga studio-studio artis sebagai pusat inkubator budaya. Boleh dikatakan artis sebagai kurator bertindak sebagai ‘saintis sosial’ yang mencari dapatan-dapatan daripada objek-objek yang dipamerkan. Mereka penghubung antara dunia visual dengan makna iaitu teks dan dialog, ia boleh dikatakan sebagai ‘jambatan’ pengantara kepada penginterpritasian dan apresiasi oleh pelukis dalam kerja-kerja produk pemaknaan atau ‘production of meaning’ dalam menerangkan sesuatu komentar, visi atau manifesto. Di Malaysia ada beberapa sampel

(2) Redza Piyadasa, Sulaiman Esa, 1972. ‘Towards a Mystical Reality: A Documentation of Jointly Initiated Experienced by Redza Piyadasa and Suleiman Esa’. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

EXHIBITON

REVIEW

MALAYSIAN ARTIST ABROAD (SK) What are the differences in terms of environment, working as an artist in Malaysia and abroad?

REVIEW

EXHIBITON

(LL) With no galleries, no curators, no art foundations, no collectors, no sense of aesthetic, and no moral establishment for the arts, being an artist would be hopeless or meaningless although art classes and art grants are provided. When poverty and illiteracy are a country’s unsolved major problems, art or artists are not a priority. It happened to our country in the past because I am the only one who understands and loves art among my family and relatives from both my paternal and maternal side. What I’m creating today isn’t really what I was creating when I was a child and teenager in Malaysia. It doesn’t mean it was negative experience. I really appreciate what I experienced in Malaysia, USA and around the world because this journey transforms my work all the time.

Name : LEON LIM Year of birth : May 26 Hometown : Kedah / Penang Education : Penang / New York Current Base : New York (SENIKINI) How long have you been based abroad? (Leon Lim) Almost 12 years (SK) What made you decided to venture overseas? (LL) I enjoyed drawing, painting and going to art tuition privately during my childhood period. I told myself I want to be an artist when I was 10. In 1996, I found a lot of damaged and unwanted objects left on the streets and irreplaceable shophouses destroyed in George Town, I started to realize that none takes art or history very seriously. I felt that Malaysia did not play a role in the art world - creating jobs and opportunities for artist and documenting artworks exhibited. I felt that being an artist would be hopeless in Malaysia. I decided to leave my homeland for New York to pursue a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts and finding more opportunities for building a career as an artist.

(SK) What are some of the themes that inspire your work? (LL) Collecting ‘everyday’ objects always inspires me since I was kid. I have kept tons of objects in my family home in Kedah, my storage in Rochester, NY, my good friends’ homes in New York, and my apartment in New York, NY. An object is part of a life story that people don’t know how to appreciate. Sometimes I feel the objects are a love affair to my talent because the attraction to everyday object is overwhelming. Also, my recent works were inspired by the intersection of my personal experience with the social segregation and the politics of

(SK) What were the initial challenges when you began your art career in a foreign land? (LL) Too many foreign and American artists in New York!! I would say 50,000 artists in this city. New York is the arts centre of the world. It is very competive, requires you to be active in your career. It is very good to have challenges because it helps you develop interdisciplinary talents and drive you gain knowledge about other cultures, languages as well as ethics. (SK) What are the advantages of being based overseas and how have those advantages nurtured your artistic and creative talent? (LL) It depends on what a country offers the artists. Most countries don’t have what the art world needs. But discovery of cultures, raw materials, and traditional techniques are some of the ways that inspires artists and influence their creative talents and unique works. I lived in New York for more than 11 years, including my academic years. New York has tons of art foundations, galleries, museums (a museum doesn’t mean you see only antiques and old things, Malaysia hasn’t advanced the understanding of the word, “museum”), artistic events, art studios, and theaters. There are various opportunities to participate in events, to apply for art grants and artist-in-residency programs, to socialize with artists, curators, art editors, to visit new exhibitions at museums and galleries, and to promote your artwork as your brand, all in one city. That is where motivation and inspiration for making a piece of artwork begin. Another advantage of being an artist in New York is if people get inspired strongly by your creative artwork, your artwork would be featured in many renowned art magazines and exhibited at one of the top museums or galleries in New York. It becomes possible to promote your works to a much wider audience. As we are now in the age of globalization, artists are about exploring new borders, finding new possibilities in every field, and that is an opportunity to develop creative works.

I was awarded and commissioned to do a permanent art installation for a university’s new building. That was my first time making a permanent work. I worked on the installation, “The 3(656)” for six months. I was told that many students and faculty loved “The 3(656)” because it made them think critically and analyze the relationships between the numbers and the university. The other piece, “Silent Story” which I first created for the John F Kennedy Center in Washington DC, one of America’s most famous centers for the arts, got the attention of two renowned museums; CAFA Art Museum in Beijing, China and Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea. Those two museums selected my work, “Silent Story” for international exhibitions. It helped build my career further. (SK) How often do you come back to Malaysia? What are your typical activities when you are back here? (LL) I would visit my family in Malaysia only once a year because I don’t have projecst in Malaysia. I am still interested in doing artistic projects in Malaysia. I am looking for investors and corporations who are interested in seeing Malaysia become one of the leading contemporary art centers. If I were offered more opportunities to do artistic projects to inspire Malaysians and foreigners and to improve the quality of life in art communities, I would frequently go to Malaysia. (SK) What advice would you give to other aspiring Malaysian artists hoping to make it abroad? (LL) I always encourage new artists and local artists to do the four things that will develop new talents and get their work recognized internationally and locally; do research on International funding for the arts and artistin-residency programs offered by many countries such as Berlin, New York, Barcelona, Shanghai, Tokyo, Florence, London, and Paris; read art magazines and art news, creating artwork with descriptions and right materials; creating a portfolio website that is convenient for curators, gallerists, art editors, and art collectors from around the world to see. There is the first important thing artists need to know, which is to create artworks relating yourself to a certain position that has significance, for example, to recognize your own position and condition, the relation to your reality and who you are, where you come from. Copying other country’s art would misinterpret and misrepresent Malaysian art.

modern alienation. Last year (July 2010), I was commissioned by the Penang State Government, George Town World Heritage and Penang Global Tourism to create a public art installation for George Town Festival, to be inaugurated in conjunction with UNESCO World Heritage recognition. I incorporated old chairs, which were unwanted and damaged that I found around George Town, into my public art installation. The installation introduces unknown historical facts. It offers people a chance to stop, to see and to reflect about their own history. (SK) What artistic works/projects are you currently working on right now? (LL) I have a big project this year. That is very exciting but unfortunately I am not allowed to share my new work with to public until it is completed. I believe that it would be appropriate to tell people about it when the artistic work or project is done. I am still applying to several organizations for my other upcoming exhibitions. I hope to have another exhibition in Kuala Lumpur this year or next. (SK)What were the most memorable/ unforgettable experiences you’ve had as an artist working overseas?

Portrait Artwork of Julian Assange | Screenprint on colored graphic art paper | 14 H x 12 W in inches | 2011 Richard Stengel, TIME’s Managing Editor, selected this portrait artwork for TIME’s Person of the Year edition. Published 28 million copies.

(LL) “The 3(656)” and “Silent Story” were the most unforgettable experiences I’ve have in my career as an artist in foreign countries.

www.leonlimstudio.com

BSLN Publication ZULKIFLI YUSOFF â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;NEGARAKUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

INVENTORI HIMPUNAN TETAP WARISAN SENI TAMPAK NEGARA 2004-2009 1065 karya terbaru Himpunan Tetap Balai Seni Lukis Negara yang telah diperolehi dari tahun 2004 sehingga 2009. 300 Muka surat 1065 Gambar Karya berwarna ISBN: -

Katalog pameran ini merupakan satu himpunan karya-karya terbaru yang memperlihatkan karya-karya berupa lukisan, kolaj, gabungan kepelbagaian bahan (mixed media) dan instalasi. Selain memperlihatkan kepada khalayak akan perkembangan dan hasil karya terkini ianya juga akan memberi pengalaman baru kepada khalayak untuk meneroka kepelbagaian disiplin bahan dalam karya seni rupa. Bersesuaian dengan jangka waktu pameran yang akan melalui sambutan hari Kemerdekaan 31 Ogos 2010 dan juga sambutan hari Malaysia pada 16 september 2010, pameran ini diharap mampu mengembalikan semangat nostalgia, kedamaian dan menanam semula semangat perasaan patriotik kepada khalayak yang datang melihat pameran ini. ISBN 978-983-3497-48-5 107 m/s

Katalog KepadaMu Kekasih diilhamkan khas bersempena dengan Kedatangan Ramadhan dan sebagai tanda kesyukuran kepada Allah Yang Maha Esa. Penerapan nilai-nilai murni seumpama ini diharap dapat menemukan para pelukis dan khalayak dalam konteks wacana keislaman yang boleh ditarbiahkan dalam pelbagai arus dan bentuk penghayatan samaada ilmiah mahupun kesenian. ISBN 978-983-3497-50-8 84 m/s

RM 80

AKAN NG ! DATA

KEPADAMU KEKASIH

RM 20

BARU

CHENG HAW CHIEN

Sebuah katalog pameran yang memfokuskan kepada pelukis muda yang bertanding menghasilkan karya yang bermutu tinggi dan mempunyai jatidiri sebagai seorang pelukis. Pelukis muda yang berjaya dalam pertandingan ini diberikan anugerah dan insentif galakan. Pertandingan ini mula diperkenalkan pada tahun 1974 dan dibuka kepada warganegara Malaysia yang berusia dibawah 35 tahun. ISBN 978-983-3497-51-5 243 m/s

Brosur pameran solo Dr. Cheng Haw Chien ini memaparkan memaparkan pameran beliau yang ke 136. Melalui pameran ini, pelbagai elemen seni lukisan, puisi dan kaligrafi dengan cara menulis untaian-untaian puisi di terapkan di atas lukisan. Menerusi teknik-teknik yang unit beliau ini telah berjaya merintis aliran keseniannya sendiri. Beliau belajar daripada generasi silam dan memberi kesedaran kepada generasi akan datang. RM15 sekeping RM30 satu set (3 jenis rekabentuk)

RM 75

! BARU

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BARU

All publication can be purchased at the Gallery Shop located at National Art Gallery. For enquiries please email to osmi@artgallery.gov.my

RIVER ART PROJECT presents

RIVER MEETS LIGHT 2011 Sg Pinang / Prangin Canal / Sg Klang (TBC)

Workshop presentation in conjunction with the International Day of Action for Rivers Date: 12 March 2011 Time: 8.45pm Venue: Sungai Pinang at Junction of Lorong Kulit (Beside Stadium Pulau Pinang) Premiere performance in conjunction with George Town Festival Date: 29 to 31 July 2011 Time : TBC Venue : Prangin Canal, Penang The River Art Project Exhibition at MAP@Publika Date : 15 to 28 August 2011 Venue : MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur Workshop Performance Date: 10 September 2011 Venue: along Sungai Klang, TBC CONTACT : OMBAK-OMBAK ARTSSTUDIO RIVER ART PROJECT Address Correspondence Address 1-5-6 Solok Paya Terubong 11060 Air Itam Pulau Pinang Email riverartproject2011@gmail.com Phone Ho Sheau Fung (Penang) +6 012 404 5733 Alex Yong (KL) +6 019 322 2932

A solo exhibition entitled CINTA by Bayu Utomo Radjikin, due to be opened on March 19, 2011 Saturday at HOM, Ampang. There will be 10 pieces of charcoal on paper and 4 acrylic on canvas to be displayed on the exhibition. This special exhibition featuring Marvin Chan and Kow Leong Kiang as a guest artist.

WHAT’S

HOM 6A Jalan Cempaka 16, Taman Cempaka, 68000 Ampang Selangor +6 03 9285 6004 (Office) +6 012 373 6004 (Mimie)

More info visit houseofmatahati.blogspot.com

Sutra Foundation presents

Continuum

An exhibition of paintings and drawings by Sivarajah Natarajan & Chelian (25 March - 17 April 2011) ‘Stirring Images of the transitions and transformation of Odissi to inspire contemporary paintings with universal themes’ Opening Exhibition (by invitation only) 25 March 2011, 8.30pm (Friday) Venue : Sutra Gallery, 12, Persiaran Titiwangsa 3, 53200, Kuala Lumpur

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