MAZE FAZRIN ABD RAHMAN
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FAZRIN ABD RAHMAN
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ISBN 978 - 981- 11-1046 - 7 PAPERBACK
978 - 981- 11-1047 - 4 E-BOOK
TAKSU is a leading contemporary art gallery and specialist in Southeast Asia. Representing selections of fine art with distinctive urban edge, we are at the forefront of contemporary art in this region. TAKSU works to forge a platform for established and emerging artists to share their pool of creativity and knowledge through its residency programs and exhibitions. Encapsulating the true meaning of the word TAKSU; divine inspiration, energy, and spirit. Suherwan Abu Director, TAKSU Galleries
Essay Rachel Jenagaratnam Graphic Design Jeffrey Lim / Studio 25 Printer Unico Services Artworks & Images Š 2016 Fazrin Abd Rahman This publication may be reproduced in any form for academic, editorial and/or non-commercial purposes without special permission from the artist(s) and gallery, with acknowledgement of the source. For other purposes, prior consent is needed.
I would like to thank Allah S.W.T, to my beloved family, TAKSU, Syed Fakaruddin, Najib Bamadhaj, Nabil Adnan, Fadilah Karim, Din Diran, Shafiq Nordin, Sabihis Md Pandi, Hisyammudin Abdullah, Azrin Mohd, Azizi Latif, Fawaz Sukri, Cinta Ayuandrea, Izzuddin Basiron, Nizam Rahmat, Rachel Jena, Jeffrey Lim, collectors, artists and friends.
FAZRIN ABD RAHMAN
KUALA LUMPUR
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Milestones are precious to anyone, be they a first job, the birth of a child, or any other event that signals a marked change in one’s life. For artists, these milestones come in various forms, but there’s no doubt that the first solo exhibition is a particularly special one. Maze is precisely that for Fazrin Abd Rahman. The inaugural solo exhibition for the artist, Maze signals a newfound maturity in Fazrin’s career and a move into artistic terrain that’s more engrained in linking method and thought, as well as experimentation with media and materials.
MAKING SENSE OF FAZRIN ABD RAHMAN’S MAZE
Understanding the 12 works in Maze does demand some acquainting with the maze-maker himself. A Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) graduate, Fazrin’s works in Maze do bear hint to his time majoring in sculpture. Aluminium dominates as the chief material, and the immediate impact felt by his works are its strong geometric qualities and the flat surfaces that deceive the eye; from afar, the works appear to be paintings, but closer inspection reveals the use of materials and markings that hint at the language of sculpture.
THE MAZE– MAKER & HIS LOCAL LANGUAGE
Whilst each work’s individual character comes to life by way of subtle changes in formal arrangements and colours, the unifying element in all of Fazrin’s works are the maze-like designs. It’s a form that hints loosely at the workings of minimalist works from the 1960’s, but mostly, Fazrin’s chosen aesthetic professes an affinity for the traditional forms found in local designs. “Influences from my own life have had a big influence on my works,” admits Fazrin, who cites the traditional art of rattan weaving, specifically the use of woven rattan sheets in the interiors of traditional Malay kampung houses, as a driving influence in his latest body of work. This is a direct narration of Fazrin’s own past. Hailing from Batu Pahat, Johor, Fazrin once worked as a craftsman specialising in traditional woven goods and this personal reference has been present throughout all his works thus far. Indeed, the artist’s works that precede Maze also feature tile-like arrangements that resemble the square blocks of woven surfaces. However, today’s works don’t just embody the physical qualities of weaving, but also contain meaning that lie deeper beneath the surface. “All weaving starts with many separate pieces, but once these disparate elements are arranged and pieced together, the final woven object becomes a reinforcement that’s sturdy and difficult to tear apart,” explains the artist. Fazrin’s reference to weaving hasn’t been a mere exercise in dipping into his own personal pool of experiences, but also a conscious effort to inject more traditional local elements into the art scene – something, which he feels, has been sorely missing. This personal mission has also informed his choice of colours, which lean towards the organic dyes used in traditional Malay craft. Audiences will see this in the contrasting pairings of red and green in the work Maze 2, or in the varied mix of hues in Maze 5 that loosely recall the palette of batik textiles.
maze 1 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 175 x 175 cm / 2016
maze 2 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 175 x 175 cm / 2016
maze 3 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 152.5 x 152.5 cm / 2016
maze 4 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 152.5 x 152.5 cm / 2016
maze 5 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 14 2 . 5 x 1 4 2 . 5 c m / 2 0 1 6
maze 6 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 12 2 x122 cm / 2016
maze 7 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 12 2 x122 cm / 2016
maze 8 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 88 x​88.5 cm / 2016
maze 9 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 88 x​88.5 cm / 2016
maze 10 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 88 x​88.5 cm / 2016
maze 11 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 88 x​88.5 cm / 2016
maze 12 / spray paint on aluminium strips / 175 x 175 cm / 2016
But if all this seems to be an exercise in the pastoral, be warned that this isn’t the case. “I do see some link between the art of weaving and contemporary lives,” argues Fazrin. Times have changed and the artist’s choice of adopting industrial techniques and materials more commonly used today correspond to this shift; reinforcements for building structures are no longer made from bamboo or natural materials, but forged from steel and concrete. Could this be a link to our own lives and how interpersonal relations – human connections – are increasingly shunned for conversations via digital interfaces, or for augmented reality via smartphones? Or, does the lesson in Fazrin’s works lie in the fact that strength comes from unification and adaptation with change?
THE MAZE– MAKER’S METAPHOR FOR LIFE
These questions are rhetoric for the lessons that we can glean from history and how poorly-woven parts in society – leadership or economic decisions, for example – can lead to a disjointed and troubled mess. But to truly understand Fazrin’s body of work, consider another route which can be found by traversing a different path in Maze. This path links the works’ formal properties – its meditative qualities with each work drawing the viewer’s eyes across the mazes’ many turns and curves – and how Fazrin uses the maze as a metaphor for life. “The maze designs symbolise the start of any difficult or confusing journey in life, which essentially exists to challenge our ways of thinking and strategic skills,” he explains. “Mazes were created with the intention to confuse, but if we were to throw a positive spin on this, they were also designed to test our minds and make us more courageous, optimistic, and forward-thinking,” he continues, ultimately, speaking for himself and the process that he’s undergone for this landmark exhibition. “The whole journey towards this solo exhibition has not been without its challenges, as I’ve grappled with many tough decisions whilst trying to achieve my best. It hasn’t been easy, but on the flipside, it’s these type of challenges in life that only make us braver and stronger, and even when the long and windy road looks most difficult, we can take comfort in the fact that there’s always a straight path ahead and opportunities to take a breather and to reassess the next steps to take.” This metaphor that Fazrin’s mazes represent is what he hopes for all of us to carry in our own lives. “Everyone in our society is also on a rocky road due to situations wrought by our leaders, but if we looked at this situation from a different angle, it can be seen as a blessing in disguise. We will only come out stronger from this,” he says. Perhaps Fazrin’s works don’t bear disparate meanings after all. Instead, Maze is Fazrin’s personal milestone and a reminder of some of life’s most important truisms: that there’s a light at the end of every tunnel, a triumphant sense of accomplishment at the other end of every journey, and that if every moving part of a puzzle sticks together like a tightly woven piece of reinforcement, we’ll make it out at the other end just fine.
ESSAY RACHEL JENAGARATNAM
MAZE
FAZRIN ABD RAHMAN (b. 1989) Batu Pahat, Johor
FAZRIN ABD RAHMAN
EDUCATION 2012 B.A in Fine Art (Sculpture) Uitm, Shah Alam, Selangor
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2010 Diploma Art and Design, Fine Art Uitm Sri Iskandar, Perak EXHIBITIONS 2016 MAZE TAKSU Kuala Lumpur Locals Only TAKSU Kuala Lumpur View From The 6ix G13 Gallery, KL Bi Lateral Bonds TAKSU Singapore Bi Lateral Bonds TAKSU Kuala Lumpur 2015 ADA Show Segaris Art Center, KL SHIFT TAKSU Kuala Lumpur Art Expo Malaysia Matrade, KL Attitude In Lines TAKSU Kuala Lumpur 2014 UOB Painting of the year Penang Art Competition Pameran Terbuka Galeri Shah Alam 2012 Degree show Uitm Shah Alam Nandos art competition Kuala Lumpur Rubanization Galeri Seni Tengku Nur Zahirah, Shah Alam
2011 Pameran Terbuka Galeri Shah Alam Pameran First Touch Galeri Tengku Nazirah, Shah Alam Pesta Open Art Competition Balai Seni Lukis Pulau Pinang 2010 Pameran Terbuka Galeri Shah Alam 2009 Diploma Show Uitm Sri Iskandar, Perak Pertandingan Seni Tampak Johor Johor Art Gallery Nandos Art Competation Kuala Lumpur