Art KL-itique

In a year where news highlights include two airplane disasters, the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery puts together an exhibition program that commemorates the ten years since the Indian Ocean tsunami struck, where an estimated 184,000 lives were lost and ten times that number displaced. London-based Oi Nuen Sprunt stages an installation that aims to explore “damage and healing”, where large ink paintings on layered paper are hung around an organza-covered space. A Louis Ghost chair and casualty statistics contribute to the sombre mood, although the obscure performance video and deliberately messy presentation block out any sense of empathy. Perhaps the sunlight streaming through the windows helps one focus better on the here and now, instead of the art installation. Installation snapshots of Oi Nuen Sprunt - ShoutCryRoom The adjoining gallery shows recent works from 42 members of the Malaysian Watercolour Society, and 15 international artists. A medium utilised b...

The neighbourhood gallery celebrates this festive season of giving, by supporting self-taught and socially-conscientious painter Tan Wei Kheng, although the artist being featured in Singapore Biennale 2013 probably factored into the gallerist’s decision to represent him. Selling out by opening day, the exhibition presents illustrations of the Penan people, an indigenous tribe active in rainforest near the Sarawak and Brunei border. Having encountered them while trekking, it is difficult to empathise with realistic paintings which exotic presentation risks trivialising the real issues, and seeing Orang Ulu as the Other . Let Me See You Again (2014) Wei Kheng “…composes his paintings as triptychs or mosaics of canvases, constructing a collage of images of their struggle, values and hopes (…) In articulating the Penan’s lived experience, Tan visualises the language of the Penans.” Ong Jo-Lene’s excellent essay complements these paintings by articulating about the tribe’s pro...

Ali Nurazmal Yusoff curates this black & white exhibition, its wacky title depicting fun by virtue of its wide range of mediums on show. Fish designs seared onto canvas, a ‘Turning’ canopy projecting shadows, suspended snake and ladder toys, and sandwiched parchment between Perspex, display works from developing artists yet to realise their concepts or execution in its entirety. Established artists join in the monochromatic exercise via utilising innovative techniques – Azrin Mohd’s light boxes present a natural progressive for direct narratives, and Jamil Zakaria’s sculptures follow on from the artist’s characteristic manipulation of wire. Traditional oil painting retains its allure with Shafarin Ghani’s ‘Rohtang’, the sublime blend of greys denoting one under appreciated painter whose more colourful works upstairs impress with its controlled tone.  Shafarin Ghani - Rohtang (2014) Another masterly painter is Husin Hourmain, who presents a stunning black-on-black...

Gan Siong King selects 23 pictures from the internet then paints a realistic copy of it. As forewarned by the exhibition title , any attempt to decode his decade-long output, has to take into account the incoherent bits and pieces that intrigue one creative mind. The artist’s personal preoccupation with technological developments and outer space, manifest a desire to interrogate his “bad relationship with paintings.” Trained in painting and passionate about it, the arresting images chosen denote visual appeal as the main criteria, where the creative act of meaning-making is subsequently assigned via titles and web links. Tan Zi Hao’s eloquent essay states, “…a closer inspection on Gan’s paintings is never really satisfying because his paintings never elucidate despite being ‘realistic’.” So, what pleasures are attained upon inspecting these paintings? The persistence of why (2014) [ Reference image ] Beginning with the desire to understand colour, a heart-shaped diamond make...

Twenty Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA) students exhibit works from their second-year drawing classes, covering the entire art space with figurative illustrations of different sizes and mediums. Facial distortions and amalgamation of living and non-living subjects make a fascinating statement of what one recognises about the human body, formal properties like line and shade notwithstanding. Small doodles and motion captures prove delightful finds among the cluttered presentation, as real-life models transform into an expression of each student’s graphic style and creative throughput.  Installation snapshots

Paper lanterns and banners with painted slogans hang side-by-side in a mid-autumn festival celebration held along Jalan Sultan, the protest in disguise documented by Gan Sze Hooi in ‘Guardian of Petaling Street’. Dedicated to all who participated in activities organised by the Petaling Street Community Art Project (PSCAP) , Sze Hooi’s inaugural solo exhibition draws on his great eye for two-dimensional perspective, to preserve a heritage conservation movement as an interactive storyboard. Progress takes the form of construction work, where the viewer “discover faces that we recognize in the community” among old buildings and barren landscapes. The artist’s daughter is portrayed as a giant symbol of hope, contrasting with the wooden tower of despair erected at the centre of the exhibition space. Paradise Lost (2014) Painted onto canvas backed with magnet, moveable human figures and modern machines allow the audience to create subjective scenes and construct desired narratives...

Housed beside one well-restored kampung house, this selling exhibition “features a selection of antiquarian and recent books, maps and ephemera on Malaysia and Southeast Asia.” Beautiful maps and quirky posters recall a colonial past, the exhibits flanked by Ilse Noor’s etchings of local historical buildings seen in the Shell-commissioned Warisan Nusa . Flipping through 80-year old books about gardening techniques and Chinese porcelain is endlessly fascinating, while 1960s Papineau travel guides provide a glimpse into a time before Cuti-Cuti Malaysia . A 1978 edition of Aliran titled ‘Wither Democracy’ compiles essays and debates from local intellectuals then. Reading Tunku Abdul Rahman’s foreword, one wonders, what happened to the legacy of healthy political debate without invoking draconian laws? Ilse Noor - Makam Tok Pelam - Trengganu (1986) [ed. 20/300]

Appreciating a Yeoh Choo Kuan painting used to be an engaging experience. Underpainting is seen through layers of violent brush strokes, the smell of oil paints hang heavily in the air, thin horizontal lines resemble paper cuts, and esoteric titles imbue his abstract paintings with a reticent impression. Unveiling a “flesh object” approach, the usual sensory triggers are now suppressed behind mirrored frames hung in the neighbourhood gallery. Peeling lacquered oil paint mimic self-harm, but any brutal sentiment is encased in favour of protecting the material product, where art collectors treat abstract paintings as accumulated asset. Physical manipulation of paint becomes the spectacle in a hit-or-miss show, although some hits demonstrate the considerable prowess of this young artist. It’s Just One of Those Days (2014) These works “anthropomorphized the canvas; moving away from mere depictions of the figure to a sort of theatrical play by treating the paintings as props to ...

As the story goes, sculpture in Malaysian art developed from a local crafting practice, and its modern form synthesises eastern and western traditions more effectively than painting ever did. Constantin Brâncuși springs to mind when one sees Tengku Sabri Ibrahim’s ‘The Warrior’, its elegantly elongated shape and shiny smooth surface, subscribing to features of the Romanian’s works. However, the abstracted figure takes after an enlarged keris hilt, with carved recesses that resemble fighting wounds. References to a traditional weapon, and the legends that come with it, transform this block of wood into Malaysian art. Also universally beautiful yet alluding to local culture is Mad Anuar Ismail’s ‘Telur Kencana 1’, which numinous qualities of khat (Arabic calligraphy) is presented in a wonderfully-balanced, inverted-point sculpture. Tengku Sabri Ibrahim - The Warrior (1988) Past and present mythologies anchor the best works, in this showcase  of works from a prominent priv...

Visiting the Kepong Baru wet market on a weekend morning is a phenomenal event – navigate through crowd of cars and people, taste mango slices offered by the fruit seller, step on melted ice emitting a fishy smell, feel the texture of anchovies and potatoes, shout orders to the char kuay teow hawker, etc. One pastel green metal door along the street is quaint but not out of place, opening up to a flight of stairs strewn with crushed Styrofoam containers. Kang Mei Yi’s percipient intervention is well-placed to remind visitors, especially one whom just arrived from the marketplace, of one’s improvident attitude towards the disposable object. A supplementary exhibit by Gan Kwang Ze hangs from the joist, his bulbous knots made of black plastic bags, suspending the unnecessary aesthetic judgement cast upon a functional item.  Installation views “Phenomena” is the second group show organised this year by collective Ongoing Projects, offering a platform for young artists to exh...

Black & white marks local art during this year end, led by Minstrel Kuik's prize-winning drawing of ladies performing the Viennese Waltz on ' 16 Sept 1963 '. The literally negative approach is seen also in Sabihis Pandi's diptych, among other attractive works like Chiang Lup Hong's 'Imaginary Landscape 1', and Azam Aris' caricatured crowd. Representational subjects form a contrast with the works hung on the organiser's walls - one awe-inspiring Ismail Zain digital collage, and a number of panoramic panels by Chin Kong Yee. Current and former prize winners show at "Catalysis" , the Dasein graduates group's best work a powerful white triptych by Yeoh Choo Kuan. Many exhibits present figurative posturing, a sign of complacency that the college faculty should heed, in this current climate where pandering to collectors signifies the death of artistic creativity. Sabihis Pandi - Ops Tersilap, Silap Mata (2014) [picture taken from...

Traders goggle over inflated dollar values of underestimated Awang Damit Ahmad works, as market manipulation activities continue for Kuo Ju Ping and Tajuddin Ismail paintings. Early August saw KL Lifestyle Art Space staging its Georgetown Festival edition in Bangsar South, where at least 18 pieces have appeared in its previous auctions, and 13 out of 84 offered lots were withdrawn. Subsequent editions see suspiciously high prices hammered down, as its reputation continues to take a beating. A Zulkifli Yusoff sold six months ago now transacts at a 38% discount, while an Ahmad Shukri Mohamed offered between RM 29 – 35,000 at The Edge Auction sold for RM 19,040 on the 8th of November. Major pieces by Abdullah Ariff and Yeoh Jin Leng fail to sell, although the RM 29,120 paid for a 2003 Cheong Laitong painting denotes a bargain. Khoo Sui Hoe - Call of the Wild (1966) Estimation of artwork prices remain as imprecise as ever, where a “Hijau” series painting by Yusof Ghani was...

Henry Butcher celebrates its fifth year as Malaysia’s art auction pioneer by o ffering 125 works, including 14 pieces contributed by Indonesian partner One East Larasati. 13 of its first 33 lots feature a woman’s portrait, among pastoral scenes that occupy the majority of the holdings. Great composition is seen in Chuah Thean Teng’s ‘Feeding the Cat’ and Tew Nai Tong’s ‘Market’, while Fung Yow Chork’s panoramic ‘Pasar Tani’ projects amazingly vibrant colours. Expressionist tendencies are less apparent, apart from some abstract works leading to the star lot, the swirling ‘Berenang’ by Syed Ahmad Jamal. A 2008 Awang Damit Ahmad work sold for USD 77,364 at Sotheby’s one month ago, and his powerful ‘Essence of Culture Series’ should keep the crowd waiting for the last lot, although the ridiculously low estimates implicate an irresponsible auctioneer. Tew Nai Tong - Market (1989) A pen sketch of some goats by Cheong Soo Pieng is touted as “a fine drawing” and assigned a five-...

While still tackling issues like flash floods and homeless persons, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall demonstrates a recent progressive streak having initiated car-free Sunday mornings and supported the development of a KL bicycle map, then now endorsing a public art event at the former Taman Tasik Perdana. The inaugural Art in the Park festival’s detached objectives include “…to create a new cultural experience (…) and highlight Kuala Lumpur as Asia’s green capital and creative city”. Driving past the ASEAN Sculpture Garden amidst heavy traffic, and braving the drizzle after a hazy afternoon, the serene lake and its surrounding greenery prove immensely refreshing upon my visit. Approaching the park’s beautiful new canopy , aesthetic calm is interrupted by one 25-foot tall tower, and crushed tin cans littered on the grass beside it. Installation view of Tey Beng Tze (FINDARS) - Rat in the Park (2014) The former structure by Multhalib Musa stands as a symbol of solidarity with Pale...