Art KL-itique

" (Art instructor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Kurt) Chan depicted the general logic of the survey in almost universally negative terms: it is typically only a survey of the obvious, because curatorial teams rarely commit to the sustained engagement of uniqueness of voice; the even representation of schools or styles replaces deeper engagement with practices; the tendency is always towards the spectacle. He also noted that the survey is uniquely useful in the construction of discursive power, able to stand at the intersection of a complex of institutions, artists, market players and broad audiences." - Total Hong Kong: artistic ecology and the typology of the survey , Broadsheet Volume 42.3 Chong Ai Lei - True Romance I (2013) Robin Peckham's essay about the "Hong Kong Eye" resonates much with the Malaysian edition, which sees 75 local artists featured in a coffee table book, out of which 21 are chosen by the three foreign curators to

HOM Art Trans hosts artists from New Zero Art Space as part of its Malaysia-Myanmar Art Exchange Program, also arranging an exhibition, talks, and performances. Seah Zelin's simplistic yet effective tribute to Teoh Beng Hock is the only notable artwork on display, as the limelight belongs to the performance artists. With the initial intent to comment on capital dependencies, local representative Intan Rafiza instead utilised charcoal in her ritual dedicated to the heavens, her prayerful act a wish for rain and plane. Nora's aggressive use of red and black masking tape grabs attention, especially with her muffling and writhing on the floor the first night, then plastering oneself against a road sign on the second night, as traffic policemen ride by. With a focus on colour, line, and uncomfortable actions, Nora's approach is effective but one-dimensional. Performance snapshots of Nora - Peace The only independent art space in Yangon, New Zero was founded by Aye Ko

More disruption ensues at Rimbun Dahan, where resident artist Sabri Idrus exhibits paintings and circular pieces in "Disruptive Nature", while Australian counterparts Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro combines Lego animals with Ikea furniture in "Habitat". Displacement and its semiotics provide the unifying theme, although Sabri's output is more site-specific. Descending the staircase, one is greeted by a disk-shaped construct hung above the ground, its side broken and crudely taped in black. With its centre ring painted white, ‘Rama’ mimics the thick lines and right angles of the adjacent painting ‘Avenue’, which depicts ascending steps. Next in view is a colourful dolphin embedded within a towel rack, peeking around the wall corner. This delightful turn of artfulness sets off a leisurely mood, yet one is fully mindful of art’s inconsequence, when relating to the wilderness above ground. Foreground: Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro - Bedroom 3, Baby Room - Li

After viewing an unpleasant and high-priced mess of a postgraduate show, entering this leafy space with its works free of art school training, make for a refreshing visit. Greeting one are installations with fluorescent concrete and intravenous drips, as Tan Zi Hao explores his semantic interpretations of soil / tanah / earth/ bumi . This literal inference is most apparent in 'M', where two glass cases are layered with loam to form the letter, joined together by a narrow mirror. Such works suppress aesthetic value in favour of linguistic transcription, which failure to engage relates to my consciousness that only some bumiputeras are responsible for current local issues. Also detracting appreciation is an apathetic disposition, towards acknowledging the nationalist (but in fact geographical) term tanah melayu , which Zi Hao overstates as a political identity. Work in progress snapshot for a one-third completed 'M' [from Tan Zi Hao's Facebook page ] Per

Befitting the art collector stereotype, high quality works by prominent Malaysian artists are accumulated by supremos in the local financial sector, where a selection is exhibited at a luxury condominium. The catalogue essay’s ballyhooed exultation and two-sentence summaries of the artists shown, provide the juvenile bait to prospective bidders, as organiser Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers gears up for its first auction of the year. Its claim that “the art they chose… have turned gilt-edged investments ….”, attests to the ridiculous notion that every artwork one buys will appreciate in value. Old masters Yong Mun Sen and Georgette Chen set the scene for a historical walkthrough, leading to a magnificent sapphire portrait of oriental elegance painted by Basoeki Abdullah. Hendra Gunawan - Untitled (Woman and Child By The Beach) (1980) Such immediate and splendid images describe the works belonging to Daim Zainuddin, who displays also a large but typical warrior portrait by Bayu

Besides helping corporations build its collection, art consultants also dispense financial advice in business newspapers, remarking about "...Malaysian contemporary works, and its investment potential." As an advocate of active asset management and living within one's means, the notion that local art can be considered as a monetary investment is bizarre. Looking only at Malaysian auction transactions of the past five years, the small dataset is already a risk; But of course every marketplace has to start somewhere. Limited supply relates to a short visual arts history, resulting in the relatively high selling rate of ~93% at local auctions. Attending one can be quite fun, as "it looks pretty much rigged, anyway." This applied observation from Carole Cadwalladr is half-serious, but the spectacle is comparable to a KL property auction, albeit with a smaller crowd. Chang Fee Ming – At Low Tide (Dar Es Salaam) (2005), sold for RM 30,800 (est. RM 2.5-5,000)

Many Malaysian artists live outside the city due to costs considerations, but also because it is more conducive for one to work closer to nature, away from the urban flashes & bangs. A keen observation of the natural habitat is evident in Faizal Suhif's small prints, wherein a seed and a crustacean are drawn in wonderful detail, then combined into surreal effect. The experience of exhibiting overseas have duly opened horizons for the young artist, who constructs a thin wall of soil that supposedly emerges from one corner of the gallery. Two large "Buka Tanah" canvases are placed above this nook, the dirt trail leading towards a circular pastiche of earthy produce such as orange yam and beige squash. Most wall hangings are made with monoprints, stencils, and oil paint. Colour-printed texture forms its background, layered with white lines, silver smoke, and scrawled verses. Simbiosis (2013) Prominent demarcations in 'Sepetak Puisi Sepi' and 'Salji

U-Wei Hj Saari continues to exhibit his collection graciously, this show featuring only sculptural and installation works. Highlights include two excellent constructs by Tengku Sabri Tengku Ibrahim , first exhibited at "Wayang U-Wei Angkat Saksi" in 2011. ‘Serunai Mentakab’ salutes the film director’s contributions to his hometown, the enlarged and floating Malay instrument made out of five cans of  Buai Laju-laju  filmstrips. For ‘Kerusi Panggung', two seats from an old-school theatre are wrapped in wire and netting, its elevated platform further binding the nostalgia within. This work proves more evocative than Royston Tan's dancing tribute to Singapore's Capitol, its folding seat and greyish cushion still visually intact, invoking personal memories at theatres like State and Sentosa. Whimsical and out of place, Azli Wahid carves shoes into rock, a clever exploration of everyday items and its historical context. Tengku Sabri Tengku Ibrahim - Kerusi Pangg

During my first overseas trip to Bali, I was reprimanded severely by my father, after unwittingly stepping on a flower offering outside a shop. Many travels later, the shopkeeper’s angry glare still serves as a reminder, to investigate foreign cultures before visiting it. One fortuitous visit to the Gardens gallery before H.H. Lim’s inaugural exhibition opening, presented an opportunity to scan through the oeuvre of this internationally recognised Malaysian artist. Like reading about cultural quirks before visiting a new place, the browsing helped greatly in efforts to appreciate the neo-conceptual artist. Bearing disdain towards this categorisation and its famous representative Damien Hirst, one immediately scoffs at the balled-up piece of paper propped upon a pedestal, predictably titled ‘Tiger and A Box on A Trolley’. Nevertheless, armed with a rough understanding of Peter’s practice, one’s appreciation for the remaining exhibits is made possible. The Beginning of the End