Art KL-itique

This retrospective set me straight with a tight slap, for questioning the value of Huang Yao's works in previous auctions. Out of sheer ignorance, I did not know that this artist and education  facilitator, wrote a comprehensive history about the Chinese diaspora in the Nanyang states, was consulted by former prime minister Tun Abdul Razak about education policies, helped set up libraries across this country, ran a popular comic strip in Shanghai named Niubizi 牛鼻子, and introduced innovations into Chinese calligraphic art. Even in his early works, Huang Yao already has a keen understanding of Chinese art, and displays a distinct style, apparent in the girls drawn in the Vietnam period (1947). Malay Niubizi 牛鼻子 series (1956): "In our place only monkeys or martial arts can scale these heights; In this place the village boy can do so." Having achieved commercial and critical success with his comic strip, the artist begin to travel extensively in the South East Asi...

Another head scratching Malay title, with a baffling introduction about "unlocking the artist's potential to view things differently though the gates of abstraction". This new gallery has a large space done up as a ubiquitous white box, its sterile environment brighten up by Samsudin Wahab's light installation. Suddin Lappo disappoints with lacklustre paintings of horses, while Edroger Rosli's 'Games' are as uninspiring as the Rubik cube it is inspired by. Amongst the haze, Hushinaidi Abdul Hamid's "Taffakur" paintings display interesting colour blocks and a clear narrative, as one hopes that senseless art exhibition titles remain in the land of bad dreams. Hushinaidi Abdul Hamid - Taffakur 1 & 2 (2013)

The Malaysian Chinese-educated community is inspired by Taiwanese perceptions of beauty, who in turn draw on Japanese culture as an influence. One experiences this particular aesthetic, during a stroll in the Pipit or Kaka craft markets (held 2-3 times a year), or when having coffee at Poco Homemade or Typica café. The current generation of this demographic are encouraged to express their fears - contradictions of life, love, and social identity, are common themes in popular books and song lyrics. Among young local artists, Siund Tan and Chong Ai Lei display traces of this sometime-saccharine sentiment; Now  Cheong Kiet Cheng has burst onto the scene, and claim this aesthetic as her own. Tree House (2012) Bright-eyed figures, cute & furry animals, and a large tree, cohabit the space in 'Tree House' like a surrealist collage. Its protagonists, assuming the artist and her muse, gaze upon past & future situations, while perching upon the branches of the Tree of ...

The Rijksmuseum is less attractive after its lengthy refurbishment, where an overwhelming Dutch pride clouds the individual brilliance within its collection. Pleasant discoveries this visit include the bright & positive depiction of a windmill by Paul Joseph Constantin Gabriël , and rowdy scenes of common life by Jan Steen . Labelled questionably as a moralist, 'Mayor of Delft and his Daughter' exhibits a deft execution that cleverly embodies the themes of patronage and social landscape. Jan's more intimate paintings are equally allegorical as his famous farcical ones, but capture details in a more exacting manner. Jan Steen - The Leiden baker Arent Oostwaard and his wife Catharina Keizerswaard (1658) Stedelijk Museum has a fantastic permanent collection , that covers significant art movements from the early 20th century. Besides an insightful chronology of Kazimir Malevich's progress towards suprematism, and a well-curated room on expressionism, I seek out...

48 consecutive hours prowling the heart of Kuala Lumpur with a camera, is an experiment that sounds equal parts exhausting and crazy fun. Monochromatic photographs are typically boring, compounded here by blurry images and inconsequential pairing of objects, which relegate most exhibits to amateurish products. Shean Tan's narrative-driven compositions and Alia Zulasmin's deliberate contrasts display potential, but it is gallery director Paul Rudd that dominates this exhibition. Powerful portraits of night denizens and their environment, challenges one to visit this seedy part of KL, a curiosity stoked by the photographer's re-framing of neglected subjects. Paul Rudd - Tau Foo Fa (2013)

Since being interested in the local art scene, I have visited many galleries; Till this date, I feel that the majority of visiting experiences have been alienating. No wonder that the general public are hesitant to step foot into an art gallery. Many spaces suffer from bad lighting, its administrators feigning ignorance when probed. Notwithstanding, my biggest gripe are towards galleries that are closed during its publicised opening hours. A recent example was the "Art In Search for Words" exhibition at interpr8 gallery, which I visited 4 times (Mon/Sat/Wed/Sat afternoons) and still failed to attend! This irresponsible showing is an injustice towards the exhibiting artists, whom do not mind more people being able to appreciate their artworks. Sharon Chin - Portable Sensors: Penerbitan Haram / Banned Texts 1971 - 2012 I understand the commercial side of art, but to be asked "Are you a collector?" first thing after stepping into a gallery is demeaning, which...