IN the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Pudu, squeezed between the gleaming towers of Bukit Bintang City Centre and the Tun Razak Exchange, is the site of an up-and-coming artist utopia – all ensconced in a brand new creative retail destination called the GMBB Mall.
Don’t let the nondescript building fool you into thinking that it’s just yet “another mall” in a city filled with a plethora of shopping destinations. As you take the escalator up to the 1st and 2nd floor, a different world opens up to you – literally. Forget the usual bustling tenants and crowds of people trying to get their shopping done before the dawn of Chinese New Year that you’ve come to expect at any shopping centre.
Muted lighting, whitewashed walls and modest lots featuring a diverse range of artwork, craft and merchandise by a group of creative practitioners await you instead. ‘It’s like walking into an art museum!” I murmur to myself as I walk around each show unit, featuring diorama artists, painters, designers, craft-makers and even perfume designers.
The artist I’m interviewing is delayed, so I take a few moments to walk around the first and second floors, peering into lots and literally entering into the minds of artists displaying their work. A tapir peers back at me from one of the lots. Hanging mobiles grab my attention as do brilliantly painted artworks hanging against pristine white walls.
Most lots are unattended so you could step in and just view the work uninterrupted. Like something in there? No problem. There’s a centralised store on the first floor featuring works of the artists that you can purchase.
“I’m sorry I’m late!” a breathless bespectacled woman greets me not long after. Putting down her bags, she smiles, extending her hand and adds: “Hi, I’m Sin May”.
Artist Chin Sin May, a noted paper sculptor, is one of the many artists featured at the mall, and her unique works are displayed on the walls of the little cubicle, featuring Oriental-inspired pieces that are intricate and at second glance, made out of layered paper!
ART OF PAPER SCULPTING
Paper is one of the great artistic chameleons. This easily accessible material that’s used in crafting incredible gallery-worthy works of art is the same that contains crude sketchbook doodles never meant to see the light of day. It’s this fascinating dichotomy that entices creatives to experiment and use paper art as the centrepiece of their work.
Depending on the technique, paper can look wildly different. Introduced to this medium during her college days, Chin remains enthralled by “the endless possibilities of paper” and transforms the everyday material into something truly astonishing — 3D art pieces that come alive before our very eyes.
Paper is the easiest material to find, she points out, saying: “Any type of paper can be transformed into art. You don’t have to use expensive paper to get creative.”
The value of paper depends on who’s holding it. To a child, it could mean a canvas to draw upon with crayons. To an office clerk, it could mean a sheet to print a report on. But to an artist, says Chin, the possibilities are endless. “Even a poor child with no means of buying expensive art material can use discarded paper and create art. I want to demonstrate that with paper; that it’s possible to be creative and someday even earn an income from it!” asserts Chin, smiling.
The link between art and paper is nearly as old as paper itself. The ancient Egyptians made paper from papyrus reeds as early as 4,000 BC. Modern paper from cellulose fibres from China dates from about 100 BC. The earliest form of paper sculpture in the form of origami dates back to the 17th century. Thus art on paper is much older than the art of paper.
Virtually every artist since the invention of paper has probably rendered work on paper – watercolour, printing, calligraphy, etc. – yet few artists have tried making art out of (or from) paper. “There aren’t many paper sculptors around,” agrees Chin, adding: “Most artists prefer painting on paper as opposed to working with the paper itself.”
While origami is the art of paper folding following strict rules of no glue, scissors or paint, paper sculpture, on the other hand, has virtually no rules except for the fact that it involves some form of organic fibre in its material. “Paper sculpture is three dimensional. It’s not an easy art to master because you really need to understand the nature of paper and what you can do with it,” explains Chin.
HARBOURING A DREAM
Chin reveals that it was her parents who encouraged her to dabble in art. “My parents aren’t artistically inclined but they always wanted their children to learn something new,” she recalls. The world her taxi-driver father and accountant mother opened up for her instilled within her a lasting passion for art that eventually turned into a vocation of sorts.
“Since the age of 6, I’ve dabbled in crayons, watercolours, Chinese ink painting and calligraphy,” she reveals with a smile. But somewhere along the way, reality set in and Chin’s childhood dream of being an artist had to be put on hold.
There are many misconceptions about the art world. Ask someone to describe what it means to be an artist, and they’ll probably paint a picture of one of two extremes. There’s no perceived middle ground, no stability, no security: there are simply those who make it, and those who don't.
“It has always been my dream to be a full-time artist, but I had to be practical,” shares Chin bluntly. Initially she applied for a three-year scholarship to pursue fine arts but she soon discovered that it was difficult for fine artists to make a decent living after graduating. “I heard from my seniors on how difficult it was for artists to secure jobs. ‘What can you do when you graduate?’ they asked me. So I decided to switch my major to graphic design,” she recalls.
She told herself that once she’d made enough money to support her family, she would revisit her dream of pursuing fine arts again. “Duty comes first,” Chin says simply, shrugging her shoulders. “I want to earn as much money to support my family first. Later, I can do what I want to do. I have had this thought in me since I was 21.”
Still, it wasn’t easy for Chin to secure a job as a graphic designer. “I didn’t graduate from a big college and it was pretty difficult to break into the advertising world – which was my other dream after switching to graphic design,” she recalls.
Using an online directory, the tenacious artist went on to contact all the listed advertising agencies to ask for a job until she managed to get one. The world of advertising was a place where Chin found herself fitting into nicely. It inspired her to explore new ideas and unleash her creativity. Yet the fast-paced creative diaspora she found herself in wasn’t without challenges.
“I had to work hard. It’s a very tough industry where you need to put in long hours,” she says soberly. Some days it was difficult, and she admits to having self-doubts.
“There are those moments when I ask myself if it’s worth all the difficulty. But then I also tell myself, I don’t want any regrets. After all, we have only one life to live – may as well live it to the fullest!”
Her original dream of being a full-time artist never waned. Through the years, Chin explored the idea of turning her paper creations into an income-generating venture. “I used my weekends to pursue this dream,” she says, confiding that she operated a stall at weekend bazaars to sell some of her creations. “It was discouraging at first. Not many appreciated paper craft with the intensive labour and long hours put in. But eventually people caught on.”
Developing a steady clientele that appreciate her work wasn’t easy, but Chin has recently embarked on her childhood dream of becoming a full-time artist. “It’s another tick on my bucket list… the dream of finally becoming an artist. Kowtim!” avers Chin with a hearty laugh, adding candidly: “I’m already 40. If I don’t realise my dream now, then when?”
ARTISTIC INSPIRATION
It’s obvious that Chin’s oeuvre embodies many Chinese traditions and philosophies ranging from Chinese zodiacs to the Chinese traditional opera themes involving elaborate face paint and colourful costumes. These are all featured in her work. “You can blame it on my parentslah!” she exclaims.
Traditional Chinese songs echoed through the hallways of her childhood, she tells me. “I didn’t appreciate it at first, but eventually I began to discover the meaning behind the lyrics and found them fascinating.” Citing the influences of early Chinese opera stars Bak Sheut-Sin and Yam Kim Fai, Chin shares that their performances, costumes, movements and passion towards their craft have been reflected in her work.
“Thanks to these early opera practitioners, I read up on Chinese operas and the significance of the colours and designs,” she explains. What appealed to her were the different styles of facial make-up, which require distinctive techniques of painting.
Exaggerated designs, she points out, are painted on each performer's face to symbolise a character's personality, role, and fate. This technique may have originated from ancient religions and dance. Audiences who are familiar with opera can know the story by observing the facial painting as well as the costumes. Generally, a red face represents loyalty and bravery; a black face, valour; yellow and white faces, duplicity; and golden and silver faces, mystery. “It never fails to fascinate me,” she enthuses.
But it’s not an art form that appeals to many, she concedes. “I also had to find a subject that appeals to a broader audience, and what better than the zodiacs?”
In Chinese and other East Asian traditions, each year is characterised by an animal: most commonly the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Legend says that this is the order the animals crossed the finish line in a great race held by the Jade Emperor.
Each of the 12 animals is said to embody certain personalities and characteristics. Some believe that the year has these characteristics, while others think people born in that year will exhibit these specific personality traits. The zodiac animals, explains Chin, are all strong cultural symbols of good luck within East Asian traditions. As such, they’ve often popped up in arts and crafts from the region over the centuries.
Her intricate paper carvings featuring the Chinese zodiac animals have secured a regular clientele for Chin. Her whimsical visualisation of these animals set in paper have been well received and she often gets commissioned to fashion craft pieces for special occasions including weddings, birthdays and full moon celebrations for newborn babies.
A reality of modern life for any working artist is diversification, she reveals candidly. “If you want to make a full-time living as an artist, sometimes it’s not always enough to rely on gallery representation. Luckily, as the world has changed, the opportunities for artists to make money from their creativity have also expanded,” says Chin.
For the artist, her creativity lies in the humble paper. “There’s something oddly satisfying about working with paper,” Chin murmurs as she demonstrates her craft. Using a blade to carefully cut shapes, she’s a picture of intense concentration even as we chat.
The animal soon takes form under her deft hands – a cute little pig that happens to represent this year – and I’m more than mesmerised by her dexterity and fluidity as she handles the paper.
Airplanes. Hats. Boats. For most of us, that pretty much summarises the extent of our paper-sculpting repertoire. But a new generation of artists like Chin is tearing up the rulebook when it comes to what paper can be made to do. Looking up, she smiles and concludes: “People have a strong emotional attachment to paper. What better way to celebrate this medium than to use it in a creative way?”
For more of Chin’s work, check out her Instagram @sinmayapieceof
For information on GMBB Mall, please go to www.gmbb.com.my