Elena Koshy
What makes an artwork speak to you? Is it the statement or the attitude that is brought to the fore by the painting? Is it the evidence of the artist’s involvement? Is it familiarity (for some – it’s about following a particular artist’s work)?
It’s obvious that ‘different strokes for different folks’ applies here. But as I stand before a particular piece of work that resonates with me, I’d like to think that the person attached to the hand had his focus, mind and thoughts mapped out in each stroke of the brush or whichever medium he’s using. I personally love it when I can ‘see’ the evidence of the human hand. I fall in love with the thickness and thinness of each stroke and evidence of the artist having been there making that mark.
I find my mind (and eyes) travelling over an artwork as if over a landscape with tell-tale footprints here and there that speak a thousand words that someone was there, that their heart and soul were at work and they were headed in a certain direction. It’s often said that all true art is literally a mirror of the artist’s mind, a reflection of the artist's imagination at work. If you know that, and bear it in mind when looking at artworks, your eyes will be alert for the visual details that convey it.
Galeri Prima’s latest exhibition Mindscape offers you just that – a deeply introspective look into the minds of artists and how they view the world. Displaying strong body of works from both established and emerging artists namely, Abdullah Jones, Ahmad Fauzi, Aely Manaf, Azman Nor, Hamdan Saarani, Jamil Mat Isa, Johan Marjonid, Liu Cheng Hua, Nor Hanem Mohd Nor, Norlisham Nor, Nurul Ashikin Habeni Hajar, Rosli Zakaria, Sharmiza Abu Hassan, Zaharin Mohammad, Zaim Durulaman, Zainon Abdullah and Zarina Abdullah, Mindscape takes you on a journey where artists offer you a glimpse into their psyche through the exploration of various styles, words and techniques.
There’s so much to take in as I step into the familiar surroundings of the gallery. Paintings and sculptures displayed all around me speak silent stories of thoughts, inspirations, frustrations and happiness – all etched out for the audience to take in. As I speak to some of the artists involved, it’s evident that while they share the same threads of emotions as anyone else, their expressions are startlingly unique. They dream, they create and the world is their inspiration.
What better way to get to know someone than through their art?
Zarina Abdullah
“My art is an ode to my inspiration, the artist Salvador Dali,” begins Zarina Abdullah. The realist artworks from her Legends series features the iconic artist in full prominence. “I admire his works. He was wildly creative and experimental, not to mention extraordinarily important in the history of art and the artistic models that developed in the 60s and 70s,” she adds.
An artist by training and an educator by profession, Zarina holds a Bachelor's Degree (hons) in fine arts from UiTM Shah Alam. Her artistic career began in 1999, with active participation in numerous art competitions and exhibitions. Among the highlights of her career was winning the Nokia Art Award in 2002.
“Dali influenced me greatly,” confides the 37-year-old secondary school art teacher. “The white mice I’ve painted is an expression of just how bold and experimental he was. It’s also an expression of the political upheavals that Malaysia has undergone recently. I call them politikus!” she says with a laugh.
This is her identity, she adds. “This Mindscape exhibition is a collaboration of different ideas and thoughts. These works I display here speak of my influences and how great artists, like Dali, whose genius creativity has helped shaped the artist I’ve grown to become.”
Zaim Darulaman
The leitmotif throughout artist Zaim Darulaman’s works is the ever ubiquitous perahu or fishing boat. I tell him that it’s easy to spot his work because the boat is instantaneously recognisable. He laughs. “I’ve used the boat as my subject matter for a long time… since the 90s!” he remarks as we look at his breathtaking paintings.
“It’s a metaphor for human life actually” he says after a pause. “I used to paint boats for what they were. But now, it holds a deeper meaning for me.” The boat, according to Zaim, is his manifestation of life. A journey similar to those of the daily fishing trips fishermen make to the sea. “The ocean is unpredictable – just like how life is,” he says. It’s a journey of facing to the challenges that life has to offer, where courage and skills play a part in determining our end.
“I got my inspiration about drawing boats from the poem Syair Perahu penned by poet Sheikh Hamzah Fansuri believed to have been born at the end of the 16th century. He never really talked about boats really. It was a metaphor about life,’ he shares.
A graphic designer by profession, Zaim started painting since 1996. “I’m actually a latecomer to the scene,” he admits with a smile. He worked as a graphic designer and illustrator in the 90s. Zaim started painting in 1996 during the time when economic turmoil hit Malaysia. “My life is drawing. I’m an artist. Mana ada kerja lain kan? (What other work is there?). I was between jobs so I had to paint!” he says candidly. His friends encouraged him to pursue art, and eventually he started entering local art competitions which he says, eventually drew attention to his work.
“When I started winning competitions, I took it as a sign that this was something else I could do.” The 52-year-old artist hasn’t looked back since. “I’ve not stopped painting since then!” he says, grinning.
Liu Cheng Hua
Sculptor Liu Cheng Hua prefers to be known as an artist. “I don’t want to be limited by a title,” he explains simply. The Taiping-born artist’s works have been featured in many group exhibitions in the Klang Valley, including Galeri Shah Alam, Galeri Chandan and the National Visual Arts Gallery.
For the Mindscape exhibition, Liu’s series of metal pieces featuring the saxophone is an ode to P. Ramlee, whom he says was his icon since childhood. “My family and I used to watch P. Ramlee’s films on television when I was growing up. The legendary actor remained etched in my memory and is a source of my inspiration till today,” he explains.
Before Liu became a fully-fledged artist, he was a part-time lecturer in the Faculty of Fine Arts at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (Aswara). Since 2014, Liu has been lecturing at the Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA) while pursuing his passion as an artist.
His stunning sculptures made out of a combination of metal and forks are inspired by P. Ramlee’s movie Ibu Mertuaku. The 1962 Malaysian melodrama directed and starred by the silver-screen legend revolved around the tragic love affair between Kassim Selamat, a poor musician and Sabariah, the only daughter of a wealthy woman.
“There’s a scene where P. Ramlee’s character blinds himself with a fork,” explains Liu, pointing to the series of glinting forks that circle the eye-catching saxophone formed by metal. “Movies and music influence our eyes and minds. This is how I was influenced in my growing-up years. He’s a very important icon to me.”
Abdullah Jones
“I’m a self-taught artist, I travel a lot.., and that’s pretty much it!” begins Abdullah Jones, by manner of introduction. The Kuantan-born artist’s socially active stance is evident in both his artistic practice as well as his key involvement in the artist-run space, Rajawali Art Studio.
Themes of patriotism and social critique recur throughout his portfolio of artworks which have received critical recognition both in this country and abroad. Abdullah’s interest in social discourse has been recognised through his writings, poetry and stories.
His artworks have been displayed in the Pahang State Art Gallery and Art Museum, the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, Artcube Gallery and Ilham Gallery. Internationally, he has participated in events such as Un-Cut at Gallery Shambala in Copenhagen, The Outsider Art at Octane Photographic Studio/Gallery in Ferndale, Minnesota and most recently BATIK: Expression of Identities at the Chinese Cultural Centre Museum, Vancouver, Canada in 2016.
In 2007, upon his return to Malaysia after a spell living abroad, Abdullah was instrumental in the creation of Rajawali Art Studio. The studio was born out of a gap identified in support structures for artists living and working in Pahang at the time. Abdullah’s involvement in Rajawali speaks to a practical awareness of structures that need to exist within the local art world, and the forms they should embody in order to provide support.
His wickedly humorous etchings in marker pen on paper reveals his satirical yet brutally honest view of the art scene today. “I was thinking about something ambiguous for the show, but decided on doing something straightforward,” says Abdullah, with a grin.
It’s a bit sensitive, he adds, with wink. The series of artworks comprise satirical etchings of characters in a typical art scene, namely the self-taught artist (“too arrogant”), the gallerist (“sometimes uses the artist as a commodity and mostly isn’t interested in developing the artist”), the trained artist (“too technical and usually doesn’t do much independent thinking”), the collector (“they think they’re the kingmakers”) and the scholar (“not enough of them who actually talk about art”).
Stereotypical? Maybe but Abdullah says that such characters exist in the art scene today. “It’s controversial but it’s the truth,” he adds, chuckling. “I don’t expect to change people’s perspective when they come to view my work. I just want them to have a good laugh and enjoy what’s displayed. There can be multiple meanings to a work of art, and everyone is equally welcome to their personal creative expression of their opinion. That’s what Mindscape is really all about.”
Mindscape
When : Until Dec 21
Where : Galeri Prima, Balai Berita, 31 Jalan Riong, Bangsar, KL
10 am to 6 pm