For the love of art
2009/10/07
RICHARD Wee Guanlee, a Singaporean, went to London in 1975 to start a branch of Singapore's United Overseas Bank (UOB).
Two years after leaving UOB, Wee assisted DBS Bank to open a branch in London in 1982.
But Wee was not destined to remain a banker for long as he would sneak to the City of London Library during lunch -- whenever he had time -- to go through the volumes of art books.
Then he started going to evening classes in London to learn to paint in water colours. By then, there was no turning back. Wee had rediscovered his first love -- art.
The self-made artist says: "My attitude was that of a student pursuing a university fine arts course which I missed in my teens.
"I have always loved and have been interested in art since my A level days when I did my art exams without the help of a teacher as my school did not offer the subject at that level.
"The University of Singapore did not offer a fine arts course, so I pursued a degree in Business Administration instead."
To Wee, any education is never wasted. However, he is quick to add that he does not overtly encourage anyone to take up art just because of great interest unless the particular student is a prodigy of sorts. Then it is a different matter as the student becomes almost a national treasure. Wee laments that Asian education is generally by rote which would render studying art less useful to society especially if it has not reached a level to appreciate and pay for it.
He admits that when he first discovered that he could produce good saleable work he toyed with the idea of early retirement to become a full-time artist.
However his pragmatic instincts told him that it was possible to enjoy both worlds at the same time: to continue having regular income and enjoy his art work without any pressure to pay for his keep.
In time Wee managed to participate in public exhibitions in North London. His work was one of the first pieces sold on one opening day.
At his first and only participation in a British Amateur Art Society exhibition, Wee received a merit award for an effort in his first year of painting.
Since then, Wee has participated in several art exhibitions. Last year he did some umbrella art which exhibited in China, Italy, Kenya and Germany. The artwork will be exhibited in the United States later this year.
The umbrella painting, which he entitled World Disarray After Global Warming, went on a global exhibition together with other society umbrellas. What is unusual about Wee's umbrella painting is that he swapped the positions of Australia and England to illustrate the topsy-turvy effects of global warming.
"I have some shoe art which are now on exhibition on the Isle of Wight. The Cleopatra or snake slipper is one of my five sculptures on exhibition.
"I am also planning a porcelain patina sculpture to be completed soon."
As in the lives of most artists, there is always a moment of truth. A revelation of sorts.
For Wee, that significant moment happened in 2004 when he underwent cataract operations on both his eyes and had to stop water-colour painting for two years to enable his brain to regain its proper colour values.
It was then that he realised how beautiful the world is in all its colours. Undaunted by the handicap, Wee experimented with painting in Chinese ink which is in monochrome.
"But not the usual Chinese paintings of mountains and bamboo. Most of my works are of life models.
"I also started to learn to sculpt in clay and have now become good friends with teacher Frances Segelman, a well-known celebrity sculptor, who recently unveiled her sculptures of The Queen of England."
Today, Wee is retired from work and spends most of his time between art and personal investments plus dancing three times weekly. He does ballroom dancing and ceroc -- a mix of jive and salsa -- which is robust and, therefore, good exercise.
An avid skier for the last 27 years, Wee's personal achievement occurred in the mid-1990s when he went with a few English friends to Italy for his annual ski holiday.
He skied down Vallee' Blanche from Aigulle du Midi (at an altitude of 3,880m) near Mount Blanc. He skied on a glacier of 17km and a further 5km of frozen ice slope to Chamonix, a village in France. It was an adventure that he lives to tell his grandchildren about.
So should a student pursue art as a major?
Yes and no, depending on the level of social advancement of his country. There are certainly more opportunities for budding artists overseas as the market is clearly bigger than in Asia.
Take, for example, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles in the United States. There is a sculpture gallery in the museum where artists are allowed to do their drawings there and are even provided with paper, pencils and an easel bench.
When Wee visited the Getty Museum, he did a 20-minute pencil drawing. The museum officers saw the finished product and put a stamp "Produced at the Getty Museum" on it. Wee was chaffed as the stamp had put a special value to the drawing.
Wee summarises it neatly by saying: "Only after our stomachs are satisfied can we think of other pleasures in life.
"And of course if the child is a savant, then it's a totally different issue. It is also a chicken-and-egg problem.
"I am still a long way from lucrative fame. An artist needs a lucky break, and this means that good connections are essential too."
Associate Professor Koh Soo Ling is with the Academy of Language Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA. Email her at kohsl@salam.uitm.edu.my
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
On the side of truth and justice
On the side of truth and justice
What is the biggest difference in the art scene today compared to the past?
I have seen the art scene progress from Merdeka to now. I witnessed the British flag come down and Malaysian flag go up. In terms of art, you could say I am a child of Merdeka.
A year after Merdeka, Tunku Abdul Rahman set up the National Art Gallery to preserve Malaysian art. There were groups of people in power, mainly government servants, who supported the arts and wanted to see the art scene grow. The support given to nurture the arts was healthy and fantastic. Artists like me had more freedom and were not hampered by tradition.
Art was seen as an expression of society.
The government encouraged and supported artists to take part in international exhibitions.
Malaysian art was travelling all over the world. International audiences and critics were impressed with our work and praised it. I was only in my 30s when I got such exposure and responsibilities.
But slowly the exposure of Malaysian art in the international art scene declined.
Why do you think this happened?
The focus was on the economy, culture and politics. The emphasis was more on science and technology. There was a period when the government was even suspicious of artists.
I believe we should have continued our effort to expose our art outside Malaysia. We should have taken part in more international exhibitions.
Are you saying the government doesn’t support the art scene any more?
The government is still giving support. But it is not on a big scale. There are more artists now and the artists are more successful economically. They can paint and still survive. In the old days, artists like me could not make a living as an artist. A lot of us had to become art teachers. Now, there are art patrons such as banks, various organisations and individuals who are willing to buy art works. The art scene is healthier.
If we had continued to actively promote our art outside Malaysia, by now our art would have gotten international recognition. Right now, there is no vision of bringing Malaysian art outside Malaysia.
Why do you think the emphasis is more on science and technology?
It is not for me to say why the government decided to do this but I would like to see an equal emphasis on the arts. It is still not too late to get international recognition. We have the artists and the work to impress international audiences and critics.
Are you sad, bitter and de-motivated that the government has given less emphasis to the arts?
I am not. If I was sad, bitter and de-motivated, I would not have carried on. If you look at my body of work, you will know I have been producing art works despite the condition we were in. I believe everything that happens is God’s will. We must make the best of any situation. We cannot protest so much. We cannot be mourning always. Besides, I have never created art just to get fame and fortune. I create art because I need to express myself as a creative individual.
Is the government doing enough?
It is never enough no matter how much they do. I will always wish for more. (We laugh).
Are artists respected in Malaysia?
I do not know about respect. But I think there is recognition. People are willing to pay RM200,000 for a painting. It goes to show there is recognition. When I became an artist, it was never about the money. If I thought about the money I would have done something else. In my early days, I could not survive as an artist. I became an art teacher so I could paint in the afternoon.
Some people have this impression the art in this country caters to the elite. Do you agree?
It has become such a cliché. I never paint for the elite. I paint because there is a compulsion in me to express myself as a creative person. Sometimes I give a free talk on art because I want to give back to society.
There are organisations who would love to buy some of my works at any price. But I am not willing to part with those works because they involve the history of this country and it should belong to certain organisations where everyone has a chance to see them. If I had painted for money, I would have parted with those works a long time ago. There might be some artists who create art for the elite only. But that is not my concern.
What is your advice to young painters?
You must be honest and sincere in your work. If you paint for money, you might be successful for a while. You create art because you are compelled to … it is part of your existence.
What is the constant message in your work?
There is an aspect of truth and reality in my work. My work reflects my relationship with the world I live in ... my relationship with my country ... my relationship with my environment … and the political situation. I am not envious of people in power. But I am not fond of pretentious politicians. I have addressed unpleasant issues on canvas such as Palestine, Reformasi and the May 13 riots.
Has your work offended anyone?
I held an art exhibition where I had painted Mahathir (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was the prime minister then) and Musa (Tun Musa Hitam, the former deputy prime minister) on one canvas. My work showed the 2M (Mahathir and Musa) factor in political scenario. Obviously, Mahathir was not happy with the piece. But I didn’t paint for him. As an artist, I study the situation around me and put it on canvas.
Much later I had another exhibition that showed the country’s progress over 50 years. He (Mahathir) was smiling moving from one canvas to another. He stopped smiling when he came to one work that reflected the Reformasi period (Anwar Ibrahim being sacked as deputy prime minister). This time around, he was not so angry. My wife and I even bumped into him at Starbucks after the exhibition. My wife wanted to take a picture with him. He obliged. He even took a picture with me and jokingly said he could use the picture against me and show that ‘I am on his side.’ (He smiles). I didn’t create those pieces to offend him. I paint to reflect the situation around me.
Have you come to a stage where people are afraid to criticise your work?
I do not expect people to praise my work all the time. But if you criticise my work, you must have valid reasons to support your views. You must have some knowledge of art before criticising my work.
But are you ready to face bad reviews?
So far nobody has said anything bad about my work. Are you going to be the first to give me a bad review? I am ready to face any review. But it is must be constructive criticism.
There is a belief that Islam forbids Muslim artists from drawing figures and portraits. What is your stand?
It is not forbidden. If you look at Persian, Turkish and Moghul paintings, there are figure drawings and portraits. As long as you do not create an image with the aim of worshipping it, you are not going against Islamic teaching.
What is the greatest misconception people have about you?
People believe that I belong to a certain political party. But I do not. I stand on the side of truth and justice.
Why do you think people jump to this conclusion? Is it because you created the logo for Parti Keadilan?
I created a few paintings about Anwar and the Reformasi period and I would not deny that I created the logo for Keadilan. I called it Adil (Justice). But they modified it and called it Keadilan.
So people jump to the conclusion I belong to the opposition camp. But that is not the case.
I have also painted on other issues. I paint what I see. I have done logos for other organisations.
PAS asked me to join them. But I refused. I do not want to belong to any political party. Like I said earlier, I want to be on the side of truth and justice.
Were you disappointed when the party changed your logo from Adil to Keadilan?
Why should I be? It is their organisation. They have the right to modify my logo. They have every right to do what is best for their organisation.
What is your view on 1Malaysia?
There has always been 1Malaysia and there will always be 1Malaysia. Since independence, we (all of the different races) have always worked together peacefully in every aspect. Of course there will be hiccups and we will not always be perfect. It is the same with any other country, including the United States and United Kingdom. The idea of us working together should not be a deliberate effort. It should be a natural process.
Do you have any dream as an artist you want to accomplish now?
Yes. I have a few projects in mind. These art works are large pieces … huge sculptures and art designs. One of my projects is to show the Malay culture from the past to the present. It will be like mini-museums where you see the influences that shape the Malay community. People tell me that these dreams are difficult to materialise because of the size. I will not stop trying to make this dream come true. I believe as long as there is hope, there is a chance that these dreams will come true, God-willing.
Do you remember what inspired you to become an artist?
I was 10 or 11 when I saw some artists in Johor Baru (his hometown) painting in water colour and I thought these works were beautiful. I was inspired to create similar works.
Who are the artists you admire?
Titian Bohicelli (Italy), Picasso (Spain), Braque (France), Matisse (France), Truner (Britain), Monet (France) and many more. They were innovators and ground breakers who gave shape and form to the manifestation of human spirit.
If you were not an artist, what would you have become?
Most probably a writer. In school, I actively took part in writing competitions and won a few. I have written several articles and a few books on the arts. My memoir Kunang-Kunang: Kenang-Kenangan Syed Ahmad Jamal was published in 1997. It was in Malay. I have plans to write a memoir in English.
What is the biggest difference in the art scene today compared to the past?
I have seen the art scene progress from Merdeka to now. I witnessed the British flag come down and Malaysian flag go up. In terms of art, you could say I am a child of Merdeka.
A year after Merdeka, Tunku Abdul Rahman set up the National Art Gallery to preserve Malaysian art. There were groups of people in power, mainly government servants, who supported the arts and wanted to see the art scene grow. The support given to nurture the arts was healthy and fantastic. Artists like me had more freedom and were not hampered by tradition.
Art was seen as an expression of society.
The government encouraged and supported artists to take part in international exhibitions.
Malaysian art was travelling all over the world. International audiences and critics were impressed with our work and praised it. I was only in my 30s when I got such exposure and responsibilities.
But slowly the exposure of Malaysian art in the international art scene declined.
Why do you think this happened?
The focus was on the economy, culture and politics. The emphasis was more on science and technology. There was a period when the government was even suspicious of artists.
I believe we should have continued our effort to expose our art outside Malaysia. We should have taken part in more international exhibitions.
Are you saying the government doesn’t support the art scene any more?
The government is still giving support. But it is not on a big scale. There are more artists now and the artists are more successful economically. They can paint and still survive. In the old days, artists like me could not make a living as an artist. A lot of us had to become art teachers. Now, there are art patrons such as banks, various organisations and individuals who are willing to buy art works. The art scene is healthier.
If we had continued to actively promote our art outside Malaysia, by now our art would have gotten international recognition. Right now, there is no vision of bringing Malaysian art outside Malaysia.
Why do you think the emphasis is more on science and technology?
It is not for me to say why the government decided to do this but I would like to see an equal emphasis on the arts. It is still not too late to get international recognition. We have the artists and the work to impress international audiences and critics.
Are you sad, bitter and de-motivated that the government has given less emphasis to the arts?
I am not. If I was sad, bitter and de-motivated, I would not have carried on. If you look at my body of work, you will know I have been producing art works despite the condition we were in. I believe everything that happens is God’s will. We must make the best of any situation. We cannot protest so much. We cannot be mourning always. Besides, I have never created art just to get fame and fortune. I create art because I need to express myself as a creative individual.
Is the government doing enough?
It is never enough no matter how much they do. I will always wish for more. (We laugh).
Are artists respected in Malaysia?
I do not know about respect. But I think there is recognition. People are willing to pay RM200,000 for a painting. It goes to show there is recognition. When I became an artist, it was never about the money. If I thought about the money I would have done something else. In my early days, I could not survive as an artist. I became an art teacher so I could paint in the afternoon.
Some people have this impression the art in this country caters to the elite. Do you agree?
It has become such a cliché. I never paint for the elite. I paint because there is a compulsion in me to express myself as a creative person. Sometimes I give a free talk on art because I want to give back to society.
There are organisations who would love to buy some of my works at any price. But I am not willing to part with those works because they involve the history of this country and it should belong to certain organisations where everyone has a chance to see them. If I had painted for money, I would have parted with those works a long time ago. There might be some artists who create art for the elite only. But that is not my concern.
What is your advice to young painters?
You must be honest and sincere in your work. If you paint for money, you might be successful for a while. You create art because you are compelled to … it is part of your existence.
What is the constant message in your work?
There is an aspect of truth and reality in my work. My work reflects my relationship with the world I live in ... my relationship with my country ... my relationship with my environment … and the political situation. I am not envious of people in power. But I am not fond of pretentious politicians. I have addressed unpleasant issues on canvas such as Palestine, Reformasi and the May 13 riots.
Has your work offended anyone?
I held an art exhibition where I had painted Mahathir (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who was the prime minister then) and Musa (Tun Musa Hitam, the former deputy prime minister) on one canvas. My work showed the 2M (Mahathir and Musa) factor in political scenario. Obviously, Mahathir was not happy with the piece. But I didn’t paint for him. As an artist, I study the situation around me and put it on canvas.
Much later I had another exhibition that showed the country’s progress over 50 years. He (Mahathir) was smiling moving from one canvas to another. He stopped smiling when he came to one work that reflected the Reformasi period (Anwar Ibrahim being sacked as deputy prime minister). This time around, he was not so angry. My wife and I even bumped into him at Starbucks after the exhibition. My wife wanted to take a picture with him. He obliged. He even took a picture with me and jokingly said he could use the picture against me and show that ‘I am on his side.’ (He smiles). I didn’t create those pieces to offend him. I paint to reflect the situation around me.
Have you come to a stage where people are afraid to criticise your work?
I do not expect people to praise my work all the time. But if you criticise my work, you must have valid reasons to support your views. You must have some knowledge of art before criticising my work.
But are you ready to face bad reviews?
So far nobody has said anything bad about my work. Are you going to be the first to give me a bad review? I am ready to face any review. But it is must be constructive criticism.
There is a belief that Islam forbids Muslim artists from drawing figures and portraits. What is your stand?
It is not forbidden. If you look at Persian, Turkish and Moghul paintings, there are figure drawings and portraits. As long as you do not create an image with the aim of worshipping it, you are not going against Islamic teaching.
What is the greatest misconception people have about you?
People believe that I belong to a certain political party. But I do not. I stand on the side of truth and justice.
Why do you think people jump to this conclusion? Is it because you created the logo for Parti Keadilan?
I created a few paintings about Anwar and the Reformasi period and I would not deny that I created the logo for Keadilan. I called it Adil (Justice). But they modified it and called it Keadilan.
So people jump to the conclusion I belong to the opposition camp. But that is not the case.
I have also painted on other issues. I paint what I see. I have done logos for other organisations.
PAS asked me to join them. But I refused. I do not want to belong to any political party. Like I said earlier, I want to be on the side of truth and justice.
Were you disappointed when the party changed your logo from Adil to Keadilan?
Why should I be? It is their organisation. They have the right to modify my logo. They have every right to do what is best for their organisation.
What is your view on 1Malaysia?
There has always been 1Malaysia and there will always be 1Malaysia. Since independence, we (all of the different races) have always worked together peacefully in every aspect. Of course there will be hiccups and we will not always be perfect. It is the same with any other country, including the United States and United Kingdom. The idea of us working together should not be a deliberate effort. It should be a natural process.
Do you have any dream as an artist you want to accomplish now?
Yes. I have a few projects in mind. These art works are large pieces … huge sculptures and art designs. One of my projects is to show the Malay culture from the past to the present. It will be like mini-museums where you see the influences that shape the Malay community. People tell me that these dreams are difficult to materialise because of the size. I will not stop trying to make this dream come true. I believe as long as there is hope, there is a chance that these dreams will come true, God-willing.
Do you remember what inspired you to become an artist?
I was 10 or 11 when I saw some artists in Johor Baru (his hometown) painting in water colour and I thought these works were beautiful. I was inspired to create similar works.
Who are the artists you admire?
Titian Bohicelli (Italy), Picasso (Spain), Braque (France), Matisse (France), Truner (Britain), Monet (France) and many more. They were innovators and ground breakers who gave shape and form to the manifestation of human spirit.
If you were not an artist, what would you have become?
Most probably a writer. In school, I actively took part in writing competitions and won a few. I have written several articles and a few books on the arts. My memoir Kunang-Kunang: Kenang-Kenangan Syed Ahmad Jamal was published in 1997. It was in Malay. I have plans to write a memoir in English.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Sentuhan warna RM10 juta
Galeri: Sentuhan warna RM10 juta
Oleh Rashiqah Ilmi Abd Rahim
YANG di-Pertuan Agong Tuaku Mizan Zainal Abidin dan Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah mendengar penerangan Syed Ahmad Jamal (kanan) ketika berkenan melawat Pameran Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis di BSLN, baru-baru ini.
Syed Ahmad Jamal tidak pernah letih berkarya meskipun usia menginjak 80 tahun
PAMERAN Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis membawa peminat seni rupa tanah air menelusuri jalur kehidupan Seniman Negara (SN) menerusi himpunan 300 karya agungnya bermula era 1950-an hingga kini bernilai lebih RM10 juta.
Karya garapan SN dalam bentuk lukisan, catan, poster, arca, tekstil, reka bentuk, kajian-kajian awal, foto bersejarah dan barangan peribadi itu dipamerkan di Balai Seni Lukis Negara (BSLN), Jalan Temerloh off Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, sehingga 31 Januari 2010.
Melalui koleksi karya seniman ini dan yang dipinjam daripada semua kolektor, pelopor aliran ekspresionisme abstrak di Malaysia ini, tampak tidak terikat atau bernaung di bawah sesiapa, selain terpancar keunikan dan kebebasan dalam menerokai segala aspek berekspresi.
Nampaknya, biarpun sudah berpuluh tahun melukis, masih tiada tanda yang menunjukkan Syed Ahmad Jamal akan berehat daripada memegang berus kerana beliau baru saja menyahut cabaran negara dengan menyertai Pertandingan Antarabangsa Mural Mekah 2009.
“Saya masih aktif berkarya dan akan ada lagi pameran solo saya pada masa depan. Bagi saya setiap pelukis akan sentiasa meraikan sesuatu situasi dengan melukis kerana inilah cara kami meluahkan perasaan,” katanya pada pertemuan dengan Galeri, pada pelancaran pamerannya, baru-baru ini.
KARYA Senyuman.
Antara karyanya yang paling mahal dan mendapat perhatian khalayak pada pameran ini ialah Semangat Ledang berharga RM150,000 kerana imej Gunung Ledang/ Tanjung Kupang seakan-akan menjadi identiti kepadanya.
Karyanya, M:50 pula menceritakan pencapaian bersejarah sempena kemerdekaan negara ke-51 dengan gambaran landskap yang sarat dengan perlambangan bermula dari kanan ke kiri seperti sedang membaca senaskhah manuskrip Melayu atau Arab.
Perlambangan seperti bentuk tumpal, tanda tanya, huruf 'ain, bendera negeri dan industri yang disusun dengan teliti memberi simbol tertentu dengan maksud sebagai rakaman sejarah serta dokumen visual sepanjang 50 tahun Malaysia.
Pameran ini turut memberi peluang kepada masyarakat melihat dan menghayati karya terbaru pelukis ini, dihasilkan khas untuk Pameran Senyuman dan 99 yang menyatakan betapa beliau menghargai serta bersyukur kerana berpeluang mengadakan pameran di BSLN pada usia 80 tahun.
Oleh Rashiqah Ilmi Abd Rahim
YANG di-Pertuan Agong Tuaku Mizan Zainal Abidin dan Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah mendengar penerangan Syed Ahmad Jamal (kanan) ketika berkenan melawat Pameran Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis di BSLN, baru-baru ini.
Syed Ahmad Jamal tidak pernah letih berkarya meskipun usia menginjak 80 tahun
PAMERAN Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis membawa peminat seni rupa tanah air menelusuri jalur kehidupan Seniman Negara (SN) menerusi himpunan 300 karya agungnya bermula era 1950-an hingga kini bernilai lebih RM10 juta.
Karya garapan SN dalam bentuk lukisan, catan, poster, arca, tekstil, reka bentuk, kajian-kajian awal, foto bersejarah dan barangan peribadi itu dipamerkan di Balai Seni Lukis Negara (BSLN), Jalan Temerloh off Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, sehingga 31 Januari 2010.
Melalui koleksi karya seniman ini dan yang dipinjam daripada semua kolektor, pelopor aliran ekspresionisme abstrak di Malaysia ini, tampak tidak terikat atau bernaung di bawah sesiapa, selain terpancar keunikan dan kebebasan dalam menerokai segala aspek berekspresi.
Nampaknya, biarpun sudah berpuluh tahun melukis, masih tiada tanda yang menunjukkan Syed Ahmad Jamal akan berehat daripada memegang berus kerana beliau baru saja menyahut cabaran negara dengan menyertai Pertandingan Antarabangsa Mural Mekah 2009.
“Saya masih aktif berkarya dan akan ada lagi pameran solo saya pada masa depan. Bagi saya setiap pelukis akan sentiasa meraikan sesuatu situasi dengan melukis kerana inilah cara kami meluahkan perasaan,” katanya pada pertemuan dengan Galeri, pada pelancaran pamerannya, baru-baru ini.
KARYA Senyuman.
Antara karyanya yang paling mahal dan mendapat perhatian khalayak pada pameran ini ialah Semangat Ledang berharga RM150,000 kerana imej Gunung Ledang/ Tanjung Kupang seakan-akan menjadi identiti kepadanya.
Karyanya, M:50 pula menceritakan pencapaian bersejarah sempena kemerdekaan negara ke-51 dengan gambaran landskap yang sarat dengan perlambangan bermula dari kanan ke kiri seperti sedang membaca senaskhah manuskrip Melayu atau Arab.
Perlambangan seperti bentuk tumpal, tanda tanya, huruf 'ain, bendera negeri dan industri yang disusun dengan teliti memberi simbol tertentu dengan maksud sebagai rakaman sejarah serta dokumen visual sepanjang 50 tahun Malaysia.
Pameran ini turut memberi peluang kepada masyarakat melihat dan menghayati karya terbaru pelukis ini, dihasilkan khas untuk Pameran Senyuman dan 99 yang menyatakan betapa beliau menghargai serta bersyukur kerana berpeluang mengadakan pameran di BSLN pada usia 80 tahun.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Seni tajamkan minda
Seni tajamkan minda
Oleh Siti Nur Almizan Aripin
snur@bharian.com.my
ABRAKADOODLE menawarkan program seni kepada kanak-kanak.
Pendidikan kreatif menerusi kegiatan melukis, mewarna bantu perkembangan otak kanak-kanak
ADA ibu bapa berpendapat, membiarkan anak bermain dengan peralatan melukis seperti krayon, berus lukisan atau pensil berwarna tidak mendatangkan apa-apa faedah kepada si kecil.
Lebih malang lagi, ada yang berkata, memberikan anak sekotak pensil berwarna umpama mengumpan mereka dengan ‘senjata’ kerana selain bimbang mendatangkan bahaya, ia juga boleh mengotorkan dinding atau perabot mahal di ruang kediaman.
Namun, tahukah anda bahawa ada kajian mendapati, pembabitan di dalam aktiviti berkaitan seni sebenarnya banyak mendatangkan manfaat kepada perkembangan otak individu terutama kanak-kanak.
Sebuah pertubuhan sosial dikenali sebagai The Americans for the Arts turut melaporkan, remaja yang melakukan aktiviti berkaitan seni secara konsisten adalah empat kali lebih berpotensi menjadi seorang yang cemerlang dalam bidang akademik.
Bagi ibu bapa yang berhasrat untuk mendedahkan anak kepada seni, penubuhan francais Abrakadoodle Art Studio for Kids-Malaysia, di Putrajaya baru-baru ini mungkin dapat membantu mereka mengasah minda anak melalui medium pembelajaran seni sebagai asas membentuk insan yang cemerlang pada masa depan.
DI Abrakadoodle, ibu bapa berpeluang memahami diri anak melalui aktiviti melukis.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Abrakadoodle, Mary Rogers, berkata asas pengajaran di Abrakadoodle mengandungi 1,200 modul yang menggunakan kaedah unik dan tersendiri bertujuan meningkatkan daya imaginasi kanak-kanak melalui pelbagai medium serta material seni yang berbeza.
“Selain itu, melalui program yang dikenali sebagai The Abrakadoodle Remarkable Art Education Programme ini juga, kami turut bekerjasama dengan Crayola iaitu pengeluar alatan melukis yang selamat serta berkualiti tinggi dan berkongsi matlamat sama iaitu melahirkan kanak-kanak kreatif melalui kaedah yang menyeronokkan.
“Program ini direka bagi membentuk kanak-kanak supaya lebih kreatif ketika berfikir selain mendidik mereka menjadi seorang yang berkeyakinan dan mampu berfikir luar batasan pemikiran. Lebih penting, pendedahan sebegini juga boleh mengubah diri kanak-kanak menjadi seorang penyelesai masalah yang baik, penuh nilai ekspresi, berseni dan bersemangat dalam menjalani kehidupan,” katanya.
Abrakadoodle ditubuhkan pada 2002 adalah studio seni pertama di Amerika Syarikat yang mengetengahkan program pengajian seni peringkat permulaan secara komprehensif kepada kanak-kanak.
Kata Mary, Abrakadoodle ditubuhkan sebagai platform bagi kanak-kanak mencungkil nilai kreativiti semula jadi, imaginasi dan rasa ingin tahu. Tambahnya lagi, keinginan itu selaras dengan kehendak dalam diri setiap insan yang suka kepada kebebasan dan ia dilontarkan ketika aktiviti mewarna, membentuk objek garisan, kotak dan bulatan melalui penggunaan medium yang berbeza.
Menyertai aktiviti seni di Abrakadoodle juga dapat membantu kanak-kanak mendalami kemahiran lain selain teknik artistik antaranya belajar menyelesaikan masalah, memperbaiki kemahiran berfikir, memperkayakan kemahiran berbahasa selain menghargai seni dari perspektif berbeza.
Sementara itu, pengasas dan Presidennya, Rosemaria Hartnett turut melahirkan rasa gembira dengan penubuhan Abrakadoodle di Malaysia.
“Jika selama ini ramai ibu bapa hanya membiarkan anak mereka melukis tanpa mereka sendiri tahu apa yang tersirat di dalam jiwa anak tapi melalui pendekatan yang diketengahkan Abrakadoodle, ibu bapa kini berpeluang memahami diri anak ketika aktiviti melukis.
“Kajian menyarankan waktu paling sesuai untuk anak melakukan aktiviti seni adalah sejak awal usia kerana ia waktu paling sesuai merangsang minda anak supaya menjadi insan cemerlang dalam bidang akademik, mampu menjadi penyelesai masalah yang baik, mempunyai ciri kepimpinan dan keyakinan diri yang tinggi,” katanya.
Pengarah Abrakadoole (M) Sdn Bhd, Michelle Fork berkata, Abrakadoole adalah studio seni yang menyediakan pendekatan berbeza bagi kanak-kanak mempelajari keindahan seni kerana selain menghiburkan, modul yang digunakan juga bersesuaian untuk ibu bapa yang mahu mengasah kreativiti anak sedari kecil.
“Ramai cendekiawan bersetuju dengan kuasa luar biasa yang ada pada seni. Pengarah Sekolah Graduan Seni dan Pendidikan Harvard, Jessica Davis pernah berkata, apabila kita mendidik kanak-kanak dengan seni, kita sebenarnya memberikan mereka kaedah lain untuk berkomunikasi dan memahami dunia mereka,” katanya.
INFO: Kelas seni Abrakadoodle
Ditawarkan kepada kanak-kanak dan remaja berusia 20 bulan sehingga 12 tahun sebagai sebahagian daripada aktiviti ko-kurikulum.
Pelajar belajar mengenal artis, gaya serta media lukisan. Selain itu, mereka juga belajar menerokai imaginasi sewaktu menghasilkan lukisan.
Kelas di Abrakadoodle terbahagi kepada empat iaitu:
- Toddler Art Class
- Twoosy Doodlers (umur 2-3 tahun), Preschool Art Classes
- Mini Doodlers (umur 4-6 tahun), Elementary Art Classes
- Doodlers (umur 7-12 tahun) dan Specialty Art Classes (umur 3-12 tahun).
Abrakadoodle terletak di Jalan Diplomatik 3/1, Presint 15, Putrajaya.
Untuk maklumat lanjut, hubungi 03-88893882 atau layari www.abrakadoodle.com.my.
Oleh Siti Nur Almizan Aripin
snur@bharian.com.my
ABRAKADOODLE menawarkan program seni kepada kanak-kanak.
Pendidikan kreatif menerusi kegiatan melukis, mewarna bantu perkembangan otak kanak-kanak
ADA ibu bapa berpendapat, membiarkan anak bermain dengan peralatan melukis seperti krayon, berus lukisan atau pensil berwarna tidak mendatangkan apa-apa faedah kepada si kecil.
Lebih malang lagi, ada yang berkata, memberikan anak sekotak pensil berwarna umpama mengumpan mereka dengan ‘senjata’ kerana selain bimbang mendatangkan bahaya, ia juga boleh mengotorkan dinding atau perabot mahal di ruang kediaman.
Namun, tahukah anda bahawa ada kajian mendapati, pembabitan di dalam aktiviti berkaitan seni sebenarnya banyak mendatangkan manfaat kepada perkembangan otak individu terutama kanak-kanak.
Sebuah pertubuhan sosial dikenali sebagai The Americans for the Arts turut melaporkan, remaja yang melakukan aktiviti berkaitan seni secara konsisten adalah empat kali lebih berpotensi menjadi seorang yang cemerlang dalam bidang akademik.
Bagi ibu bapa yang berhasrat untuk mendedahkan anak kepada seni, penubuhan francais Abrakadoodle Art Studio for Kids-Malaysia, di Putrajaya baru-baru ini mungkin dapat membantu mereka mengasah minda anak melalui medium pembelajaran seni sebagai asas membentuk insan yang cemerlang pada masa depan.
DI Abrakadoodle, ibu bapa berpeluang memahami diri anak melalui aktiviti melukis.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Abrakadoodle, Mary Rogers, berkata asas pengajaran di Abrakadoodle mengandungi 1,200 modul yang menggunakan kaedah unik dan tersendiri bertujuan meningkatkan daya imaginasi kanak-kanak melalui pelbagai medium serta material seni yang berbeza.
“Selain itu, melalui program yang dikenali sebagai The Abrakadoodle Remarkable Art Education Programme ini juga, kami turut bekerjasama dengan Crayola iaitu pengeluar alatan melukis yang selamat serta berkualiti tinggi dan berkongsi matlamat sama iaitu melahirkan kanak-kanak kreatif melalui kaedah yang menyeronokkan.
“Program ini direka bagi membentuk kanak-kanak supaya lebih kreatif ketika berfikir selain mendidik mereka menjadi seorang yang berkeyakinan dan mampu berfikir luar batasan pemikiran. Lebih penting, pendedahan sebegini juga boleh mengubah diri kanak-kanak menjadi seorang penyelesai masalah yang baik, penuh nilai ekspresi, berseni dan bersemangat dalam menjalani kehidupan,” katanya.
Abrakadoodle ditubuhkan pada 2002 adalah studio seni pertama di Amerika Syarikat yang mengetengahkan program pengajian seni peringkat permulaan secara komprehensif kepada kanak-kanak.
Kata Mary, Abrakadoodle ditubuhkan sebagai platform bagi kanak-kanak mencungkil nilai kreativiti semula jadi, imaginasi dan rasa ingin tahu. Tambahnya lagi, keinginan itu selaras dengan kehendak dalam diri setiap insan yang suka kepada kebebasan dan ia dilontarkan ketika aktiviti mewarna, membentuk objek garisan, kotak dan bulatan melalui penggunaan medium yang berbeza.
Menyertai aktiviti seni di Abrakadoodle juga dapat membantu kanak-kanak mendalami kemahiran lain selain teknik artistik antaranya belajar menyelesaikan masalah, memperbaiki kemahiran berfikir, memperkayakan kemahiran berbahasa selain menghargai seni dari perspektif berbeza.
Sementara itu, pengasas dan Presidennya, Rosemaria Hartnett turut melahirkan rasa gembira dengan penubuhan Abrakadoodle di Malaysia.
“Jika selama ini ramai ibu bapa hanya membiarkan anak mereka melukis tanpa mereka sendiri tahu apa yang tersirat di dalam jiwa anak tapi melalui pendekatan yang diketengahkan Abrakadoodle, ibu bapa kini berpeluang memahami diri anak ketika aktiviti melukis.
“Kajian menyarankan waktu paling sesuai untuk anak melakukan aktiviti seni adalah sejak awal usia kerana ia waktu paling sesuai merangsang minda anak supaya menjadi insan cemerlang dalam bidang akademik, mampu menjadi penyelesai masalah yang baik, mempunyai ciri kepimpinan dan keyakinan diri yang tinggi,” katanya.
Pengarah Abrakadoole (M) Sdn Bhd, Michelle Fork berkata, Abrakadoole adalah studio seni yang menyediakan pendekatan berbeza bagi kanak-kanak mempelajari keindahan seni kerana selain menghiburkan, modul yang digunakan juga bersesuaian untuk ibu bapa yang mahu mengasah kreativiti anak sedari kecil.
“Ramai cendekiawan bersetuju dengan kuasa luar biasa yang ada pada seni. Pengarah Sekolah Graduan Seni dan Pendidikan Harvard, Jessica Davis pernah berkata, apabila kita mendidik kanak-kanak dengan seni, kita sebenarnya memberikan mereka kaedah lain untuk berkomunikasi dan memahami dunia mereka,” katanya.
INFO: Kelas seni Abrakadoodle
Ditawarkan kepada kanak-kanak dan remaja berusia 20 bulan sehingga 12 tahun sebagai sebahagian daripada aktiviti ko-kurikulum.
Pelajar belajar mengenal artis, gaya serta media lukisan. Selain itu, mereka juga belajar menerokai imaginasi sewaktu menghasilkan lukisan.
Kelas di Abrakadoodle terbahagi kepada empat iaitu:
- Toddler Art Class
- Twoosy Doodlers (umur 2-3 tahun), Preschool Art Classes
- Mini Doodlers (umur 4-6 tahun), Elementary Art Classes
- Doodlers (umur 7-12 tahun) dan Specialty Art Classes (umur 3-12 tahun).
Abrakadoodle terletak di Jalan Diplomatik 3/1, Presint 15, Putrajaya.
Untuk maklumat lanjut, hubungi 03-88893882 atau layari www.abrakadoodle.com.my.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Go ahead, touch it
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Go ahead, touch it
Sunday June 8, 2008
Go ahead, touch it
By CHRISTINA CHIN
In an effort to make art exhibitions come ‘alive’, visitors to ‘Other Stories’ are free to give immediate feedback on the works they see.
Unlike in London and Europe, most museums and galleries in Malaysia tend to be – well – “dead”.
While we have excellent, quality exhibits worthy of any international show, the way we present them really leaves much to be desired.
Often, exhibition openings are stuffy affairs and the shows themselves, quite unimaginative in their presentation. Thus, despite having a wealth of acclaimed talents, their works remain quite inaccessible to the average Ali, Ah Seng or Samy.
Hence, it was with much enthusiasm that I trotted to the Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah (MGTF) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) recently to catch “Other Stories” – an audience-interactive exhibition that features artworks by prominent Malaysian masters and new talents.
This is the first time the museum and gallery was organising an exhibition encouraging visitors to share their immediate feedback and interpretations by posting sticky notes and jotting down their thoughts on acrylic plaques and whiteboards placed next to the exhibits.
Visitors leave their comments on sticky notes next to a painting. – RONNIE CHIN/The Star
Museum director Hasnul Jamal Saidon tells me that the museum and gallery is “getting back on course”.
“We are reaching out to the public – even to kindergarten-going children. At the end of the day, we are a university so we are education orientated. Somewhere along the line we lost track of that so now we must rejuvenate interest in the arts again.
“The best way to do this is to make art accessible and interesting enough for people of all ages to want to come. This audience-interactive approach is definitely something we want to continue. To educate people in the arts, we must first get them interested enough to want to come back to galleries.
“I wish I could claim full credit for this whole audience-interactive concept but the truth is, I got the idea from workshops conducted by experts involved in the running of international museums and galleries. Whatever inspired me, I adopted because I think it is important for exhibitions to be perceived as being ‘alive’,” he explains.
The works featured are recent additions to the USM Fine Art Collection.
Unfortunately (due to the apparent lack of space), only 88 works by 49 artists were featured during the exhibition despite the museum having acquired an impressive 136 pieces by 70 artists in the last five years.
Art lovers, however, will get a very rare opportunity to see some of the late Rahime Harun’s impressive collection. The artist, who passed away in March this year, has donated 35 of his prints – the largest collection ever presented to MGTF.
Among the other gems to look out for are Ibrahim Hussein’s Red & Purple Interludes – generously presented to the museum by AmBank Group chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim recently.
Azman, who during the exhibition’s opening said he bought it more than a decade ago, has since seen the piece’s value soar to about RM500,000 in the market because Ibrahim rarely paints nowadays.
Red & Purple Interludes may just be one of the many paintings he has in his private collection of more than 200 local artworks but it must surely rank as among the most interesting with its bold and vibrant energy.
I like that the exhibition is systematically categorised into eight main themes or collections, namely MGTF Pioneers; Tribute; Self, Identity & Social Critique; Cult of the Young; Prominent Artists; Post-Formalist Abstraction; Figurative Tradition & The Picturesque; and The “Other” Artists.
Harun Mokthar’s Sidai 3 (2005), featuring a traditional Malay house, is recreated into a 3-D image and placed right next to the original. Quite a fun and novel way to appreciate the masterpiece, I must say!
Books and catalogues on these artists are left lying around for visitors keen on a little reading. The whole setting was rather informal – not something one would expect of an exhibition featuring some of the country’s brightest and most influential artists. But then again, that is exactly what makes this exhibition such a unique experience.
Hasnul tells me more than 70% of the visitors to the museum and gallery are children and young adults.
Children had a field day ‘writing on walls’ (actually, whiteboards). The ‘girl’ on the left is a life-size cutout of Anina, daughter of MGTF director Hasnul. She appears all over the gallery to let visitors know their comments are welcomed. –K.T.GOH/The Star
“That is what we want. With “Other Stories”, we acknowledge the opinions of our visitors no matter how young they are. By allowing them to record their thoughts, we are in a way validating their opinions.
“Instead of having a curator tell you about a painting, we let the visitors form their own interpretations of the artworks and we give them an avenue to share that thought with others,” he says.
Indeed, some of the jottings may simply say “saya suka – saya mahu datang lagi” (I like – I want to come back) or “lukisan ini membuat saya gembira” (this painting makes me happy) but these unpretentious comments by children (some as young as seven) are precisely what the art scene needs – refreshing honesty based on a true appreciation for arts rather than what the elitist society dictates as art. It made me smile to note that kids, if given the chance, can show much maturity in their acceptance of creative ideas.
Hasnul agrees.
“Children are very truthful. They either like it or they don’t. They don’t try to say the right things because they think that is what society expects of them. I was genuinely surprised that they could relate to video art – a relatively modern and conceptual media.
“That said, children do relate better to realistic images. One thing I have noted since we adopted an interactive approach was that instead of just walking through the exhibition, our visitors are now very responsive because they are given the chance to participate in the show. They are not merely observing, but actually participating,” he says, adding that all the feedback is collected and recorded for the MGTF archives.
Stacks of art paper are also on hand for inspired visitors. These are scanned into the MGTF website before they are put up in a special corner for all to see. Little jigsaw puzzles of the paintings featured are placed on the floor and visitors are encouraged to form a “new” piece of work by mixing and matching these paintings into different formations.
More than just an exhibition, I found “Other Stories” to be utterly refreshing – a fun-filled (and educational) way to spend the afternoon indeed.
This exhibition will appeal to the average Malaysian – not necessarily those formally schooled in the arts.
Indeed, “Other Stories”, while comprising some highbrow works, is not intimidating. It is for passionate art lovers who appreciate unbridled expressions of thoughts, philosophies and emotions through creative explosions of colour and sound.
But perhaps Ludwig Museum (Cologne, Germany) director Kaspar Konig sums up the “Other Stories” experience best: “I think a museum always needs a kind of historical distance. It’s not a studio. It’s a place of formal presentation where you are always aware that it’s a museum ? So it has a lot to do with a contentious medium of presentation, representation and display ? Showing art is a very decisive, responsible moment of taking something seriously. It is not the art itself. It is about showing the art.”
Other Stories is on until June 12 at Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. For more information, call 04-653 3261/ 2427/ 2137. Admission is free. Opening hours are 9am-6pm (Tues to Sun). The museum is closed on Friday from 12.15pm to 2.45pm.
Related Stories:
Collection groupings
Posted by TheBorhann at 1:32 AM 0 comments
Labels: Go ahead, touch it
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Taman Botani Art Program on the 7th June 2008
Posted by TheBorhann at 8:13 AM 0 comments
Go ahead, touch it
Sunday June 8, 2008
Go ahead, touch it
By CHRISTINA CHIN
In an effort to make art exhibitions come ‘alive’, visitors to ‘Other Stories’ are free to give immediate feedback on the works they see.
Unlike in London and Europe, most museums and galleries in Malaysia tend to be – well – “dead”.
While we have excellent, quality exhibits worthy of any international show, the way we present them really leaves much to be desired.
Often, exhibition openings are stuffy affairs and the shows themselves, quite unimaginative in their presentation. Thus, despite having a wealth of acclaimed talents, their works remain quite inaccessible to the average Ali, Ah Seng or Samy.
Hence, it was with much enthusiasm that I trotted to the Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah (MGTF) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) recently to catch “Other Stories” – an audience-interactive exhibition that features artworks by prominent Malaysian masters and new talents.
This is the first time the museum and gallery was organising an exhibition encouraging visitors to share their immediate feedback and interpretations by posting sticky notes and jotting down their thoughts on acrylic plaques and whiteboards placed next to the exhibits.
Visitors leave their comments on sticky notes next to a painting. – RONNIE CHIN/The Star
Museum director Hasnul Jamal Saidon tells me that the museum and gallery is “getting back on course”.
“We are reaching out to the public – even to kindergarten-going children. At the end of the day, we are a university so we are education orientated. Somewhere along the line we lost track of that so now we must rejuvenate interest in the arts again.
“The best way to do this is to make art accessible and interesting enough for people of all ages to want to come. This audience-interactive approach is definitely something we want to continue. To educate people in the arts, we must first get them interested enough to want to come back to galleries.
“I wish I could claim full credit for this whole audience-interactive concept but the truth is, I got the idea from workshops conducted by experts involved in the running of international museums and galleries. Whatever inspired me, I adopted because I think it is important for exhibitions to be perceived as being ‘alive’,” he explains.
The works featured are recent additions to the USM Fine Art Collection.
Unfortunately (due to the apparent lack of space), only 88 works by 49 artists were featured during the exhibition despite the museum having acquired an impressive 136 pieces by 70 artists in the last five years.
Art lovers, however, will get a very rare opportunity to see some of the late Rahime Harun’s impressive collection. The artist, who passed away in March this year, has donated 35 of his prints – the largest collection ever presented to MGTF.
Among the other gems to look out for are Ibrahim Hussein’s Red & Purple Interludes – generously presented to the museum by AmBank Group chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim recently.
Azman, who during the exhibition’s opening said he bought it more than a decade ago, has since seen the piece’s value soar to about RM500,000 in the market because Ibrahim rarely paints nowadays.
Red & Purple Interludes may just be one of the many paintings he has in his private collection of more than 200 local artworks but it must surely rank as among the most interesting with its bold and vibrant energy.
I like that the exhibition is systematically categorised into eight main themes or collections, namely MGTF Pioneers; Tribute; Self, Identity & Social Critique; Cult of the Young; Prominent Artists; Post-Formalist Abstraction; Figurative Tradition & The Picturesque; and The “Other” Artists.
Harun Mokthar’s Sidai 3 (2005), featuring a traditional Malay house, is recreated into a 3-D image and placed right next to the original. Quite a fun and novel way to appreciate the masterpiece, I must say!
Books and catalogues on these artists are left lying around for visitors keen on a little reading. The whole setting was rather informal – not something one would expect of an exhibition featuring some of the country’s brightest and most influential artists. But then again, that is exactly what makes this exhibition such a unique experience.
Hasnul tells me more than 70% of the visitors to the museum and gallery are children and young adults.
Children had a field day ‘writing on walls’ (actually, whiteboards). The ‘girl’ on the left is a life-size cutout of Anina, daughter of MGTF director Hasnul. She appears all over the gallery to let visitors know their comments are welcomed. –K.T.GOH/The Star
“That is what we want. With “Other Stories”, we acknowledge the opinions of our visitors no matter how young they are. By allowing them to record their thoughts, we are in a way validating their opinions.
“Instead of having a curator tell you about a painting, we let the visitors form their own interpretations of the artworks and we give them an avenue to share that thought with others,” he says.
Indeed, some of the jottings may simply say “saya suka – saya mahu datang lagi” (I like – I want to come back) or “lukisan ini membuat saya gembira” (this painting makes me happy) but these unpretentious comments by children (some as young as seven) are precisely what the art scene needs – refreshing honesty based on a true appreciation for arts rather than what the elitist society dictates as art. It made me smile to note that kids, if given the chance, can show much maturity in their acceptance of creative ideas.
Hasnul agrees.
“Children are very truthful. They either like it or they don’t. They don’t try to say the right things because they think that is what society expects of them. I was genuinely surprised that they could relate to video art – a relatively modern and conceptual media.
“That said, children do relate better to realistic images. One thing I have noted since we adopted an interactive approach was that instead of just walking through the exhibition, our visitors are now very responsive because they are given the chance to participate in the show. They are not merely observing, but actually participating,” he says, adding that all the feedback is collected and recorded for the MGTF archives.
Stacks of art paper are also on hand for inspired visitors. These are scanned into the MGTF website before they are put up in a special corner for all to see. Little jigsaw puzzles of the paintings featured are placed on the floor and visitors are encouraged to form a “new” piece of work by mixing and matching these paintings into different formations.
More than just an exhibition, I found “Other Stories” to be utterly refreshing – a fun-filled (and educational) way to spend the afternoon indeed.
This exhibition will appeal to the average Malaysian – not necessarily those formally schooled in the arts.
Indeed, “Other Stories”, while comprising some highbrow works, is not intimidating. It is for passionate art lovers who appreciate unbridled expressions of thoughts, philosophies and emotions through creative explosions of colour and sound.
But perhaps Ludwig Museum (Cologne, Germany) director Kaspar Konig sums up the “Other Stories” experience best: “I think a museum always needs a kind of historical distance. It’s not a studio. It’s a place of formal presentation where you are always aware that it’s a museum ? So it has a lot to do with a contentious medium of presentation, representation and display ? Showing art is a very decisive, responsible moment of taking something seriously. It is not the art itself. It is about showing the art.”
Other Stories is on until June 12 at Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. For more information, call 04-653 3261/ 2427/ 2137. Admission is free. Opening hours are 9am-6pm (Tues to Sun). The museum is closed on Friday from 12.15pm to 2.45pm.
Related Stories:
Collection groupings
Posted by TheBorhann at 1:32 AM 0 comments
Labels: Go ahead, touch it
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Taman Botani Art Program on the 7th June 2008
Posted by TheBorhann at 8:13 AM 0 comments
Fine arts for all
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Fine arts for all
Sunday June 22, 2008
Fine arts for all
THE article, “Seeking refuge in music” (StarEducation, June 8), makes readers in Malaysia and beyond realise how fortunate our children are as they can opt for an education in music or any other subject, without facing repercussions from militants or extremist groups.
Despite being exposed to music and some elements of the fine arts, not all Malaysian children have full access to them.
While music is part of the school curriculum, it is not offered in all schools. The subject is not given much emphasis and children keen on pursuing music have to do so on their own.
Parents who can afford it often have to fork out hundreds of ringgit each month to pay for their children’s music lesons and dance classes, while those who cannot, deprive their children, some of whom are very talented.
I have seen schoolchildren at both elementary and secondary levels who form musical ensembles ranging from pop to rock with their neighbours or classmates
It is not just a hobby for them; they compete in inter-school or national music competitions like the Battle of the Bands.
Without a fine arts education, we will only create philistines of our children. Do we want to emphasise the sciences and let our children think that all things associated with music and the arts are “useless”?
Studies have proven that children who are exposed to music and the arts often turn out to be more compassionate adults.
It is time we bring music and other elements of the fine arts back into the mainstream of education. By doing so, school choirs, orchestras and dance clubs will be revived, together with the marching bands and rock bands.
Such a move will also enable children from all walks of life, and not just a select few, to appreciate the subject.
Yinyang Via e-mail
Posted by TheBorhann at 3:12 AM 0 comments
Labels: Fine arts for all
Fine arts for all
Sunday June 22, 2008
Fine arts for all
THE article, “Seeking refuge in music” (StarEducation, June 8), makes readers in Malaysia and beyond realise how fortunate our children are as they can opt for an education in music or any other subject, without facing repercussions from militants or extremist groups.
Despite being exposed to music and some elements of the fine arts, not all Malaysian children have full access to them.
While music is part of the school curriculum, it is not offered in all schools. The subject is not given much emphasis and children keen on pursuing music have to do so on their own.
Parents who can afford it often have to fork out hundreds of ringgit each month to pay for their children’s music lesons and dance classes, while those who cannot, deprive their children, some of whom are very talented.
I have seen schoolchildren at both elementary and secondary levels who form musical ensembles ranging from pop to rock with their neighbours or classmates
It is not just a hobby for them; they compete in inter-school or national music competitions like the Battle of the Bands.
Without a fine arts education, we will only create philistines of our children. Do we want to emphasise the sciences and let our children think that all things associated with music and the arts are “useless”?
Studies have proven that children who are exposed to music and the arts often turn out to be more compassionate adults.
It is time we bring music and other elements of the fine arts back into the mainstream of education. By doing so, school choirs, orchestras and dance clubs will be revived, together with the marching bands and rock bands.
Such a move will also enable children from all walks of life, and not just a select few, to appreciate the subject.
Yinyang Via e-mail
Posted by TheBorhann at 3:12 AM 0 comments
Labels: Fine arts for all
Nurturing young minds through arts
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Nurturing young minds through arts
Nurturing young minds through arts
2008/07/16
NORMAH Nordin, a cultural big gun, weighs in on the matter of deliberate parenting and also the importance of the arts.
“Yes, parents definitely have to be more responsible in the development of their children,” said Normah.
She added that “deliberate parenting is a style of bringing up children that acknowledges the importance of nurturing the minds of children by their parents. Children today are smart and gifted and it is our duty to see that they reach their full potential. I must also add that the arts is an important part of society that can complement deliberate parenting. Children can discuss issues amongst their peers by watching plays on matters that interest them, which parents do not necessarily discuss with them.”
Share
Posted by TheBorhann at 6:09 AM 0 comments
Labels: Nurturing young minds through arts
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Picasso, like you’ve never seen him
Saturday July 12, 2008
Picasso, like you’ve never seen him
By ALEXANDRA WONG
How does a philistine appreciate art that has been called everything from revolutionary to downright baffling? Perhaps the key is in finding out what made him tick.
We cordially invite you to cover the Picasso exhibition, which has never been held outside of Europe.”
I reread the invitation, hardly able to believe my luck. Picasso in Australia — it’s a giant of a story. Yet I’ve never felt more like a blank canvas in my life.
Like most of the world’s population, I have never laid eyes on an actual Picasso. I have only a vague impression of him, culled from piecemeal anecdotes and layman opinions: his works are said to be so abstract and enigmatic, some baffled snarks have even likened them to a car crash.
How on earth would I, a philistine where art is concerned, be able to appreciate them?
Visitors admire the great artist’s private collection of artwork.
A day before I fly to Brisbane, I pose my conundrum to my cousin Justin, my family’s Unofficial Walking Discovery Channel: “How do you appreciate something you can’t understand?”
He thinks for a while, before saying, “Have you heard the legend of the Benedictine monk who discovered Dom Perignon champagne? He was so delighted he ran out of the cellar and yelled, ‘Come come! I’ve tasted stars!’ We all know that it’s a physical impossibility, but you get my drift, right?”
A departure from previous exhibitions
At the standing-room-only media preview, even the most veteran newsmen look unusually excited. Picasso & His Collection is more than an art aficionado’s wet dream come true.
Not only do we get to eyeball his most talked-about works, we are also given a rare insight into the artist’s aesthetic and personal influences. Hung alongside his paintings are more than 100 works from his private art collection and a massive catalogue of photographic and documentary material from his life.
There are paintings by 35 artists, including Chardin, Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne and Rousseau. There is a selection of Oceanic and African masks and sculpture dating from the 6th century BCE, which were critical in the evolution of Picasso’s work. There are intimate footage of the artist’s studio and candid photos from his personal life.
This emphasis on context underscores Picasso’s own view that perceptions and interpretations evolve with everyday experiences and interactions.
Anna Baldassari, director of Musee National Picasso, Paris, and curator of Picasso & His Collection, says, “Picasso had a very contemporary attitude. He believed in the knowledge of different perspectives. A painting is not just a painting: there is the context, the full story, things that happen around the story.”
The Gallery of Modern Art is not just for show and tell; visitors also get to leave their mark. Near the Children’s Art Centre there are walls for visitors to fill in the speech bubbles with their thoughts about the exhibition.
Tony Ellwood, Gallery of Modern Art director, adds, “This exhibition is a deliberate dialogue. Art should not be just self-referential. It should be informed by the world outside.”
Picasso & His Collection attempts to show what made Picasso the artist he was. For this reason alone, the exhibition ranks as one of the most important historical milestones in modern art. Coming hot on the heels of the hugely successful Andy Warhol exhibition earlier this year, it is expected to cement Queensland’s budding reputation as a cultural mecca.
An icon of modern elegance, the Gallery of Modern Art is a fine venue in which to pay homage to the Father of Modern Art.
Debunking myths
A first-timer in Queensland, I’m not really qualified to comment on Queensland’s reputation, but the exhibition does quickly overturn every preconceived notion I’ve ever held about the Spanish artist.
Cubism? Blue period? Surrealism? Forget high-brow concepts that would sail over most laymen’s heads. If before I’d only known him as the head-scratching painter of odd human figures with awkwardly juxtaposed anatomy, this exhibition reveals a startling range and versatility that is impossible to confine to any genre, or, for that matter, period.
Cheeky caricatures of men and women engaged in debaucheries abound but there’s a grittiness to them that suggests he wasn’t just a dirty old man. In Erotic Scene, a series of etchings inspired by the monotypes of Degas, the irreverent illustrations of brothel scenes possess an ambiguity that suggests they could also be a mocking nod to his own ageing self.
Even at its most enigmatic, his art is weirdly tactile. The befuddling human limbs invite the eye to search for an underlying logic and their reason for being. In La coiffure (Hairdressing), an oil on canvas of his paramour Dora Maar, one wonders what Picasso’s real motivation was, because he certainly wasn’t doing his model any favours. With her bulging, off-set eyes, narrow forehead, and exaggerated curving nostrils, her face can only be flatteringly described as a battlefield.
And when you least expect it, he throws a curveball.
What’s with Returning from the Christening, after Le Nain, a psychedelic riot of rainbow colours, that could have very well been a graffiti from the hippie 60s? It seems almost anomalous among his other abstract flights of fancy, and yet, there is a joie de vivre that tells us, yes, this is the same guy who drew that strange but compelling piece of naked women looking at the sky. (Bathers Watching an Aeroplane).
Talk about messing with our heads.
The artist and his life
All that eye candy invariably whets my appetite to dig up more about the man.
I head straight for the exhibition book shop, which features memorabilia and literature on the artist. Out of the rows of biographies, I pick out the one by Olivier Widmaier Picasso, simply titled Picasso: The Real Family History.
The Gallery of Modern Art also strives to foster arts awareness early through its Children’s Art Centre, which is running the programme “Yo Picasso Kids” to introduce children to Picasso and his ideas. — ALEXANDRA WONG & GALLERY OF MODERN ART, QUEENSLAND
Olivier’s grandmother Marie-Thérèse, I discover, was the artist’s muse and lover. To his credit, Olivier does not mince words about his grandfather’s way with the ladies, but points out that some of his most extraordinary portraiture were inspired by the women in his life.
“He listened only to his instinct — and his love. He loved like a madman,” Olivier declares. “He had a passion for other people. Without that, his work would be . . . empty of meaning.”
Olivier is an arresting storyteller. As I thumb through the heavy volume, I feel like I’m a fly on the wall in the artist’s working spaces in Horta, Barcelona and Lucia, while he paints his life before my eyes.
His life often as dramatic as his works. Marie-Thérèse simply called him “a wonderful terror”.
Art at its purest
Before finally leaving the hallowed halls of the gallery, I revisit a pen-and-ink self-portrait Picasso drew circa 1917-1918. It is one of his simplest yet most expressive works. In a few clean, deft strokes, he captured the spirit of his persona and life.
The caricature of the artist in a long coat, cigarette sticking out from the side of his mouth, is all at once irreverent, bold, visionary and unmistakably human.
As a layman, I realise that I may never be able to fully understand, or articulate, my appreciation of his work, but I have to say his work still possessed the uncanny power to move me. Perhaps that’s the source of his genius: his power doesn’t just come from a keen eye, or a knack for aesthetics, but because it draws from the deepest wells of human emotion.
And that, perhaps, is the greatest value of this exhibition. It showed me that Picasso was as much a human as he was a great artist.
As I stand there filling my eyes, I finally begin to understand what my cousin meant. This must be how the monk felt when he tasted “stars”.
o For more information on Picasso & His Collection, visit www.qag.qld.gov.au/picasso. The exhibition will be on display at the Gallery of Modern Art, South Bank, Queensland until Sept 14.
Posted by TheBorhann at 8:48 AM 0 comments
Labels: like you’ve never seen him, Picasso
Nurturing young minds through arts
Nurturing young minds through arts
2008/07/16
NORMAH Nordin, a cultural big gun, weighs in on the matter of deliberate parenting and also the importance of the arts.
“Yes, parents definitely have to be more responsible in the development of their children,” said Normah.
She added that “deliberate parenting is a style of bringing up children that acknowledges the importance of nurturing the minds of children by their parents. Children today are smart and gifted and it is our duty to see that they reach their full potential. I must also add that the arts is an important part of society that can complement deliberate parenting. Children can discuss issues amongst their peers by watching plays on matters that interest them, which parents do not necessarily discuss with them.”
Share
Posted by TheBorhann at 6:09 AM 0 comments
Labels: Nurturing young minds through arts
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Picasso, like you’ve never seen him
Saturday July 12, 2008
Picasso, like you’ve never seen him
By ALEXANDRA WONG
How does a philistine appreciate art that has been called everything from revolutionary to downright baffling? Perhaps the key is in finding out what made him tick.
We cordially invite you to cover the Picasso exhibition, which has never been held outside of Europe.”
I reread the invitation, hardly able to believe my luck. Picasso in Australia — it’s a giant of a story. Yet I’ve never felt more like a blank canvas in my life.
Like most of the world’s population, I have never laid eyes on an actual Picasso. I have only a vague impression of him, culled from piecemeal anecdotes and layman opinions: his works are said to be so abstract and enigmatic, some baffled snarks have even likened them to a car crash.
How on earth would I, a philistine where art is concerned, be able to appreciate them?
Visitors admire the great artist’s private collection of artwork.
A day before I fly to Brisbane, I pose my conundrum to my cousin Justin, my family’s Unofficial Walking Discovery Channel: “How do you appreciate something you can’t understand?”
He thinks for a while, before saying, “Have you heard the legend of the Benedictine monk who discovered Dom Perignon champagne? He was so delighted he ran out of the cellar and yelled, ‘Come come! I’ve tasted stars!’ We all know that it’s a physical impossibility, but you get my drift, right?”
A departure from previous exhibitions
At the standing-room-only media preview, even the most veteran newsmen look unusually excited. Picasso & His Collection is more than an art aficionado’s wet dream come true.
Not only do we get to eyeball his most talked-about works, we are also given a rare insight into the artist’s aesthetic and personal influences. Hung alongside his paintings are more than 100 works from his private art collection and a massive catalogue of photographic and documentary material from his life.
There are paintings by 35 artists, including Chardin, Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne and Rousseau. There is a selection of Oceanic and African masks and sculpture dating from the 6th century BCE, which were critical in the evolution of Picasso’s work. There are intimate footage of the artist’s studio and candid photos from his personal life.
This emphasis on context underscores Picasso’s own view that perceptions and interpretations evolve with everyday experiences and interactions.
Anna Baldassari, director of Musee National Picasso, Paris, and curator of Picasso & His Collection, says, “Picasso had a very contemporary attitude. He believed in the knowledge of different perspectives. A painting is not just a painting: there is the context, the full story, things that happen around the story.”
The Gallery of Modern Art is not just for show and tell; visitors also get to leave their mark. Near the Children’s Art Centre there are walls for visitors to fill in the speech bubbles with their thoughts about the exhibition.
Tony Ellwood, Gallery of Modern Art director, adds, “This exhibition is a deliberate dialogue. Art should not be just self-referential. It should be informed by the world outside.”
Picasso & His Collection attempts to show what made Picasso the artist he was. For this reason alone, the exhibition ranks as one of the most important historical milestones in modern art. Coming hot on the heels of the hugely successful Andy Warhol exhibition earlier this year, it is expected to cement Queensland’s budding reputation as a cultural mecca.
An icon of modern elegance, the Gallery of Modern Art is a fine venue in which to pay homage to the Father of Modern Art.
Debunking myths
A first-timer in Queensland, I’m not really qualified to comment on Queensland’s reputation, but the exhibition does quickly overturn every preconceived notion I’ve ever held about the Spanish artist.
Cubism? Blue period? Surrealism? Forget high-brow concepts that would sail over most laymen’s heads. If before I’d only known him as the head-scratching painter of odd human figures with awkwardly juxtaposed anatomy, this exhibition reveals a startling range and versatility that is impossible to confine to any genre, or, for that matter, period.
Cheeky caricatures of men and women engaged in debaucheries abound but there’s a grittiness to them that suggests he wasn’t just a dirty old man. In Erotic Scene, a series of etchings inspired by the monotypes of Degas, the irreverent illustrations of brothel scenes possess an ambiguity that suggests they could also be a mocking nod to his own ageing self.
Even at its most enigmatic, his art is weirdly tactile. The befuddling human limbs invite the eye to search for an underlying logic and their reason for being. In La coiffure (Hairdressing), an oil on canvas of his paramour Dora Maar, one wonders what Picasso’s real motivation was, because he certainly wasn’t doing his model any favours. With her bulging, off-set eyes, narrow forehead, and exaggerated curving nostrils, her face can only be flatteringly described as a battlefield.
And when you least expect it, he throws a curveball.
What’s with Returning from the Christening, after Le Nain, a psychedelic riot of rainbow colours, that could have very well been a graffiti from the hippie 60s? It seems almost anomalous among his other abstract flights of fancy, and yet, there is a joie de vivre that tells us, yes, this is the same guy who drew that strange but compelling piece of naked women looking at the sky. (Bathers Watching an Aeroplane).
Talk about messing with our heads.
The artist and his life
All that eye candy invariably whets my appetite to dig up more about the man.
I head straight for the exhibition book shop, which features memorabilia and literature on the artist. Out of the rows of biographies, I pick out the one by Olivier Widmaier Picasso, simply titled Picasso: The Real Family History.
The Gallery of Modern Art also strives to foster arts awareness early through its Children’s Art Centre, which is running the programme “Yo Picasso Kids” to introduce children to Picasso and his ideas. — ALEXANDRA WONG & GALLERY OF MODERN ART, QUEENSLAND
Olivier’s grandmother Marie-Thérèse, I discover, was the artist’s muse and lover. To his credit, Olivier does not mince words about his grandfather’s way with the ladies, but points out that some of his most extraordinary portraiture were inspired by the women in his life.
“He listened only to his instinct — and his love. He loved like a madman,” Olivier declares. “He had a passion for other people. Without that, his work would be . . . empty of meaning.”
Olivier is an arresting storyteller. As I thumb through the heavy volume, I feel like I’m a fly on the wall in the artist’s working spaces in Horta, Barcelona and Lucia, while he paints his life before my eyes.
His life often as dramatic as his works. Marie-Thérèse simply called him “a wonderful terror”.
Art at its purest
Before finally leaving the hallowed halls of the gallery, I revisit a pen-and-ink self-portrait Picasso drew circa 1917-1918. It is one of his simplest yet most expressive works. In a few clean, deft strokes, he captured the spirit of his persona and life.
The caricature of the artist in a long coat, cigarette sticking out from the side of his mouth, is all at once irreverent, bold, visionary and unmistakably human.
As a layman, I realise that I may never be able to fully understand, or articulate, my appreciation of his work, but I have to say his work still possessed the uncanny power to move me. Perhaps that’s the source of his genius: his power doesn’t just come from a keen eye, or a knack for aesthetics, but because it draws from the deepest wells of human emotion.
And that, perhaps, is the greatest value of this exhibition. It showed me that Picasso was as much a human as he was a great artist.
As I stand there filling my eyes, I finally begin to understand what my cousin meant. This must be how the monk felt when he tasted “stars”.
o For more information on Picasso & His Collection, visit www.qag.qld.gov.au/picasso. The exhibition will be on display at the Gallery of Modern Art, South Bank, Queensland until Sept 14.
Posted by TheBorhann at 8:48 AM 0 comments
Labels: like you’ve never seen him, Picasso
Art therapy
Art therapy
VIMALA SENEVIRATNE
Associate Professor Stephen Jambunathan with some of the exhibits.
Anger raged
Rainbow
A unique exhibition shows how art helps to heal the emotionally injured soul. VIMALA SENEVIRATNE takes a journey into the mind of the mentally ill
PAIN, sorrow, fear, guilt, hallucination and delusion have found an outlet in something quite simple - paintings and sketches.
The collection of 100 artworks that brighten the otherwise plain walls of the Annexe Gallery at the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur is a window into the minds of mental health patients.
This first Malaysian Art in Psychiatry exhibition, themed “Journey into the Minds” is held in conjunction with the World Mental Health Day on Oct 10. It is organised by University of Malaya’s Department of Psychological Medicine and Janssen Cilag, a division of Johnson & Johnson.
The exhibition is an important milestone in mental health public awareness and showcases the positive results of art therapy in the treatment and rehabilitation of mental health patients.
The patients, whose ages range from seven to 53, are from Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Seremban General Hospital, Selayang Hospital and Kuala Pilah Hospital.
According to the Malaysian Psychiatry Association, one out of every 10 people suffers from mental illness ranging from depression, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia. “There is still a stigma associated with those seeking psychiatric help. We hope to educate the public, that not all those suffering from mental illness are violent. Through this exhibition we hope to boost the self-esteem of the patients,” says Associate Professor Stephen Jambunathan, the main force behind the exhibition.
“Art is their tool to communicate their feelings through imagery, to connect with the outside world. As you can see, some of them are very good artists.”
Art therapy is used in most hospitals in treating or healing the mentally disturbed patients. “As art is a creative process, it allows the patients to focus on their creation which in turn helps to contain the turmoil in their minds. It helps them explore personal issues.”
As you browse through the exhibits, you cannot help but appreciate the imagination, the emotional tension and skill that emanate from the images produced by the patients.
One patient, a 40-year-old woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder, has several images of the sky, sun and rainbow as well as a portrait of a mother and child in bright colours.
A youngster has drawn a picture of his dream home - a peaceful and safe environment he longs for. “You can understand what this child is trying to tell you - the longing for a loving and safe home environment. The child comes from a difficult home environment and was found to have been abused by the maid,” says Jambunathan, a consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist.
There are also sketches of brooding figures, a single eye peering through dark surroundings, swirling lines in sombre colours, a self-portrait of a young patient with stitch marks running from her left forehead to her cheek - images that depict the turmoil, anxiety, anger and fear in patients.
“It’s not all doom and gloom for these people. There is hope for them that with the right diagnosis, care and treatment they can eventually assimilate into main stream society,” says Jambunathan.
Proceeds from the sale of the paintings go directly to the artist. There will be interactive workshops throughout the duration of the exhibition which ends on Oct 24. The free workshops today are at 11am and 4pm and from Monday – Friday at 12pm.
Posted by TheBorhann at 12:56 AM 0 comments
Labels: Art therapy
VIMALA SENEVIRATNE
Associate Professor Stephen Jambunathan with some of the exhibits.
Anger raged
Rainbow
A unique exhibition shows how art helps to heal the emotionally injured soul. VIMALA SENEVIRATNE takes a journey into the mind of the mentally ill
PAIN, sorrow, fear, guilt, hallucination and delusion have found an outlet in something quite simple - paintings and sketches.
The collection of 100 artworks that brighten the otherwise plain walls of the Annexe Gallery at the Central Market in Kuala Lumpur is a window into the minds of mental health patients.
This first Malaysian Art in Psychiatry exhibition, themed “Journey into the Minds” is held in conjunction with the World Mental Health Day on Oct 10. It is organised by University of Malaya’s Department of Psychological Medicine and Janssen Cilag, a division of Johnson & Johnson.
The exhibition is an important milestone in mental health public awareness and showcases the positive results of art therapy in the treatment and rehabilitation of mental health patients.
The patients, whose ages range from seven to 53, are from Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaya Medical Centre, Seremban General Hospital, Selayang Hospital and Kuala Pilah Hospital.
According to the Malaysian Psychiatry Association, one out of every 10 people suffers from mental illness ranging from depression, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia. “There is still a stigma associated with those seeking psychiatric help. We hope to educate the public, that not all those suffering from mental illness are violent. Through this exhibition we hope to boost the self-esteem of the patients,” says Associate Professor Stephen Jambunathan, the main force behind the exhibition.
“Art is their tool to communicate their feelings through imagery, to connect with the outside world. As you can see, some of them are very good artists.”
Art therapy is used in most hospitals in treating or healing the mentally disturbed patients. “As art is a creative process, it allows the patients to focus on their creation which in turn helps to contain the turmoil in their minds. It helps them explore personal issues.”
As you browse through the exhibits, you cannot help but appreciate the imagination, the emotional tension and skill that emanate from the images produced by the patients.
One patient, a 40-year-old woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder, has several images of the sky, sun and rainbow as well as a portrait of a mother and child in bright colours.
A youngster has drawn a picture of his dream home - a peaceful and safe environment he longs for. “You can understand what this child is trying to tell you - the longing for a loving and safe home environment. The child comes from a difficult home environment and was found to have been abused by the maid,” says Jambunathan, a consultant psychiatrist and psychotherapist.
There are also sketches of brooding figures, a single eye peering through dark surroundings, swirling lines in sombre colours, a self-portrait of a young patient with stitch marks running from her left forehead to her cheek - images that depict the turmoil, anxiety, anger and fear in patients.
“It’s not all doom and gloom for these people. There is hope for them that with the right diagnosis, care and treatment they can eventually assimilate into main stream society,” says Jambunathan.
Proceeds from the sale of the paintings go directly to the artist. There will be interactive workshops throughout the duration of the exhibition which ends on Oct 24. The free workshops today are at 11am and 4pm and from Monday – Friday at 12pm.
Posted by TheBorhann at 12:56 AM 0 comments
Labels: Art therapy
Big bucks with Asean works
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Big bucks with Asean works
Art & about: Big bucks with Asean works
LUCIEN de GUISE
Older works from Southeast Asia also did well: RM4 million for Walter Spies
I Nyoman Masriadi broke more records at Sotheby’s
FALLING markets will not sound like news to anyone. The surprise feature of recent auctions is how Southeast Asia has stepped in as the saviour of Asian contemporary art.
The southeastern corner of the continent is usually seen by the big boys of Asia as inconsequential, a country cousin with some nice forests and beaches but no billion-plus population. China and India are where the money is, and until recently they were where everyone looked for the latest record-breaking art prices.
This time round it was Indonesian and other regional painters who got the applause in Hong Kong when the latest Sotheby’s auction produced a new world record for Southeast Asia.
Artists from China, on the other hand, are experiencing what auctioneers like to call “a levelling off”.
India’s hottest youngish artist, Subodh Gupta, has also seen his prices frozen.
In the case of China, it was long overdue. Enthusiasts of Chinese contemporary art are almost Maoist in their commitment. They will berate nay-sayers for failing to honour the natural supremacy of these artists.
Their biggest gripe has been how Western paintings can be worth 10 times as much as a made-in-China product. The tide of history is on their side they will say. And they can put on a better Olympics than anyone else.
Even when the good times were rolling with Chinese art, up to a few weeks ago, the prices were well short of Western artists but at least headlines were being generated. Every auction saw old records being toppled and there was less moaning about the unfairness of it all then.
Rising prices are not what collectors always like to see, unless they are planning to sell their babies. It’s speculators who like to see the sales graphs going up, and these lines have been almost vertical in recent years.
Chinese art could prove to be the biggest bubble of all, although there are at least some indigenous collectors.
At one time it was Western expats who created the market. Most Chinese buyers looked on in disbelief at what the crazy gweilos were wasting their money on.
A good old bird-and-flower painting was what the average connoisseur would like to grace his home with, and sure enough traditional Chinese art has been less badly damaged than the avant-garde. Imperial seals did exceptionally well at Sotheby’s, and there are few collectibles that shout “buy me, hedge-fund manager” as softly as these. Real collectors must have been present as that category ended up being 100 per cent sold.
The type of buyer is a crucial factor. For contemporary Chinese art, two of the top three paintings went to collectors from Europe.
For Southeast Asian art, every one of the top 10 buyers was from Asia. Sotheby’s decision to move its Southeast Asian sales away from Singapore and hold them in Hong Kong appears to be working. It is not only Southeast Asians who are buying. There are collectors from China who would like a break from the high prices, endless social commentary and Mao memorabilia that makes up art from the People’s Republic.
Southeast Asia seems be sitting on a goldmine. The regional artist pulling it all together is I Nyoman Masriadi.
Being Balinese seems to give him an edge over most of his Indonesian peers, and something much larger than an edge over artists from China. He tackles social issues with wit and a cartoon-like immediacy.
When I wrote about him a year ago, it didn’t look like his prices could continue to rise at anything like the rate they had done, which was many hundred per cent over a few years. A year later, the record has gone from RM900,000 to over RM3 million.
His painting technique is unique – for the moment – although other Indonesian artists are already knocking off the shiny three-dimensional look that Masriadi pioneered.
Another attraction is pithy titles in Bahasa Indonesia. So basic I can understand some of them. A recent record breaker featured Superman and Batman as they never appeared in DC Comics, with the title Sorry Hero, Saya Lupa.
After enlivening Sotheby’s Asian contemporary sale by setting a record with this work on Oct 4, two days later Masriadi beat his record and took three of the top 10 places at Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Art.
Almost every lot was sold at this one. Malaysian artists such as Ibrahim Hussein and Ahmad Zakii Anwar were represented at the Southeast Asian sale, although not the pan-Asian. Their works fetched were about one twentieth of Masriadi’s show-stopping view of a boxing match.
Indonesia is not only way ahead of the Asean pack in terms of prices. It also seems to be taking regional art to a wider audience.
Jakarta-based Larasati Auctioneers is probably the first Asian auction house of any sort to organise a sale in Europe. This happened in June. Given the state of world markets, they might not be doing this again for a while.
• Lucien de Guise is curator of the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. You may write to him at luciendeguise@yahoo.com
Posted by TheBorhann at 12:59 AM 0 comments
Labels: Big bucks with Asean works
Big bucks with Asean works
Art & about: Big bucks with Asean works
LUCIEN de GUISE
Older works from Southeast Asia also did well: RM4 million for Walter Spies
I Nyoman Masriadi broke more records at Sotheby’s
FALLING markets will not sound like news to anyone. The surprise feature of recent auctions is how Southeast Asia has stepped in as the saviour of Asian contemporary art.
The southeastern corner of the continent is usually seen by the big boys of Asia as inconsequential, a country cousin with some nice forests and beaches but no billion-plus population. China and India are where the money is, and until recently they were where everyone looked for the latest record-breaking art prices.
This time round it was Indonesian and other regional painters who got the applause in Hong Kong when the latest Sotheby’s auction produced a new world record for Southeast Asia.
Artists from China, on the other hand, are experiencing what auctioneers like to call “a levelling off”.
India’s hottest youngish artist, Subodh Gupta, has also seen his prices frozen.
In the case of China, it was long overdue. Enthusiasts of Chinese contemporary art are almost Maoist in their commitment. They will berate nay-sayers for failing to honour the natural supremacy of these artists.
Their biggest gripe has been how Western paintings can be worth 10 times as much as a made-in-China product. The tide of history is on their side they will say. And they can put on a better Olympics than anyone else.
Even when the good times were rolling with Chinese art, up to a few weeks ago, the prices were well short of Western artists but at least headlines were being generated. Every auction saw old records being toppled and there was less moaning about the unfairness of it all then.
Rising prices are not what collectors always like to see, unless they are planning to sell their babies. It’s speculators who like to see the sales graphs going up, and these lines have been almost vertical in recent years.
Chinese art could prove to be the biggest bubble of all, although there are at least some indigenous collectors.
At one time it was Western expats who created the market. Most Chinese buyers looked on in disbelief at what the crazy gweilos were wasting their money on.
A good old bird-and-flower painting was what the average connoisseur would like to grace his home with, and sure enough traditional Chinese art has been less badly damaged than the avant-garde. Imperial seals did exceptionally well at Sotheby’s, and there are few collectibles that shout “buy me, hedge-fund manager” as softly as these. Real collectors must have been present as that category ended up being 100 per cent sold.
The type of buyer is a crucial factor. For contemporary Chinese art, two of the top three paintings went to collectors from Europe.
For Southeast Asian art, every one of the top 10 buyers was from Asia. Sotheby’s decision to move its Southeast Asian sales away from Singapore and hold them in Hong Kong appears to be working. It is not only Southeast Asians who are buying. There are collectors from China who would like a break from the high prices, endless social commentary and Mao memorabilia that makes up art from the People’s Republic.
Southeast Asia seems be sitting on a goldmine. The regional artist pulling it all together is I Nyoman Masriadi.
Being Balinese seems to give him an edge over most of his Indonesian peers, and something much larger than an edge over artists from China. He tackles social issues with wit and a cartoon-like immediacy.
When I wrote about him a year ago, it didn’t look like his prices could continue to rise at anything like the rate they had done, which was many hundred per cent over a few years. A year later, the record has gone from RM900,000 to over RM3 million.
His painting technique is unique – for the moment – although other Indonesian artists are already knocking off the shiny three-dimensional look that Masriadi pioneered.
Another attraction is pithy titles in Bahasa Indonesia. So basic I can understand some of them. A recent record breaker featured Superman and Batman as they never appeared in DC Comics, with the title Sorry Hero, Saya Lupa.
After enlivening Sotheby’s Asian contemporary sale by setting a record with this work on Oct 4, two days later Masriadi beat his record and took three of the top 10 places at Modern and Contemporary Southeast Asian Art.
Almost every lot was sold at this one. Malaysian artists such as Ibrahim Hussein and Ahmad Zakii Anwar were represented at the Southeast Asian sale, although not the pan-Asian. Their works fetched were about one twentieth of Masriadi’s show-stopping view of a boxing match.
Indonesia is not only way ahead of the Asean pack in terms of prices. It also seems to be taking regional art to a wider audience.
Jakarta-based Larasati Auctioneers is probably the first Asian auction house of any sort to organise a sale in Europe. This happened in June. Given the state of world markets, they might not be doing this again for a while.
• Lucien de Guise is curator of the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia. You may write to him at luciendeguise@yahoo.com
Posted by TheBorhann at 12:59 AM 0 comments
Labels: Big bucks with Asean works
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Not just pretty pictures
Not just pretty pictures
INTAN MAIZURA AHMAD KAMAL
The National Artist at work
Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal gets introspective as he approaches his 80th year. He tells INTAN MAIZURA AHMAD KAMAL there are objectives to achieve and a sense of purpose in art
THE shutters close and for that moment, Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal, the only visual artist to have been awarded the accolade of Seniman Negara, or National Artist, is lost in his own memories – again. Under clear rimless glasses, his kindly eyes are shut tight as he recalls a career that has spanned more than 50 years. A principal force in education and the local art scene from the time of Independence, he was the most senior of a group of core artists who studied in the west and came home as champions of Abstract Expressionism in the 1960s. They were responsible for ushering in a new and dominant force in Malaysian art.
In conjunction with his 80th birthday, the National Art Gallery is hosting a retrospective exhibition called Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis, that features never-seen-before and iconic works from various genres and disciplines.
“My birthday is actually on the 19th (of September),” he corrects, a glimmer of a smile appearing on his otherwise earnest face. “The gallery is putting up all my work — from the sketches of my childhood right up to the latest one, which was finished only last week called 99.” Even the sketch he did of his then classmate, Professor Syed Naquib Al-Attas, author and founder director of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC) is there, “…dressed as a pirate!”. Smiling, he says: “He liked to put on costumes when we were in school. Did you know some of the more serious people that we know today were very playful in school?” Suddenly distracted by the bustle of workmen outside his office who are lugging large, fragile pieces of art work, a concerned look crosses his face. “They’re moving all my paintings in today for the exhibition,” he says, craning his neck to get a better look. Eventually reassured that nothing untoward is happening, he settles back into his chair before telling me that on show will also be paintings from his student days in England and of the various milestones in both the country’s and the world’s history, that he’d captured so emphatically on canvas. “My response to events that happen in life is captured in my paintings. This is how I record them.” Syed Ahmad, whose late father was educated at an agricultural college but went on to become an editor with a Malay newspaper (“… he was more interested in literature and poetry than anything else”) has played a pioneering role in the development of art and art infrastructure in this country through his roles as an artist, curator, art educator, and through the various important administrative positions he has held. He has lectured in Malaysia and abroad and was at one time director of the National Art Gallery from the early 80s to the early 90s. Suffice to say, Syed Ahmad, whose favoured medium is acrylic on canvas (“…because of the intensity”), has also been the recipient of many prestigious awards over the years, including the Asean Cultural Award – Visual Art (1984), National Artist Award (1995) and the Panglima Jasa Negara (1996), to name a few.
What drives him? He closes his eyes again, taking his time to answer my question.
“With art, you always have something to look forward to,” he concedes, the shutters still down. “It’s always, ‘what’s next?’. You look ahead. Art is also not repetitive because you always have different content, depths and approach, depending on what you’re working on.” He continues: “There’s a sense of purpose when you do art. It’s not just about painting a pretty landscape — there are objectives to achieve and meanings behind the forms”. For Syed Ahmad, the eldest of seven children, it all started with “scratching” pictures on the wooden walls of his childhood home in Johor. “My father saw that I was fond of drawing so he gave me some pastels and crayons. Then he bought me some water colours, White Horse, I remember, made in China.” When he started, there was no proper art education. He simply taught himself. “Sometimes I’d go and see other people’s work and then come back and try to copy. During the Japanese Occupation, I found this war book on art in someone’s house. I saw the pictures by famous artists like John Constable and Turner and was immediately inspired. I knew then that I really wanted to be an artist.” The young Syed Ahmad did well at school and received a scholarship to do architecture. “But after one year, the principal concluded that I’d make a better artist than architect, so he persuaded the scholarship people in Johor to allow me to do art proper,” he recalls.
At the age of 20, his dream was realised when he was given a place at the prestigious Chelsea School of Art. “I was ecstatic. Chelsea was the home of Turner, the artist whose work I saw in the war book and which ignited my passion for art.” With a wry smile, Syed Ahmad, whose other passion is writing and gardening, confides: “I was the hardest working student there. Even the guards had to chase me out in the evenings because I was always on campus despite the fact that everyone else had gone home!” London opened his eyes to the world of art and culture like never before. There were museums to visit and galleries to revel in. Picasso, Matisse, and all the top artists left him breathless.
“I was in London for six years and I enjoyed every day of it,” says Syed Ahmad, eyes closed in recollection. “Every weekend I’d go to galleries and museums. I also liked to sit on the bus, on the top deck, and watch the crowd. In the summer, I’d sit in the park and just look at the birds. Even Selfridges fascinated me. I enjoyed studying its window display! “I loved to go to the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall for the music. As a student, I enjoyed the special student rates. I absorbed a lot of things.” Later, he went on to do art education at the University of London before moving to the University of Hawaii for his Masters.
As we near the end of our chat, I ask him about his thoughts on the country’s art scene today.
He mulls the question over before eventually conceding: “It’s challenging. Before, there were only established artists like myself, Latif Mohidin, Ibrahim Hussein and Cheong Lai Tong. Now, there are the younger artists to contend with. They’re different. They’re the so-called contemporary artists as opposed to us, the modern or postmodern artists, and they do figurative, or anti-beautiful art, or whatever. “With the arts receiving so much patronage and support now, they’re at a good place. They can sell and demand good prices. During our time, it wasn’t so easy to sell. Of course, it’s a challenge for the older artists but it’s alright. Everyone has his or her own niche. Challenges are always healthy.” The exhibition, Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis will run from Sept 29 to Oct 31 at the National Art Galeri (Balai Seni Lukis Negara), 2 Jln Temerloh, off Jln Tun Razak, KL) intanm@nstp.com.my
INTAN MAIZURA AHMAD KAMAL
The National Artist at work
Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal gets introspective as he approaches his 80th year. He tells INTAN MAIZURA AHMAD KAMAL there are objectives to achieve and a sense of purpose in art
THE shutters close and for that moment, Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal, the only visual artist to have been awarded the accolade of Seniman Negara, or National Artist, is lost in his own memories – again. Under clear rimless glasses, his kindly eyes are shut tight as he recalls a career that has spanned more than 50 years. A principal force in education and the local art scene from the time of Independence, he was the most senior of a group of core artists who studied in the west and came home as champions of Abstract Expressionism in the 1960s. They were responsible for ushering in a new and dominant force in Malaysian art.
In conjunction with his 80th birthday, the National Art Gallery is hosting a retrospective exhibition called Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis, that features never-seen-before and iconic works from various genres and disciplines.
“My birthday is actually on the 19th (of September),” he corrects, a glimmer of a smile appearing on his otherwise earnest face. “The gallery is putting up all my work — from the sketches of my childhood right up to the latest one, which was finished only last week called 99.” Even the sketch he did of his then classmate, Professor Syed Naquib Al-Attas, author and founder director of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation (ISTAC) is there, “…dressed as a pirate!”. Smiling, he says: “He liked to put on costumes when we were in school. Did you know some of the more serious people that we know today were very playful in school?” Suddenly distracted by the bustle of workmen outside his office who are lugging large, fragile pieces of art work, a concerned look crosses his face. “They’re moving all my paintings in today for the exhibition,” he says, craning his neck to get a better look. Eventually reassured that nothing untoward is happening, he settles back into his chair before telling me that on show will also be paintings from his student days in England and of the various milestones in both the country’s and the world’s history, that he’d captured so emphatically on canvas. “My response to events that happen in life is captured in my paintings. This is how I record them.” Syed Ahmad, whose late father was educated at an agricultural college but went on to become an editor with a Malay newspaper (“… he was more interested in literature and poetry than anything else”) has played a pioneering role in the development of art and art infrastructure in this country through his roles as an artist, curator, art educator, and through the various important administrative positions he has held. He has lectured in Malaysia and abroad and was at one time director of the National Art Gallery from the early 80s to the early 90s. Suffice to say, Syed Ahmad, whose favoured medium is acrylic on canvas (“…because of the intensity”), has also been the recipient of many prestigious awards over the years, including the Asean Cultural Award – Visual Art (1984), National Artist Award (1995) and the Panglima Jasa Negara (1996), to name a few.
What drives him? He closes his eyes again, taking his time to answer my question.
“With art, you always have something to look forward to,” he concedes, the shutters still down. “It’s always, ‘what’s next?’. You look ahead. Art is also not repetitive because you always have different content, depths and approach, depending on what you’re working on.” He continues: “There’s a sense of purpose when you do art. It’s not just about painting a pretty landscape — there are objectives to achieve and meanings behind the forms”. For Syed Ahmad, the eldest of seven children, it all started with “scratching” pictures on the wooden walls of his childhood home in Johor. “My father saw that I was fond of drawing so he gave me some pastels and crayons. Then he bought me some water colours, White Horse, I remember, made in China.” When he started, there was no proper art education. He simply taught himself. “Sometimes I’d go and see other people’s work and then come back and try to copy. During the Japanese Occupation, I found this war book on art in someone’s house. I saw the pictures by famous artists like John Constable and Turner and was immediately inspired. I knew then that I really wanted to be an artist.” The young Syed Ahmad did well at school and received a scholarship to do architecture. “But after one year, the principal concluded that I’d make a better artist than architect, so he persuaded the scholarship people in Johor to allow me to do art proper,” he recalls.
At the age of 20, his dream was realised when he was given a place at the prestigious Chelsea School of Art. “I was ecstatic. Chelsea was the home of Turner, the artist whose work I saw in the war book and which ignited my passion for art.” With a wry smile, Syed Ahmad, whose other passion is writing and gardening, confides: “I was the hardest working student there. Even the guards had to chase me out in the evenings because I was always on campus despite the fact that everyone else had gone home!” London opened his eyes to the world of art and culture like never before. There were museums to visit and galleries to revel in. Picasso, Matisse, and all the top artists left him breathless.
“I was in London for six years and I enjoyed every day of it,” says Syed Ahmad, eyes closed in recollection. “Every weekend I’d go to galleries and museums. I also liked to sit on the bus, on the top deck, and watch the crowd. In the summer, I’d sit in the park and just look at the birds. Even Selfridges fascinated me. I enjoyed studying its window display! “I loved to go to the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall for the music. As a student, I enjoyed the special student rates. I absorbed a lot of things.” Later, he went on to do art education at the University of London before moving to the University of Hawaii for his Masters.
As we near the end of our chat, I ask him about his thoughts on the country’s art scene today.
He mulls the question over before eventually conceding: “It’s challenging. Before, there were only established artists like myself, Latif Mohidin, Ibrahim Hussein and Cheong Lai Tong. Now, there are the younger artists to contend with. They’re different. They’re the so-called contemporary artists as opposed to us, the modern or postmodern artists, and they do figurative, or anti-beautiful art, or whatever. “With the arts receiving so much patronage and support now, they’re at a good place. They can sell and demand good prices. During our time, it wasn’t so easy to sell. Of course, it’s a challenge for the older artists but it’s alright. Everyone has his or her own niche. Challenges are always healthy.” The exhibition, Syed Ahmad Jamal: Pelukis will run from Sept 29 to Oct 31 at the National Art Galeri (Balai Seni Lukis Negara), 2 Jln Temerloh, off Jln Tun Razak, KL) intanm@nstp.com.my
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