Art For Grabs 2015 @ Dataran Underground

It is indeed a beautiful day in the most important historical place of Malaysia. Just under the Dataran Merdeka. Various artists and authors gather to sell and exhibit their talents. I heard about this event about 2 months ago, and just realized that last year, they had Shieko Reto to draw the banner. I personally admire her "Klinik Poh Tong" which was installed during Singapore Biennial 2014. 

However, the event doesn't go smoothly due to security control. To stay positive, I got the great opportunity to capture the scene of our most important historical building in Malaysia without the crowd! 

The Art For Grabs 2015 were a joint event with KLAB (KL Alternative Book Fest), which is something really unique for my experience. I had not been in touch with Malay language literature for very long time. It brings me memories of watching P. Ramlee's movies when I heard the literature readings, and it is beautiful! In the modern westernized days, we won't be hearing such beautiful sentences in the mainstream media. 

For the art lovers, the most exciting thing must be the doodling! Talented people work on the art piece on the spot during the 2nd day of the event. Just to be sure that I wasn't bias, there are indie films on screening, hands-on pottery and also fruit juice making! 

There are still rooms for improvement for this event. While I have no comments on the KLAB fest, the major attraction to this event is the alternative book authors with a session of talk regarding the Malay Language and freedom of expression. 

I am looking forward to the next Art for Grabs event. Hopefully there will be more painting artists in the future.

Art Stage Singapore 2015: Malaysian Picks

It was just an exhibition to sell the arts. That's all for the Art Stage Singapore 2015. For a more general review on the exhibition, read my review at: Singapore Art Stage 2015: Avichen's Selection

In this blog post, I'll focus on discussing some selected Malaysian art pieces which caught my attention. When I visited the show, I try not to read the booklet, and just let my own mind reading the art works without prejudice. Although some of the works screams clearly that they are Malaysian.

Vincent Leong's Kenapamu, Malaysia? (2015)

After picking my favorite 5, I was proud to know that 3 out of 5 are Malaysian. May be the paintings invoke the emotions in me because the painters are Malaysian and they put their Malaysian views on their art works.

Vincent Leong's art pieces are rather simple and straight forward. The piece which screams out loud and "proud?" that the artist is a Malaysian. It is fun to see his art works.

Chin Kong Yee's Market (2014)

Chin Kong Yee's piece are amazing! I do feel that this piece seems like "unfinished work" because of the feet on the ground, but it is supposed to be that way after I did some study about the artist. The view point is so bizarre, the perspective is good. 

Kow Leong Kiang's Sea Breeze (2015)

Sea Breeze is my top favourite in the whole exhibition! I would like to describe it as the Mona Lisa of Malaysia! The smile on her face and that expression is amazing.

Fadilah Karim's The Lonesome Painter (2015)

This Fadilah Karim's piece is beautiful and really representing the life of a painter. Work until exhausted!

Marvin Chan's Desecration of the Temple (2014)

Marvin Chan's piece on show is hauntingly beautiful, and intimidating. This is a piece that will stir a debate! A piece worth collecting but not to be hanged on your living room's wall.

I might have missed out a lot of Malaysian artists on the show, but may be the lost is because the works unable to capture my attention. I feel that most of the art works in the show are kind of commercialized. They look great aesthetically, they might be a good piece to decorate a living room, but they do not have much meaning in them. Since I am a person looking for art works which will inspire and provoke a thoughts, I neglected a lot of artists who had show a lot of skills in technique and methods. Thus, Art Stage Singapore 2015 is not impressive, but it is not all bad either.

The Best is Still, when it is Amateur: Zulkifli Yusoff

The first time I saw Zulkifli Yusoff's work is during the 2013 Singapore Biennial at Singapore Art Museum. His Sculpture titled Rukun Negara was on display. For me, as a person who have a very different level on art appreciation, I found the piece to be a little boring and I "don't get it".

The details, the techniques, were great though. The aesthetic of the work is fine, everything is in the beautiful proportion. It just give me the feel that this piece is some expensive luxury stuff that a very rich art collector should buy it. It lack of a soul, that soul which screams for the attention and understanding of its meaning! 

Later on, I discover some of the older works by Zulkifli Yusoff, it was amazing! His collages are loud to define the Malaysian identity! I grow curious on his former works of art. It was completely different from his latest works. 

When I visited his official webpage (Zulkifli Yusoff), I am sad! His current work on "Breathing" just unable to touch my heart. I just "don't get it", I don't feel the breathing. I read that the artist is in a process of searching for healing of his wound. Again, it just looks like an expensive piece which will get a very good comments from professional curators and wealthy art collectors. 

Whatever it is, as my own personal point of view, (Again, I have to declare, I am not professional curator or professional artist or wealthy art collector), I would love to collect  Zulkifli's older works, not the current ones. I pray for Zulkifli to get well soon from his wound. 

If you think you are the one who can "get" Zulkifli's artworks, do visit his webpage at: www.zulkifliyusoff.com

A Lithuanian Who Captured Every Malaysian's Heart: Ernest Zacharevic

Ernest Zacharevic is "The Banksy of Malaysia", without the criminal offences of course. His works are loved by the Malaysian because it touches every heart of the local people. One of his most loved piece is the children riding bicycle located in the state of Penang.

This piece is so heart warming, that it reminds me of my childhood. Most Chinese Malaysian's childhood memories, when we first learn how to cycle, and we just wanted to ride on adult size bicycle because it is higher and it makes us feels like flying in the air.

The other heavily debated street piece of Ernest Zacharevic is the Crime in the Corner. This piece was removed by the Johor Bahru town council for it's negative message brought to the public. However, local people love it. It represent the reality. The criminal rate of the Johor state is the highest in Peninsular Malaysia, and all the local people knew that it is true (I am writing this because I am one Johor Bahru local).The mainstream media in Malaysia claim that it is a safe place, thus, they have to remove every art which brought up the issue. 

Ernest Zacharevic is still a free man, professional artist and accept commissions. For more of his work, visit his official website at: www.zachas.com 

Syed Ahmad Jamal's Endau Rompin

For all Malaysian art student, Syed Ahmad Jamal is a name appeared very frequently in the text book. As a non-art student, I found it fascinating. I personally see Syed Ahmad Jamal as the legend of Malaysian modern art scene. After 2011, no other modern artist in Malaysia would be able to achieve the same level of legacy that he had.  Not going to talk much about his famous Puncak Purnama sculpture.  One of his famous painting work would be the Endau Rompin.

Syed Ahmad Jamal's Endau Rompin (1985)

If you have been looking at his other paintings, you might have noticed that he loves to use triangles. It is not surprised that his fascination of the shape might be based on the famous legendary mountain in Malacca - Gunung Ledang.

While Endau Rompin is far away from Gunung Ledang, this painting give the place a new meaning of beauty of nature. It looks almost like a paradise. The reason why I suspect this piece is inspired by Gunung Ledang instead of the real Endau Rompin, is because we can rarely see a single peak mountain in the Rompin area. Plus, the author is clearly craze about the Ledang peak, there are numerous of his works are inspired by it.

In the eyes of independent art lover, this piece is amazing. It represent the best of Malaysia!

Hello Malaysia!

This will be a new blog to discuss about Malaysia's painting art scene!

The reason I started the group and blog is to unite the amateur artists in Malaysia. The concept is to create more content in English to tell the world about the art scene in Malaysia. While many of us so fascinated on the western artists, we do have lots of gems hidden in Malaysia. They need to be discovered!

While the group is for the Amateurs, this blog will cover the professional art scene! Again, art is a very personal thing. The blog owners are not professional curators, thus, the news and comments are very personal in each of the news authors' own point of view. 

If you are a amateur painting artist in Malaysia, please join our Facebook group at: Here 

If you are a person who are interested in painting arts of Malaysian artists and wish to contribute some articles to voice out your point of view, do contact me to submit your precious article to out blog.

Thanks and have a nice day!