PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #10

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CURATOR NOTES:

This work was first exhibited in 1973 and had won the Major award for the show entitled ‘’Manusia dan Alamnya.  It is also one of the earlier social commentary works based on environmental issues that was acquired for the collection, a juxtaposed effort and pre-cursor towards contemporary art that is universal in its context.

BACKGROUND

In 1981, an article by Redza Piyadasa chronicled context of the work Statement 1 by Nirmala Shanmughalingham as followed:

 ‘’Pada tahun 1973 juga Pn Nirmala mengemukakan satu karya konseptual yang kompleks untuk pertandingan Man and his World anjuran Muzium Seni Negara. Ianya memaparkan dokumentasi fotografi tentang satu tempat di Kuala Lumpur yang dikajinya untuk beberapa bulan. Juga dikemukakan rajah, carta dan lain-lain maklumat berkaitan tempat tersebut, dahulu dan sekarang. Lebih penting, beliau membawa bersamanya ke galeri contoh-contoh tersebut untuk dimasukkan sebagai sebahagian dari ‘pernyataan’nya. Karya yang mendedahkan keterlibatan pelukis sepenuhnya kepada karyanya itu telah dianugerahkan Hadiah Utama. Bagi Pn Nirmala, penerimaan anugerah tersebut meyakinkan bahawa senilukisnya harus mencerminkan isu-isu sosial.[1]

– Redza Piyadasa, 1981

(Redza Piyadasa, 1981, NIRMALA SHANMUGHALINGAM Diperkenalkan oleh Redza Piyadasa, SENILUKIS TANAHAIR, BINDER 2, NIRMALA SHANMUGHALINGAM, p2, pgh 3, line 1-15, PUSAT RUJUKAN SENI’’

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #9

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ARTIST STATEMENT

Quoting from Piyadasa (2002); in regards to his Malaysian Series:

“This mixed media work produced by the artist belongs to the series of images that have come to be collectively known as the Malaysian Series. It was produced in 1982 and was one of the very first of the series of art works that were initially begun in that year. The artist, who had been involved with Conceptual art practices until then, had decided to move toward figurative art concerns and had embarked on a new series of art works depicting the different multi-ethnic communities that make up to the complex Malaysian social matrix. The decision had been motivated by the artist’s personal need to counter the overt Malay-Islamic ethnocentric proclivities prevalent during that period. The series, undertaken over the next several years, would go on to encompass the social histories of the different ethnic groups such as the Malays, the Baba Chinese, the Sinkeh Chinese, the Tamils, the Eurasians, the Indian Muslims, the Punjabis, the Sinhalese and yet other Malaysian communities.

A feature of the artistic experiments had involved the artist’s use of carefully chosen old, period photographs as the starting point of his image-making pursuits. These imaged reproduced in the artist’s works are thus twice removed from reality. Photographs are the modern age’s most visible historical records and they record the stories of ordinary men and women today. The artist’s work is thus about actual persons who have lived and died. There is an element of realism here. The resultant works, imbued with specially worked-out colouristic effects, enable the projection of nostalgic moods that highlight the period quality of the works, as well as the peculiarities inherent in the particular person or ethnic group. This particular work depicts two upper class Malay women, derived from a photographic image made in 1908.

The Malaysia art historian Zainal Abidin Shariff has described the Malaysian Series thus: “They offer us reminders of the historical background of present-day Malaysian social make-up; of multi-cultural realities, of migration and cultural assimilation; of traditions and heritage; of political and social history. They beckon Malaysian to confront their past.”

– Masterpieces from The National Art Gallery of Malaysia, 2002. National Ar Gallery Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur.

 Further information in regard to the Malaysian series and other body of work by Piyadasa can be done through PIYADASA An Overview 1962-2000 (Sabapathy, 2001)

CURATOR’S NOTE

Among the titles in the series set by Piyadasa are:Baba Family, Mamak Family, Sinhalese Family and Malaysian Indian Family. Two of the Malaysian series made acquisition in 2007, they are titled ‘’Sikh Mother and Children’’ and ‘’Malay Couple’’.Reframing & reconstructing a picture or idea has always been the task of writers, curators, artists, photographer, policy makers, even frame maker.

The art and curatorial practices of Piyadasa put high importance in knowing the context, bridging the importance for audience to understand the relation between archive and contemporary arts,The artworks signify the importance of artist statement, curatorial writings & documentation to help audience better understand issues, given the importance of the objective and message behind them that the artist is trying to convey.

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #8

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ARTIST STATEMENT:

‘’After effectively rejecting Western-centric art, Sulaiman was in an impasse. However, it was during this period he produced a controversial pieces Waiting for Godot- a series of open plate intaglio prints. It was a critical moment in his life now that he had negated western art that he had been obsessed with for more than two decades. Complex questions “Is he a Malay, Muslim and a Malaysian?

How would he reconcile his Islamic roots and Islamic elements in art?” assail his conscience and consciousness. It was within this soul-searching period he produced Waiting for Godot series. The provocative combination of female nude underneath the Islamic architecture is a metaphor for western art tradition as distraction that impede proper contemplation of the Divine.

Islamic ornamentations as background represent Islamic art and the grace brought by His blessing. Controversial as the work was, he won an award in the ‘Printmaking Competition’ organised by the National Art Gallery.

To Sulaiman, waiting for Godot series could be regarded as his self-portrait reflecting his predicament then. During these intense soul-searching periods, he could not but became deeply moved by the new bearing specifically Islamic worldview on Malay art tradition.’’’

-Writings from the website of Sulaiman Esa. Retrieved 15 May 2022.

Copyright © 2021 Sulaiman Esa · All Rights Reserved- link:

http://www.sulaimanesa.com/works/post-london

CURATOR’S NOTE:

Sulaiman’s composition in Waiting for Godot visually clarified the identity crisis in the combination of both Eastern and Western values; making prominent Malaysia’s collision of cultural subjects, beliefs system and values. The artwork was severely criticized for imposing a polarity of subject, tiptoeing between beliefs, critical assessment of reality & cultural sensitivity.

This piece was only acquired 3 years later, perhaps because it played a clear role in signifying a real and major visual polemic of identity politics in the development of Contemporary Malaysian Art.

ABOUT SULAIMAN ESA, Phd

Dr Sulaiman Hj Esa was born on 12 September 1941. He received his art education in Hornsey College of Art, London from 1962 to 1967 for both Diploma and Post-graduate studies. He later on proceeded to pursue an MA in Fine Art from Maryland Institute College of Art between 1979 to 1981. Sulaiman Esa received his Ph.D in Islamic Studies at Temple University, Philadelphia (1986-1996)

BACKGROUND

The National Art Gallery had held a solo retrospective show for Dr. Sulaiman Esa, curated by Nur Hanim Khairuddin an artist and curator.

According to Nur Hanim Khairuddin (2011):

‘‘Only in 1977 he felt called to produce a new series, Waiting for Godot. These photo etching express the severity of not only the crisis of art identity but also socio-psychological predicament encountered by Sulaiman. This series could also be read as the portrayal of cultural conflict in modern Malaysia, particularly among the Malay-Muslim community. In each of these works, the pictorial plane is divided into two spaces filled with two diametrically opposing iconic symbols: first, an image of nude woman in different sensual poses – Sulaiman proclaims it a representation of his psychological self; Niranjan interprets it as ‘’a symbol for the Western tradition of art as for the distractions that impede the proper remembrance of God’’-; second, arabesque patterns and Islamic calligraphic texts copied from a mosque in Cordova or Alhambra. ‘’After I hung it on my office wall… one day my Head of School came in… he was shocked and exclaimed, ‘What is this?’ I said, What’s wrong? He replied, ‘It’s the ayat Quran and you put nude woman there!’

 

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #7

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CURATOR NOTES:

This painting was documented in 1986, in Ibrahim Hussein a Retrospective held at the National Art Gallery. It was collected 5 years before the retrospective alongside 3 other work the same year. The first painting in the collection that was made in 1969 was donated by Dunlop Malayan Industries, Entitled Tumult. The National Art Gallery began collecting works by Ibrahim since the mid-1960s to the 80s, totaling of 8 artworks both from acquisition and donation.

BACKGROUND & EXTERNAL DATA

ABOUT IBRAHIM HUSSEIN

 ‘’Spanning twenty-three years (since 1963), Ibrahim Hussein has been exhibiting in solo exhibitions, group shows, national exhibition and representing Malaysia in international Biennales and Triennale. Ibrahim Hussein hails from Kedah, a state which has produced a number of artists who have made pronounced mark In the development of art in Malaysia—among them are the late Ibrahim Abu Bakar, Ismail Zain, Joseph Tan, Khoo Sui-Hoe, Sharifah Fatimah Zubir,Amron Omar,Anuar Rashid and Lye Yau Fatt. In the context of the Malaysian art scene, Ibrahim Hussein is a successful artist with a single-minded sense of purpose, involvement, dedication. His name has become popularly known in Malaysian society. In the social scene, Ibrahim has achieved a measure of success—making him a standard by which young artist aspire to reach’’

– Dato’ Azman Hashim.

Chairman, Board of Trustee National Art Gallery. FOREWORD. IBRAHIM HUSSEIN A RETROSPECTIVE, 1986.

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #6

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CURATOR NOTES:

Today, coloring and desaturating of photograph can be done digitally on the computer, making this work, after the fact uniquely resemble two period of time within the past. Alex Moh exploration regarding photography began as early as 1997, throughout his career, Alex is an avid researcher, critic, curator and also photographer. Over the years, Alex had coordinated many photographic projects & activities. Among Alex Moh major contributions to the National Art Gallery was for the curation of the publication History & Beyond Malaysian Photography from 1900 to the Present Day (2004) and Loke Legacy (2005). In 2004, Alex Moh donated 2 photograph titled Single & Couple Pair. In 2005, In line with the History & Beyond project Alex Moh facilitated the way for 149 Lambda prints of historical photographs to be donated to the National Art Gallery as the permanent collection.

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #5

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CURATOR NOTES:

This colored photograph portrays the late king, Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah who is standing in front of a car with its own intricate design similar to a Cadillac with white wall tires closely toned to the roof of the car, showcasing a design trend unique to cars in Malaya in the 1940s.

In the picture, the late king is seen to glance at a distance, as if observing a view whilst holding a camera, highly probable in search of a mood or environment to capture. He is situated at the foreground of cloudy blue skies that dominates a large part of the composition. Based on the connotation within the archive, this piece was taken at the Sungai Besi Airport in 1948.

BACKGROUND & EXTERNAL DATA

ABOUT SUNGAI BESI AIRPORT

The Sungai Besi Airport is known to be the Federation of Malaya first airport that began construction in the 1930s. The airport was expanded in 1948 and had several buildings erected in 1956.This airport no longer serves as an international airport for commercial flights since 1965, as it had been turned into an air base for the Malaysian Royal Air Force. Its function as an international airport was taken over by the Sultan Abdul Aziz Airport until 1999. To this day, since 1999, the function as an international airport of Malaysia is now transferred to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #4

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CURATOR NOTES:

At the forefront of the exhibition, the artwork can be viewed as a visually correlative introductory piece to an exhibition that aims to study the relativity of photography, art and the collection. Such essence and context are closely tied to the subject matter of this piece.

There is only one collection of Loke Loh Hong in the national art gallery. The photo is the 344th contribution of Datuk Loke Wan Tho and is a part of the 539-photograph donated to the gallery in 1963.

BACKGROUND & EXTERNAL DATA

LOKE LOH HONG IN THE NUS ROOTS ARCHIVE

Further research entails 15 collection of Loke Loh Hong in institution abroad from the National Museum of Singapore which are put on display online at the NUS Roots Archive website. A note on the website of The NUS Roots Archive, it is stated as an online establishment in 2016 as an initiative of the Singapore government through the National Heritage Board to showcase collections and heritage of culture, stories, arts and history of Singapore.

 According to the NUS Roots Archive:

‘’ Loke, ARPS, was a camera salesman and previously a negative retoucher, and a member of the Singapore Art Society, as well as Honorary Secretary of the South East Asia Photographic Society. His photographs were regularly submitted and accepted by international photography salons in the 1950s and 1960s.’’

Loke Loh Hong at NUS

Retrieved 13/3/ 2022 From

https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-Landing/listing/1319849

ABOUT THE PAINTER BASOEKI & HOESSEIN ENAS

In researching the imagery in the photograph, I’ve firstly noticed the similarity of painting style of romantic realism to painter Datuk Mohd. Hoessein Enas. However, this could not be truly proven as the picture is a side profile of the artist. To further clarify, I’ve referred to senior curator Zanita Anuar for information on the painter, of which she noted it to once actually be assumed to be Raden Basoeki Abdullah, the Indonesian Maestro. Whilst looking up Basoeki, it is found that he is a painter born in 1913 Surakarta, Indonesia who died tragically in 1993 from a robbery at his home. His birth in 1913 makes him 11 years older than Mohd. Hoessein Enas.

Basoeki was generally regarded as a prolific Indonesian portrait artist by Indonesian. He was most known for portraiture. Basoeki had painted portraitures of leaders, but are also known for the painting of women, mystical figures and also landscape. Basoeki paintings are known to be a part of the collection of the Bogor Palace and the Basoeki Abdullah Museum. The Basoeki Abdullah Museum was actually a house owned by Basoeki himself bequeathed by him to the Indonesian government to be made as his museum upon his demise. Further research had entailed several articles which came up with a matching painting to Loke Loh Hong photograph.

TRIVIAS

The first article was by an Indonesian news portal merdeka.com, dated 16th September 2015 and written by a journalist named Yulistyo. In the article, the reporter had reported a visit to the place by an old woman to the gallery in 2010 who claimed to be one of the women in the portrait, (the one obscured here by the painter). The woman is a Malaysian named Azah Aziz, whom she noted to be a senior journalist. This news was also reported by beritametrolima.com on the same day, both news noted that the painting is named ‘’Keluarga Cantik’’ but is more popularly known as “3 Dara”.

Further back, on 12 December 2013 another article by a newsportal antaranews.com had reported on exhibition held by Museum Bank Negara Malaysia entitled BERSAMA ART EXHIBITION. It was a joint exhibition of Indonesian and Malaysia artist that includes the painting “3 Dara” by Basoeki Abdullah. The report further clarified on the identity of the women Azah Aziz as Sharifah Azah Mohamed Alsaagoff who is regarded as Tokoh Budayawan Melayu. She is the mother to former governor of Bank Negara Malaysia, Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

Clarified by the news, it’s safe to assume that the painting in the background is in fact of Basoeki Abdullah. However, it is still not known whether the painter is truly Basoeki himself. The painting on the left is also still unknown today.

 

EXTRA REFERENCES

Further reading on Basoeki Abdullah & Loke Loh Hong:

Articles regarding Azah Aziz & the painting:

LINK TO A PICTURE OF THE PAINTING 3 DARA

“Tiga Dara” Siapa Tiga Wanita Cantik dalam Lukisan Maestro Basoeki Abdullah? | Beritametrolima.com

Retrieved 13/3/ 2022 From

siapa-tiga-wanita-cantik-dalam-lukisan-maestro-basoeki-abdullah.jpg (670×335) (klimg.com)

MERDEKA.COM

Retrieved 13/3/ 2022 From

 Siapa tiga wanita cantik dalam lukisan maestro Basoeki Abdullah? | merdeka.com

https://www.merdeka.com/peristiwa/siapa-tiga-wanita-cantik-dalam-lukisan-maestro-basoeki-abdullah.html

METROLIMA NEWS

Retrieved 13/3/ 2022 From

 “Tiga Dara” Siapa Tiga Wanita Cantik dalam Lukisan Maestro Basoeki Abdullah? | Beritametrolima.com

https://beritametrolima.com/tiga-dara-siapa-tiga-wanita-cantik/

ANTARANEWS

Lukisan “Tiga Dara” Basoeki Abdullah Dipamerkan di Malaysia – ANTARA Sumbar (antaranews.com)

 

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #3

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CURATOR NOTES:

Tenaya Lake Clouds by Ansel Adam is the first work of photography that was donated and registered into the national collection courtesy of the late Dato Loke Wan Tho. It is among the earliest works by American photographer that is put under the care of the National Art Development Board of Malaysia since 1963.

 BACKGROUND & EXTERNAL DATA

ABOUT ANSEL ADAMS

Ansel Adams founded an association of fellow photographers that promoted on making sharp focus and full tonal range photographs. Together with another photographer, Fred Archer, they developed a method of image-making called Zone System. The technique allows for desired final print through profound technical approach of how tonal range is recorded and developed whilst the process of image exposure, negative development, and printings were done.

As a key advisor, Adams established the photograph’s department in Museum of Modern Art in New York. He helped in staging its first exhibition as well as the production of photography magazine, Aperture. Furthermore, he co-founded the Centre for Creative Photography at University of Arizona. These establishment became an important milestone for photography’s institutional legitimacy as of today.

Besides, Ansel Adams was also a life-long environmental conservation advocate. In 1980, he was awarded with Presidential Medal of Freedom due to his work with United States Department of the Interior in the making of photographs of national park in which later on facilitated in the expansion of the park’s system.

Adams passed away on April 22, 1984 from a cardiovascular disease at the age of 82. His body was cremated and his ashes were scattered on the Half Dome at Yosemite National Park.

 

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #2

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ARTIST STATEMENT:

In this work my engagement is of reflective and also a kind of criticism towards what is happening within the ‘Islamic World’ today-especially in what is happening in the Middle East conflict. As we know in any combatant situation within the Islamic tradition there is not only a tactical consideration but at most an ethical foundation towards how parties involved (especially the Muslim side) should engage.

As what is happening currently the world has left displacement with how reality is enfolding and with how myth (i.e. conspiracy theory’) is also becoming the discourse within the tragic (inhuman) or in the narrative seen as “religious prophecy”. For some people (consider as moderate Muslim) is a vacuum of both. Most of the people that were slain were non-combatant and at most should be protected.

With their horrific demise, especially that of Kenji Goto whose story is very compelling, this situation that has been created by “the Muslim” has made a much bigger ambiguity within how we encounter reality and what is considered truth.

-Fuad Arif, 2018,

[notes from the 2018 acquisition files.]

CURATOR NOTES:

Fuad Arif had donated this artwork alongside 3 others in the same style and visual approaches in 2018, proposed by senior curator, Baktiar Naim. This piece reflects on the murder of Mr. Kenji Goto, a journalist who was taken hostage and murdered by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).The work is a juxtapose of the names of the slain Journalist, Kenji Goto b. Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, 23 October 1967 – d.2014, Syria. In the artwork, the name Kenji Goto is accompanied by a black and white photograph of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Sendai, a mosque in Sendai in the background, the composition is divided by two rectangular shapes, mimicking a window pane.

Fuad use of contextual data and images to highlight his thoughts and response to contemporary issue showcase a fundamental function of the artist and contemporary art itself in enticing concerns to contemporary issue to the audience, discoursing conflicts, questioning reality and propagating critical thinking, this is especially true and necessary towards grave matter in need of support and attention of the society to help right the wrongs, or simply create a general awareness of the matter.

BACKGROUND & EXTERNAL DATA

ABOUT KENJI GOTO

Kenji Goto was a Japanese freelance video journalist, Kenji had gone to Syria in 2014, despite being warned three times, in order to rescue Haruna Yukawa, a Japanese hostage taken by Islamic State of Syria and Levant (ISIL). Kenji Goto was unfortunately captured the following day and ISIL released a demand of $200 million from Japan government in exchange for the lives of both Goto and Yukawa. On 24th January 2015, ISIL released a picture of Goto holding a photo of decapitated Haruna Yukawa. Goto was also forced to read a message in English which blamed the Japanese government for the death of Yukawa and demanded, again, that ransom shall be paid in exchange of Goto’s life. However, this time ISIL demanded an exchange of hostages between Goto and Sajida Mubarak Atrous al-Rishawi, an attempted suicide bomber. This demand was again ignored which later resulted for the killing of Kenji Goto on the 30th of January 2014.

PHOTO ART EXHIBITION : ARTWORKS QR CODE #1

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ARTIST STATEMENT:

‘’In this work my engagement is of reflective and also a kind of criticism towards what is happening within the ‘Islamic World’ today-especially in what is happening in the Middle East conflict. As we know in any combatant situation within the Islamic tradition there is not only a tactical consideration but at most an ethical foundation towards how parties involved (especially the Muslim side) should engage.

As what is happening currently the world has left displacement with how reality is enfolding and with how myth (i.e. conspiracy theory’) is also becoming the discourse within the tragic (inhuman) or in the narrative seen as “religious prophecy”. For some people (consider as moderate Muslim) is a vacuum of both.

Most of the people that were slain were non-combatant and at most should be protected. With their horrific demise, especially that of Peter Kassig (Abdul Rahman Kassig) who’s story is very compelling, this situation that has been created by “the Muslim” has made a much bigger ambiguity within how we encounter reality and what is considered truth.’’

-Fuad Arif, 2018,
[notes from the 2018 acquisition files.]

CURATOR NOTES:

Fuad Arif had donated this artwork alongside 3 others in the same style and visual approaches in 2018, proposed by senior curator, Baktiar Naim. This piece reflects on the murder of Peter Kassig, an aid worker who was taken hostage and murdered by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

The work is a juxtapose of the names of the slain humanitarian worker, Peter Kassig (Abdul Rahman Kassig) he was born on February 19, 1988, Indianapolis, U.S.A and died November 16, 2014 in Dabiq, Syria.

Peter was stationed in Syria, Lebanon, he was tasked to aid Syrian refugee. In the composition of work, the name was incorporated alongside images of a mosque that are located near Peter’s hometown, in this case the Mosque in Indianapolis, Indiana: Islamic Center of North America, Plainfield, Indiana. Peter was taken hostage and murdered in 2014.

Fuad use of contextual data and images to highlight his thoughts and response to contemporary issue showcased a fundamental function of the artist and contemporary art itself in enticing concerns to contemporary issue to the audience, discoursing conflicts, questioning reality and propagating critical thinking, this is especially true and necessary towards grave matter in need of support and attention of the society to help right the wrongs, or simply create a general awareness of the matter.

WHO IS PETER KASSIG?

Kassig was a humanitarian worker in Syria and Lebanon in which his job was to aid Syrian refugees through a non-government organization founded in 2012 named Special Emergency Response Assistance (2012). In 2013, he was on his way delivering food to the refugees when he was taken captive by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). While in captivity, Kassig was allegedly converted to Muslim and changed his name to Abdul Rahman Kassig. However, his parents claimed later that Peter has always been wanting to voluntarily convert ever since he started working in Syria which declaims the argument that Peter Kassig went through forced conversion by the ISIL. In November 2014, after more than a year being held in captivity, ISIL released a video showing themselves standing over a severed human head which was later confirmed that it was Peter Kassig’s.