In the middle of my father's lecture to my big family (whilst quoting Al-Ghazali's), my mom used to interrupt, "kalau semua orang buang semua kehendak dan keingingan, betapa atas gunung, siapa nak bagi makan anak-anak dan uruskan negara? (if everyone dispels wishes and desires, meditating in mountains, who is going to feed the kids, and run the country?"). My father just put a 'selamba' face and continued with his lecture. I miss them.
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BETWEEN MEDITATING AND RUNNING A COUNTRY
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THAT RHETORIC OF 'ALTERNATIVE' AND 'INDEPENDENT' AGAIN.
- Sometimes, our 'lifestyle' has been too 'naturalized' to a point we forget that it is actually a lousy 'alternative' to what is really 'natural'(fitrah). This Ramadan, I've been struggling to put that ghost of my 'alternative' past away for good.
For the past few days, I've been probed to response to the rhetoric of 'alternative' and 'independent', yet again. This time, for an up-coming solo show of Sooshie Sulaiman in Singapore.Despite the 'artist' side of me empathizing with such rhetoric, the 'academician' side of me is always suspicious of it. I guess that gives a good balance.I hope this can somehow put away for good such rhetoric from the mental scape. I think its about time we get over it.We should move into what Huxel used to term as 'trans-humanism', being humans, yet able to transcend him/herself. There are more to discover within our 'inner-net', that mind-space within our two ears, with "13 billion-cell supercomputer in our noggin" (I'm quoting here). That is our 'inner technology'. Its time to explore our neural pathways towards transhumanism, through mind expansion by embracing 'connectivity'.Anyway, before I start to babble, here's an excerpt from my response to 'alternative'.Hi ? (name erased)Generally I have no problem with what you have written. I think it is a sensible and balance take on 'alternative' and Sooshie's positioning regarding the discourse of alternative. My view is mainly to remind u and Sooshie not to gloss over too much on it, especially in making sweeping statements that can be contested.One example is the opening remark "the lack of support for contemporary art from the government and public institutions is often bemoaned". Another example is "local contexts ‘largely apathetic to the cultural value of creativity’. These are lazy sweeping generalizations that can (and should) be contested. Personally for me, they are tired cliches or superficial 'problem statements' that do not ring well with our increasingly hyper-connected post-capitalist, post-information age where everybody and everything are increasingly inter-connected and inter-dependent. To always take a lazy presumption that this is a by-default situation in Malaysia, or all over the world even, is also counter-productive and not healthy for the art ecology. Unless, we are talking about taking an exclusive position for 'alternative' creative practices, which I will touch a bit later.Perhaps my 20 years or so experience in the arts under so many different capacities, fronts, spaces and contexts can be helpful. I had encountered situations where the very people in the contemporary art who liked to bemoan had received supports (financial, sponsorship, etc) from government and public institutions. In fact, I believe that I used to be one of them, well, I am working for a government institution. But I have always been critical and always been lamenting about lack of support to art from them. Yet, the works of these people (including mine) have been generously purchased and included in the national collection, or exhibited in major shows inside and outside Malaysia, published and reviewed generously in books and catalogues; their shows hosted or sometimes even partly sponsored, with supplementary artists' talks and other supporting programmes. I can cite several examples where creative practices and their proponents who were deemed as 'alternatives' or 'marginalised' before have occasionally been co-opted into the mainstream.In a society increasingly dictated by a 'post-structuralist' visual culture and information infrastructure, easy dichotomy and lazy semiotic binary does not work anymore. But, such easy dichotomy and lazy binary have inflicted many 'players' in the contemporary art scene, regardless of whether they want to position or align themselves with the 'government and public institution' or not. In a small art ecology like Malaysia, creative people work in and out many different 'spaces' and 'fronts', alternative or what not.For me personally, I'm always suspicious of such easy generalizations, even though I can understand and even empathize with such generalizations. Another cliche statement if I may add is "the society does not appreciate fine art well enough". After 7 and a half years of running a university museum and gallery, I somehow found that the situation is mostly the other way around, "the artists or so-called creative people are too 'special' and too 'alternative' to understand their society well enough".Perhaps, such cliche problem statements can be a form of strategic positioning, especially in soliciting empathy and eventually grants or financial supports from non-governmental bodies, individuals, international NGOs with their local proxies, international bodies etc. Perhaps.The phrase ‘temporary autonomous zones’ coined by curators Sharon Chin and Eva McGovern is another 'gloss', ya, big words. Again, it sounds appealing to my sentiment. Yet, it can also be misleading. A crime lord can apply it to justify their chosen crime scene as a 'temporary autonomous zones'. Ok, I know, that's over-imaginative. But the phrase can also be taken as 'temporary exclusive zones - only for members of the club' who's notion of creativity and artistic 'taste' does not conform to the 'general population or public at large'. A 'temporary autonomous zones' can also be zones for a small pool of 'specialized' audience that may not represent the general population.The "focus on the work of lesser-known artists", and "archiving and exhibitions" that can "engage with audiences beyond art circles" have been done by government and public institutions, nothing 'alternative' or unique about that at all. Even the much glossed 'community art' has also been engaged by many museums and galleries around the world including in Malaysia, often using non-conventional approaches to art in their efforts to engage wide range of audience or public, including from outside the art circles. Many 'intervention' and 'community outreach' programmes by government and public institutions have been organised, including roping visual artists or people from the creative industry to connect with different sections of the public at large. For examples, you can refer to several books and other online materials by the Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah (MGTF) USM which I used to direct from 2005-2012 to understand my point.I think instead of glossing over 'alternative', the key word is 'connectivity' and 'dialogues'. But this probably requires another essay to explain.In summary, we have to take a precautionary posture to avoid from being blinded by the cliche rhetoric and discourse of 'alternative'.Peace be upon you..HJSQuestion- Anyhow, could you share your thoughts about artist-run, alternative art spaces in m'sia, particularly KL?Do you think it's fair to say that these spaces have a hard time living up to these labels? (collusion with the 'system', private sector', etc...being 'alternative' for the sake of it.)
- My main point is to raise some questions about that...a certain scepticism, but perhaps I'm being unfounded? My argument is that Shooshie, in contrast, is aware of the notion of 'the alternative' becoming a brand in itself, as well as wanting to work within the system, not 'in opposition to' it
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Hasnul SaidonWe are living in the age of hyper-connectivity, a post-information age, even post-institution. Everything is inter-connected, inter-dependent, nothing can claim to stand on its own. Asserting 'alternity' is just a binary play, a kind of structuralist semiotic twist, and ya, works well for branding or to assert a difference. I'm a post-structuralist, always suspicious of easy and lazy dichotomy. Hehehh.- QuestionDo you feel like it's fair to say that existing spaces in Kl, the way they operate, play on this binary for branding/strategic purposes? I also raise a point about them being in inaccessible locations (perhaps apart from annexe), which makes it easy to be 'alternative' rather than a viable, visible option to mainstream society.
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Hasnul SaidonYa, a good point indeed. Simplistic binary logic does not work in a post-capitalist and highly networked and inter-connected society. Several case examples have shown that 'alternative' can be exploited as a hip term to be different, superficially. Yet, when one looks closely, I mean at the fundamental structural and conceptual level, many things are still the same as the mainstream - money, money, money!
Ironically, I have found many 'alternatives' emerged from the mainstream. I can cite many works that have been shown in the mainstream that I consider as highly 'alternative' in regards to providing visible and viable options to mainstream side of the contemporary art practice, ideologically. Some even subvert certain State-prescribed ideologies, openly.
Then again, post-capitalism (sometimes even the gov. institutions) know how to absorb and neutralize 'alternatives' and turn them into profitable feeders for its system. Now many things that were previously deemed alternatives or even outright 'immoral' before have become accepted products and lifestyles - skateboarding, extreme sports, underground music, etc.
I look at this as a play of languages and discourses, like a dialogue, where some subversion and diversion have taken place amongst different performers.![]()
Hasnul SaidonOne thing is certain here, at least for me. To come up with an easy and lazy dichotomy or binary between institutions (government especially) and the so-called 'alternatives' would be last thing I do.- Question
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Hasnul SaidonAlmost all. During a recent round-table talk with the proponents of these so-called alternative spaces, I discovered that in many ways, they have operated like an institution, with an appointed curator, a curatorial theme and guidelines for submission of work, acquiring sponsorship and financial assistance (by asserting 'alternativeness'), organisational or team-structure, vision and mission, objectives, all of which somehow appear like any other institutions.
From my experience in ICOM (International Committee of Museums) UMAC (University Museums & Collection) and UM-NET (University Museum Network South East Asia), I can cite examples of modus operandi that are similar to the so-called 'alternatives'. Even the National Visual Art Gallery of Malaysia used to work together with several groups of graffiti and street artists. In George Town, alternative street art has been elevated to a higher status, incorporated into the heritage and tourism business and infrastructure. Several 'intervention' projects organized by museums and galleries around the world including Malaysia, deployed 'alternative' ways of engaging audience with contemporary art. The 'alternatives' have also began to dance with the capitalists, if not the government or 'institutions'. Some have even managed to secure generous grants from outside. Even Sooshie herself used to work in many projects with 'institutions' including the National Visual Art Gallery of Malaysia and several commercial galleries.![]()
Hasnul SaidonMy point is that we have to be careful not to gloss over too much on this 'alternative' discourse, especially in regards to Sooshie and her space.- QuestionSure. in fact, that's why I propose this idea of 'alternate' space - that's interchangeable, but also evokes the intangible...and a nice play on the word 'alternative', which you almost expect to see/read insteadthe alternate, changing, unfixed nature of these categories of 'alternate' and 'mainstream'I'm also trying to underline the connection between the way she approaches these projects and her own individual work, or rather, the flows between the two.A sensible route?in your own opinion?
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SALING-BERTAUT DAN TRANS-HUMANISMA (INTERCONNECTIVITY & TRANSHUMANISM)
- Muhammad HafizAssalamualaikum, Amacam Ramadhan this year? Everything well?
I stumbled across this, and thought it might be of interest to you: http://c-lab.columbia.edu/0185.html - Today
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Hasnul SaidonLSD, pschedelic ecodelic and inner-net and neural pathways to Huxley's transhumanism - ni dah dibicarakan masa saya di USA 90s dulu. Boleh la layan. Tapi bagi saya, Nabi Muhammad S.A.W dah bawa transhumanism menerusi amalan-amalan 'inner-net' yg wajib dan sunat - solat, zikir dsb. Kita ikut dia je, dia kita punya Master.![]()
Muhammad HafizYes. Saya ingat En Hasnul pernah bercerita di kelas.
Betoi tu. That was my first take on the writing. Especially when he says "I predict a huge boom in meditation-style practice to help us deal with this 'infoquake'". Dalam Islam sembahyang itu part of a meditative process. Kita siap buat 5 kali sehari. Memang untuk "learn to control, manipulate and investigate your own internal technology, that 13 billion-cell supercomputer in your noggin"![]()
Hasnul SaidonSpot on bro.Apa yang dibicarakan oleh Richard Doyle, seorang Profesor Bahasa Inggeris di Penn.State Univ. berkaitan dengan retorika kesedaran (rhetoric of consciousness) dan terma 'transhumanism' (dari Huxley) serta keadaan 'saling-bertautan' (inter-connectivity) minda kita yang 'virtual', mungkin boleh dijadikan renungan.Pembicaraannya sudah saya tempuh sejak zaman belajar di USA dulu, hingga kini. Tapi ianya bukanlah sesuatu yang baru atau belum pernah ditempuh.Hal berkaitan dengan perluasan minda, pertautan, dan bagaimana pertautan ini dapat membawa kita kepada kearifan kolektif (collective wisdom) atau kearifan yang infinit (infinite wisdom), bukanlah hal baru. Teknologi dalaman, teknologi nano, 'inner net', 'cosmic space in molecules and atoms' (ruang kosmik dalam molekul dan atom), 'introception' (bukan 'perception') dan 'human-mindedness' (berfikiran kemanusiaan), semuanya melibatkan usaha kita untuk 'bermeditasi' untuk menjadi 'saksi' pada perlakuan minda kita sendiri. Ini juga bukanlah perkara yang baru, atau hanya dibicarakan oleh kalangan pemikir dan saintis serta tekno'kerat' je. Ini sudah diamalkan sejak 2000 tahun dahulu.Apabila kita berdepan dengan 'info-quake' (bukan 'earthquake') menerusi situasi 'hyper-connectivity' dari rangkaian sistem maklumat yang boleh 'melumatkan' hati dan kasih sayang antara manusia, kita perlu mampu merentas keluar dari kepungan 'lokal' jasad kasar (body). Inilah yang disebut Huxley sebagai transhumanism. Keluar dari kepungan lokaliti dan ilusi pemisahan yang dipancar oleh 'mimpi benda', bukanlah juga sesuatu tuntutan yang 'hip' dan baru. Ianya sudah saya pusakai dari tradisi saya sendiri, tapi bukan dari jenis yang dipasarkan oleh Kementerian Kebudayaan. Jenis dan preskripsinya? Berbeza dengan tuan profesor ni, preskripsi saya bukanlah LSD, juga bukan sebarang dasar yang digariskan oleh mana-mana 'jawatankuasa' dalam bilik mesyuarat (yg boleh juga mabuk dilanggan persis LSD hingga jadi terlebih 'high').Saya bukan peminat LSD, mahupun sebarang bentuk "designers' substances" yang diguna untuk memaksa kita mengubah-suai 'kesedaran' minda kita, atau apa yang disebut sebagai 'inner net'. Saya tak percaya cara paksa ni.
Saya memakai 'cara' atau 'metodologi' yang dibekalkan Nabi Muhammad S.A.W yang diturunkan menerusi Sunnah baginda. Transhumanismnya adalah keluar dari kepungan (atau graviti) nafsu untuk mencapai (levitate and elevate) ke makam-makam rohani yang lebih tinggi. Inter-connectivitynya hadir dari 'berjemaah' dan tidak memutuskan 'persaudaraan'. Nabi Muhammad S.A.W telah membekalkannya menerusi amalan-amalan wajib dan sunat seperti solat, zikir dsb. Ini pilihan saya wokay, tak kiralah jika saya sendiri terpaksa 'bergelut' dengan nafsu sendiri untuk melakukannya. Kadang-kadang berjaya, kadang-kadang tewas.Persoalannya, apakah yang kita lakukan dengan 'ruang minda' antara dua telinga kita, suatu 'anugerah' berbentuk super-komputer dengan 13 bilion sel yang di'amanahkan' kepada kita?
Bagaimanakah kita memaksimumkan, memanfaat serta mensejahterakan otak kita? Apakah tahap 'kesihatan' kesedaran otak yang lokal dan minda kita yang 'non-local'/'virtual', secara individu dan kolektif? Sihat? Sejahtera?Jika kita masih 'berfikir' untuk membaca kemanusiaan dan kehidupan secara bercah-pecah, terasing-asing, dalam dikotomi dan binari malas yang dibuat-buat berdasarkan emosi dan sentimen (klise 'independent' lwn 'institusi', 'alternatif' lwn 'arus perdana', tak termasuk berdasarkan retorika politik kepartian dll), apakah kita benar-benar memaksimumkan kapasiti anugerah otak dan minda kita?
Apakah kita telah mensejahterakannya mengikut fitrah?Apakah kita telah melestarikan 'interconnectivity'(saling-berkaitan atau saling-bertautan atau lebih halus lagi, 'persaudaraan') dan meniti 'transhumanism' (merentas makam manusia biasa ke makam para Nabi).Jika setiap hari otak dan minda kita dihijab oleh hal-hal yang menghalang pertautan ('dis-connectivity') dan melawan kemanusiaan (inhuman), apakah secara kolektifnya kita dapat mencapai kesejahteraan global?
Sihat ke?
Tak terfikirkah kita bahawa mungkin 'cara berfikir' (cara kita gunakan otak dan minda) atau 'cara hidup' atau 'lifestyle' yang kita pakai, anut dan amal telah menjadi terlalu sebati (naturalized) hingga kita lupa bahawa mungkin pilihan cara berfikir itu adalah 'alternatif' yang tak bermanfaat, langsung tak 'natural' dan melawan 'fitrah' akal dan jiwa manusia kita.
Sempena bulan Ramadan yang mulia ini, apakata kita cuba jadi saksi terhadap 'fikiran dan perasaan' kita, terhadap 'lifestyle' kita.
Sihat ke?
Janganlah tunggu Hari Raya Aidil Fitri (kembali pada Fitrah) baru kita sibuk (secara superficial dan rutualistik buta selalunya) untuk 'bertaut' (inter-connected) semula. Jika itu yang dilakukan, kita hanya dapat 'trash-humanism'.
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A REVIEW OF "RELOCATIONS" BY LIM KOK YONG THAT PERHAPS MANY PEOPLE DIDN'T READ.
Locating “Re-locations” In ISEA 2008
Embracing technologies in the service of Aesthetic
Just as the International Symposium On Electronic Art (ISEA) 2008 passed off quietly after 10 days of conferences, workshops, exhibitions and other collateral events started since 23rd July, “Relocations”– the media art exhibition in the theme of Locating Media among many other themes ended on 3rd August below the radar of many people. This world’s premier media arts event for the critical discussion and showcase of creative productions applying new technologies in interactive and digital media, is less of a limelight if compared to Singapore Biennale which was also hosted by Singapore but with higher regards. This relentlessly reflects the little interest if not development of creative media in the Asian region. Nevertheless, the fact that this is the second time ISEA is hosted in Asia represents a wonderful opportunity to support, define, shape and recognize the development of creative media in Asia.
“Relocations” was curated by Roopesh Sitharan – a Malaysian curator, researcher and a loyal follower of media arts development in Malaysia. “Relocations” featured two Malaysian artists: Hasnul Jamal Saidon and Niranjan Rajah who have been creating art by synthesizing new media since the 1990s. “Relocations” was exhibited in the gallery at the concourse in School of Accountancy of Singapore Management University. Locating the exhibition itself was quite a challenge as gallery is at one hidden corner of the tunnel-like walk way. I expressed my concern of visibility of the exhibition to Roopesh and we both broke into laughter when I suggested ‘Relocation’ to be relocated.
At a second thought, the joke appropriately reflects the message of “Relocations”: to transport the artists and the field of practice to a new settlement if not to establish a new ground for new media arts practice, co-locating with the current art development in Malaysia. On the other hand, “Relocations” was there to commemorate Hasnul’s and Niranjan’s constant effort to relocate their positions and roles within the art world generally succumbed to Western aesthetic values. At a very significant level, it also addresses the conception of arts that maneuvers from material to immaterial – post-object art.
“Relocations” critically places these artists within the context of (contemporary) new media where the redefining and repositioning of ideas and concepts is an ongoing and constant process. These curatorial notes stand as a necessary subjective prologue. Gathered there in the gallery were a series of fragments including video, projection works and online installation work (www.12as12.com/relocations/) that recall these two artists’ interdisciplinary spirit. These accounts and artworks, some personal, some analytical, some uncompromising and often in disagreement, have offered provisional glimpses of Malaysia’s digital art.
“Relocations” is a reflexive action due to inability of Malaysian art to encompass the artistic ventures of Hasnul and Niranjan. Digital art has yet to have a legacy interweaving our history of visual art simply because our producers and consumers are still very much obsessed with material-oriented artform. This reflects why their movement failed to manifest in the local cultural landscape. Bearing in mind this situation, it is probably no coincidence that new media curator researcher such as Roopesh, with a very distinct approach, came in as a ‘mover’ to offer a ‘relocation package’ to these artists. Quoting Andrew Clifford in his article titled Interdisciplinary Moments: A History in Glimpse: “When support might not have been present within an artist’s chosen practice but could be found in surprising new locations, new resources and expertise developed, along with new frameworks from which to think about cultural production, collaboration and authorship. This shift has often also meant moving beyond the usual modes and venues of presentation to create new spaces for new kinds of experiences.
“Relocations” is aimed to locate emerging new media practices within national art space before moving onto global platforms. It is establishing a social situation for critical dialogue or inquiry. What is Digital/ New Media art? What are the attributes of this artform? Why do artists take up the lifeless technologies and apply them for creative purposes? What relevance has the technologies to an artist’s personal existential questions? How do specific ‘local’ cultural, economic, political and technological factors exert a powerful influence on artists and cultural producers to engender personal, emotional and experiential relationships with technologies? This essential interrogative tone attempts to open up a relational field, a context to interlace with the creative works of Malaysia artists.
In this exhibition, Roopesh has offered relocation package for new media art practice in Malaysia and his local knowledge and experiences in global arena of digital art provide us with valuable insights on how the specificities of location mediate and are mediated by both old and new technologies of information, communication and experience. And he has made the ‘moving experience’ as sensorial rich yet critical as possible. Whether or not this new settlement can offer an alternative gateway for cultural production engaging technology and articulation of Asian new media art, this I think is up to the level of compatibility in between the new comers and neighborhood. But, I believe this is the curator’s and artists’ hope that “Relocations” inaugurates a conversation that will continue as digital art in Malaysia evolves.
Lim Kok Yoong
2008
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MENGULAS PERKARA RUMIT DENGAN CERDIK, MUDAH DAN BERHIKMAH
MENGULAS PERKARA RUMIT DENGAN CERDIK, MUDAH DAN BERHIKMAH
Hasnul J Saidon
Dipetik dari Pengantar untuk buku sulung karangan Fuad Ariff berjudul "Seni Bukan Segalanya"
Hasnul J Saidon
Dipetik dari Pengantar untuk buku sulung karangan Fuad Ariff berjudul "Seni Bukan Segalanya"
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| Fuad Ariff |
Mengulas sesuatu perkara yang rumit dengan cara yang cerdik, mudah dan berhikmah memerlukan kemahiran. Dalam dunia seni rupa di Malaysia, kemahiran sebegini jarang saya jumpa. Malah, tidak ramai orang yang dianggap cerdik, atau menganggap diri mereka cerdik, memiliki kemahiran sebegini. Di celah yang tidak ramai ini, saya nampak Fuad Ariff. Bukan orangnya, tapi karyanya “The Artist”(2004). Ketika itu saya sedang menilai penyertaan untuk Bakat Muda Sezaman 2004.
Salah seorang rakan penghakiman bertanya pada saya, mengapa saya fikir karya Fuad Ariff itu ‘layak untuk dianggap sebagai sebuah karya seni’. Mungkin dia fikir karya tersebut tidak menepati ciri-ciri bentuk ‘seni halus’ seperti yang dipelajari semasa di kolej.
“Sebab ia cerdik, mudah dan berhikmah”, gitulah lebih kurang yang saya jawab, disambut dengan kening yang berkerut pada yang bertanya.
Untuk beberapa minit, saya terpaksa memberikan kuliah meleret tentang ekonomi global pasaran bebas dan kesannya dalam menipiskan sebuah karya dan seorang seniman menjadi objek pasaran. Juga tentang persaingan dalam ‘pasaran seni kontemporari’ yang boleh menipiskan seorang manusia dari menjadi seorang ‘seniman’ kepada menjadi ‘pelakon’ atau ‘penggaya/peraga’ atau ‘pembawa watak ’ yang terpaksa berusaha menaikkan ‘nilai pasarannya’. Ya, panjang dan rumit ceritanya, boleh dijadikan modal untk tesis Phd.
Rakan-rakan penghakiman yang lain mungkin tidak ambil pusing sangat tentang “The Artist” mahupun kuliah bosan saya. Namun bagi saya, Fuad telah mengulas perkara yang rumit dengan cerdik, mudah dan berhikmah menerusi karyanya. Saya sendiri pernah bergelut dan cuba menerusi “Smilling Van Gogh and Gauguin” (1997). Walaupun karya tersebut kini menjadi sebahagian dari koleksi Balai Seni Visual Negara, hanya Nur Hanim Khairuddin seorang saja yang benar-benar mengulas panjang-lebar tentangnya, itu pun dalam penerbitannya sendiri.
Fuad melakukan perkara yang sama beberapa kali menerusi karya-karyanya. Dia lebih berani dari saya. Jika saya hanya setakat meminjam wajah Van Gogh dan Gauguin, Fuad memetik wajah watak-watak yang lebih dikenali dalam arena seni rupa sezaman di Malaysia, Ahmad Fuad Osman dan Niranjan Rajah. Dua manusia ni boleh dianggap ‘gergasi’, jika tidak pun, ‘hero’. Ahmad Fuad Osman untuk ‘pelukis yang sentiasa berjuang atau bergelut’, Niranjan untuk ‘pemikir yang bergelut dengan identiti diri’.
Apabila Fuad menghilangkan sebatang gigi pada wajah Ahmad Fuad Osman (ya, namanya hampir sama) yang disalin-semula secara digital dari karya asal, sekali lagi saya merasakan Fuad telah mengulas perkara yang rumit dengan cerdik, mudah dan berhikmah. Begitu juga apabila beliau menghilangkan sebahagian dari kuih tradisional pada karya asal Niranjan Rajah, seolah-olah baru sedap dikunyah. Fuad telah memanjangkan, atau memecah wacana asal yang dibawa oleh Ahmad Fuad Osman dan Niranjan Rajah. Dekonstruksi karya Niranjan, jauh lebih rumit, kerana ia melibatkan stereotaip dan hubungan antara kaum yang sering buat rakyat Malaysia berkerut dan bergaduh dalam facebook. Saya tidak pasti apakah beliau sudah mendapat keizinan atau restu dari mereka ini, namun yang pasti, beliau akhirnya dapat juga baru-baru ini bertemu dengan Niranjan Rajah yang kini menetap di Kanada. Sebagai seorang yang gemar berdansa dengan permainan inter-teks, Niranjan Rajah menyukainya, malah mahu membelinya. Tidak pasti pula penerimaan Ahmad Fuad Osman yang kini bahagia dengan isteri dan anak tersayang di Bali.
Fuad juga memetik gaya bahasa visual yang terdapat pada karya-karya pelukis lain seperti Redza Piyadasa, Sulaiman Esa dan Ramlan Abdullah. Meminjam dan memetik adalah istilah bidang bahasa yang merujuk pada amalan mengambil sumber teks sedia ada untuk dibaca dan diolah–semula dalam bentuk yang berbeza. Tujuannya adalah untuk membina pelbagai pembacaan yang baru. Ia juga dirujuk sebagai ‘inter-teks’, apabila teks asal dipecahkan maknanya oleh teks-teks yang lain. Dalam bidang seni rupa, seperti yang dilakukan oleh Fuad menerusi karya-karyanya, ia merujuk pada amalan menggunakan imejan dan bentuk sedia ada untuk tujuan yang sama. Dalam beberapa kes, ianya dilakukan untuk membongkar sistem bahasa visual dan pembinaan makna ikut saka seni moden Eropah yang telah sebati dibakukan (adakalanya secara taklid buta) di merata Asia.
Kerja membongkar dan memecah ini juga disebut dekonkstruksi oleh para pemakai pegangan pasca-strukturalis yang alah pada pembekuan dan pembakuan makna-makna monumental dalam seni rupa moden (baca Eropah). Adakalanya amalan membongkar dan memecah ini dipacu oleh perasaan pesimis dan sinis, hingga terhasilnya nuansa parodi, satira, jenaka-perli malah ada juga yang tergelincir menjadi mempermain, memperolok, merendah-rendah dan menghina.
Pada saya, karya-karya Fuad lebih bernuansa dialog. Ia boleh membuka fikiran dan rasa kita agar dapat beroperasi di luar dari kebakuan sistem bahasa lazim (bukan bahasa tutur dan tulis saja) yang sudah jarang dipersoalkan. Antaranya termasuklah bahasa seni moden yang sudah mesra dan selesa berbaur dengan bahasa pasaran kapitalis global.
Kini, cara seorang seniman dan karyanya dipasarkan, dipersembahkan, diulas, dinilai, diwacana, diberi makna, semakin ditipiskan oleh bahasa pasaran. Namun, jarang sekali kesan bahasa pasaran ini dipersoal dan dibincang dengan bertamadun, tanpa tujahan sentimen dan emosi melampau. Tentunya, hal ini memerlukan satu kuliah, jika tidak pun, satu kursus untuk dibincangkan. Itupun belum tentu ianya dapat digarap dengan mudah. Saya selalu cuba, dan ada pelajar yang berkata, “tak fahamlah Encik Hasnul!”.
Sekali lagi saya terpanggil pada karya-karya Fuad, yang mengulas hal-hal rumit ini dengan cerdik, mudah dan berhikmah. Pada saya, ia merupakan fardhu kifayah yang bermanfaat. Memandangkan karya-karya beliau yang mencelikkan fikir dan rasa itu tidak begitu diendahkan, saya berusaha memanfaatkan sebahagian darinya sebagai antara bahan Koleksi Seni Halus Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Beberapa karya beliau boleh dirujuk di Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah USM untuk dimanfaatkan oleh sesiapa yang sudi.
Kini, Fuad menulis pula. Dia telah menulis untuk beberapa pameran sebelum ini. Mungkin saya sudah membaca semuanya. Menulis tidak sama dengan melukis atau menghasilkan karya seni rupa. Saya tidak pasti Fuad dapat melakukan perkara yang sama dalam penulisannya seperti yang dilakukan menerusi karya-karya beliau. Begitupun kelibat nuansa cerdik dan mudah masih ada.
Gaya bahasanya beradab, tertib, namun pada bahagian tertentu mencubit dengan lembut. Sudah tentulah tidak semua yang ditulis Fuad itu saya setuju, malah ada antaranya yang boleh saya persoalkan. Tapi, tidak perlu saya ulas penulisannya panjang-lebar. Cuma jika boleh dikongsi, saya amat bersetuju dengan tajuknya. Seni memang ada di mana-mana, tapi memang bukan segalanya.
Antara yang menjentik saya:
Tentang bangsa:
“Menjadi bangsa-itu adalah suatu bentuk ujian untuk melihat sama ada kita mahu saling kenal mengenal dalam kepelbagaian dan terus beriman.”
“Menjadi bangsa-itu adalah suatu bentuk ujian untuk melihat sama ada kita mahu saling kenal mengenal dalam kepelbagaian dan terus beriman.”
Tentang paradoks dan ironi dalam memakai watak seniman kritikal:
“...kritikan kepada kekejaman peperangan dan sebagainya telah juga menjadi bentuk-bentuk saluran yang berjaya mendatangkan keuntungan-keuntungan yang lumayan dari segi ‘pendapatan’ dan ‘status diri’ si pengkarya.”
Tentang pengolahan figuratif oleh pengkarya beragama Islam:
“...mungin juga terdapat suatu bentuk pengetahuan penting yang boleh mereka jelaskan dan kongsi berkenaan dengan persoalan dan kedudukan figuratif ini lebih-lebih lagi dengan adanya ‘ketegangan hukum; dalam perihal ia digambarkan mahupun diarcakan.”
Tentang pendidik:
“Menjadi seorang pendidik bukan suatu yang mudah, kerana jika tersalah mendidik ramai manusia yang berada di bawah didikan akan berada atas jalan-jalan kesesatan.”
Tentang sikap suka memburukkan apa yang dirujuk sebagai ‘Barat’:
“Pada saya, sikap kita dalam mengaitkan apa-apa saja yang ‘buruk’ apabila merujuki ‘Barat’ adalah satu pembingkaian dan cara generalisasi yang tidak sihat.”
Tentang kedudukan hal-hal sublim:
“Banyak perkara dan kejadian alam ini berada di luar dari (kemampuan) akal rasional manusia dan bukti-bukti empirik. Namun disebabkan dorongan sains, lojik dan rasional berlebihan, telah menyebabkan manusia moden menjadi masyarakat yang telalu takut untuk membiarkan diri mereka berada dalam ketakjuban....”)
Fuad memetik dari beberapa kenyataan Tarig Ramadan, termasuk yang berkait dengan kedudukan akal dan hati; konsep toleransi; jati diri; dan menjadi saksi terhadap apa yang kita percaya.
Fuad juga menyentuh nasib jati diri Melayu dalam kancah budaya global, apabila pelbagai bentuk budaya yang sudah tipis dijadikan objek pasaran, boleh dibeli dan dilanggan oleh orang-orang Melayu sendiri.
Langganan atau konsumerisma melampau ini boleh menghasilkan kesamaran budaya. Tentang kesamaran, dan bagaimana kesamaran menjemput sikap sinis, juga diulas Fuad:
“...apabila nilai-nilai kebaikan dan kebenaran pun tidak lagi diketahui akan maknanya dan kadangkala disambut dengan layanan yang pesimis dan sinikal”
Tentang masalah umat Islam sejagat:
“Kitalah ‘masalah’......”
Tentang kemajuan ‘dalaman’:
“Kemajuan sebenar adalah dalam mengamalkan dan mempertingkatkan amalan kesolehan dan bersikap adil dalam keadaan apa sekali pun.”
Dan yang paling teras, tentang keseniman:
“Anda tidak dilahirkan untuk (tujuan) menjadi seniman. Seni bukan tujuan hidup. Ia adalah sebahagian dari hidup. Ia bukan pusat kepada segala kerisauan dan desakan pada hidup dalam tujuan Tuhan menjadikan manusia.”
Kesemua petikan di atas ini cerdik, mudah dan berhikmah.
“Anda tidak dilahirkan untuk (tujuan) menjadi seniman. Seni bukan tujuan hidup. Ia adalah sebahagian dari hidup. Ia bukan pusat kepada segala kerisauan dan desakan pada hidup dalam tujuan Tuhan menjadikan manusia.”
Kesemua petikan di atas ini cerdik, mudah dan berhikmah.
Kepada para pembaca budiman, mari kita sama-sama memanjangkan niat, harapan dan doa agar Fuad Ariff akan terus diberi Petunjuk, terus berkarya, dan semestinya, terus menulis.
Hasnul Jamal Saidon
Julai, 2013.
(Nota : Menerusi strategi penjenamaan, pemasaran dan pembinaan hubungan yang licik, seorang ‘peraga’ boleh ditukar menjadi ikon, malah mungkin juga wira seni. Klise seorang pelukis-pemikir memegang paip sambil merenung jauh serta tajam, boleh dilakonkan dan di’tambah-nilai’ menjadi ‘aksi’ yang ‘ada nilai komersial’. Bukalah beberapa buku mewah atau katalog tebal lagi mahal yang menampilkan karya-karya dan para pelukis terkenal Malaysia. Di dalamnya ada beberapa contoh aksi peragaan, penggayaan, perwatakan dan tambah-nilai yang saya maksudkan.)
Hasnul Jamal Saidon
Julai, 2013.
(Nota : Menerusi strategi penjenamaan, pemasaran dan pembinaan hubungan yang licik, seorang ‘peraga’ boleh ditukar menjadi ikon, malah mungkin juga wira seni. Klise seorang pelukis-pemikir memegang paip sambil merenung jauh serta tajam, boleh dilakonkan dan di’tambah-nilai’ menjadi ‘aksi’ yang ‘ada nilai komersial’. Bukalah beberapa buku mewah atau katalog tebal lagi mahal yang menampilkan karya-karya dan para pelukis terkenal Malaysia. Di dalamnya ada beberapa contoh aksi peragaan, penggayaan, perwatakan dan tambah-nilai yang saya maksudkan.)
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THE ENIGMA OF 'I.T' CONTINUES
The term ‘new media’ has been explicated extensively by Lev
Manovich in his book “The Language of New Media”. Nonetheless, the
use of such term has been debated rather indefinitely by other scholars.
In the case of Malaysia, the term appeared few years after the term E-art was introduced in the seminal “1st. Electronic Art Show” (1997). In Malaysia, the term has been received in a more generic manner due to it’s hybrid, multi-dimensional and multi-faceted nature, embracing many other disciplines beyond the confine of modern art.
London-based Malaysian curator-writer-artist-scholar Roopesh Sitharan (2013) for example, problematizes the epistemological fluidity of the term ‘new media’ by substituting the term with simply, ‘it’(perhaps as a pun for the acronym I.T that stands for Information Technology).
On the other hand, local curator-writer Tan Sei Hon (2010, p 021) has the following biting and gloomy reading to offer, “In our age of ‘horizontal’ development, in most if not all endeavours, the word ‘new’ has now come to mean nothing more than another sequel, prequel or remake of an existing story, a rehashing/re-spinning of (un)popular and competing/conflicting narratives, rediscovery and appropriation of previous styles/trends or add-on features to instant upgrades on an existing product all competing in the open market.” In a way, Sei Hon is implying the lack of ontological trajectory in approaching contemporary art practice. However, he does not specifically identify which practice. He is probably referring to the current state of “conservative” contemporary art scene in Malaysia, with “many artists producing paintings (due to economic prudence)….”(Ibid, p024).
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ANOTHER SEI HON'S CLASSIC
Honesty can hurt, but only to those who are in denial. Another Tan Sei Hon's classic:
"I derive great satisfaction knowing that those who with their doctorates and masters degree hiding in the ivory towers of the academe, those in the institutions who wear the tag of 'curator' but are afraid to curate, those in art business who meekly recommends safe works to their clients, art writers with their hip jargon but parochial agenda, and collectors with the philistine tastes couldn't make heads or tails of what's going on. Their befuddled, flabbergasted and embarrassed faces when confronted with the works by some of the artists in this exhibition amuses me no end. At the risk of being seen as 'sentimental and naive by weary ironists' I leave you again with a passage taken from Herbert Read's 'Symptoms of Decadence'.
"Art as I have defined it is so intimately linked to the vital force of that it carries society towards ever new manifestations of that life. Art, in its full and free subjective action, is the one essentially revolutionary force with which man is endowed. Art is revolution, and art can best serve revolution by being true to itself" (p 90)
From:
(Tan Sei Hon, "Disjointed notes on contemporary art KL, in Young Malaysian Artists : New Object(ion), Petronas Gallery, KL, 2010, p025)
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MUID LATIFF, THE TRANS-MEDIATOR.
Aaahhh, that wonder guy called Muid Latiff, the 'outcast-incast' of e-art (oftentime sidelined yet epitomomizes the cross-disciplinary spirit of e-art as envisioned by my sifu Ismail Zain), the pioneer 'trans-mediator' of design and fine art. Some would argue that his 'fine art' is too 'design' and his 'design' is too 'fine art'. Such is a unique feature of a trans-mediator, those who excel in effortlessly dancing 'in between' territorial spaces, sometimes even mocking such territorial parochialism. A trans-mediator is the ethos, the epitome of the multi-dimensional and multi-faceted or even hybrid nature of digital technology, reflecting the way our brains work, in a quantum connectivity. Muid is that kind of species, a special breed indeed if I may add.
Many ex-students have honored me with the term 'sifu', but the truth is that I have been blessed by many 'sifus' who have thought me how to be a good sifu and more importantly, to always be thankful and full of love and gratitude towards whatever 'gifts' endowed by Allah upon us. It makes me blush to put this, but heck, I just put it to return the honor. Thank you Muid.
'Halus Jiwa Seniman' is probably the most alluring word to define H.J.S in Malay language but the fact that H.J.S mentioned above is the initial of my mentor and a person who's very close to me. Even though by location we are far separated, yet through the Internet, his ideology and teaching indirectly had harness my passion and talent. Hasnul Jamal Saidon. That's what H.J.S. stands for. metaphorically speaking, H.J.S translated through him are Humility, Jovial and Substantial.
Back in 2007, I was working on a very exciting national project Angkasawan Programme™ - Interactive Wayfinder (Interactive Kiosk) for MOSTI and National Science Centre. Due to this, I began to open up my curiosity about astronomy. Recently, I've been more engaged and indulging myself with digital space painting. I would read Astronomy books and Science magazines like a science geek, exploring about our outer space, quantum physics, dark matter, the universe as a whole and glazing the night sky while driving or swimming at the pool, wishing if I could ever see any shooting star (yeah right lah).
One thing for sure what I would relate Hasnul is that he is an exoplanet. In my own term to be precise, a truly remarkable Malaysian Exo-Artist. Why? For an e-artist, Hasnul had empowered a lot of people to be outstanding in their own way. His work evolved in multi-level and disciplinary, not forgetting his ability to sing while playing his guitar. I notice great artist have amazing art of spoken words. I thought it was even peaceful to watch him performed. Even if I was never his direct discipline, his wisdom and values have transpire through me, just like how I was inspired by our father of Digital Art, the late Ismail Zain. So those who's been or currently his student, you guys are so lucky and privilege to have someone like him.
When I gave 'Wacana Minda' talk in USM Penang on March this year, I felt so overwhelmed that my idol had given most sincere, frank, humble opening remark. I could still remember clearly how well and precisely he describes me as Malaysian third generation of Digital Artist, but when he mentioned I am the modern day Ismail Zain, I still felt unworthy to be at par with such title because Ismail Zain is a guru and he had done so much in the Malaysian art history, when I could even barely sustain myself outstandingly. I don't know, perhaps I still felt it's a long journey ahead and want to continue to seek and improve my knowledge. Anyhow, a recognition coming from Hasnul that day, in front of amazing cheerful of students, professors and academicians who attended my talk was indeed overwhelming and beautiful. I was blessed. It's was like a gift.
Throwback
It was in circa 1997 that I had discovered e-art movement in Malaysia while browsing the Internet, and from there on I begin to flourish my passion in digital art. Ergo, it makes me established as one of the most proactive local digital artist in Malaysia who had break record to even perform live with Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra to create digital artworks in 20 minutes in Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. I still feel overwhelmed to find out not just 5-8 thesis or paperworks in university thesis archive that the students had 'studied' about my works and me. It was more than I could ever imagine. The joy and humbleness just came down to comfort me.
It was in circa 1997 that I had discovered e-art movement in Malaysia while browsing the Internet, and from there on I begin to flourish my passion in digital art. Ergo, it makes me established as one of the most proactive local digital artist in Malaysia who had break record to even perform live with Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra to create digital artworks in 20 minutes in Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. I still feel overwhelmed to find out not just 5-8 thesis or paperworks in university thesis archive that the students had 'studied' about my works and me. It was more than I could ever imagine. The joy and humbleness just came down to comfort me.
Of course I can't be too vain about it but please, do not ever get me wrong. It's not bragging but acknowledging my own talent that I should be proud as I change the stereotype perception of how people see digital art. In fact, it was his legacy that I was carrying throughout my works. I am so grateful to God for giving me such talent to witness how I imperfectly evolve from being bullied at my school, harass or abuse by certain individual both mentally and emotionally by calling me stupid and ugly, monkey, big nose guy, faggot, useless and every form of negativity. I bring forth a cheerful attitude and decide NOT to be a victim of my past and be someone who could accept his own imperfection, harness and empower others through great values without taking arrogance into account. I always 'decline' any awards that I received in the past (I recall I don't put it in my current resume at all) because to me, it jeopardize my sense of humility because the more I 'win' something, I am open to be drift away from my good morale value and always fight myself not to misuse my achievements and talent to demoralize others. God, forbid me from being 'prima donna', a snob 'diva' just I because have tons of achievement. No, no no... I want to be a normal creative guy next door, to live a normal and most modest life as much as possible.
Citra Seni ASWARA Bersama Hasnul
Citra Seni ASWARA Bersama Hasnul
Today, I managed to clear my busy schedules and meeting to attend Hasnul's talk. I felt like a 10 year old boy visiting a science centre during his talk because I felt a free spirit reborn over and over and it makes me so inspired to continue to progress myself in arts.
One thing that I learn from him is about family values. Like photosynthesis, I felt the crucial need for anyone to work together harmoniously. To collaborate with each other, leave our hierarchy or indifferences aside, and focus on one thing - to revitalize our lives with great moral values without forgetting our roots of life.
So thank you Hasnul, thank you Mak and Abah (Mum and dad), my family, best friends and everyone who have been so patient to believe in my talent, encourage my passion and see my imperfection as a form of evolution.
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IRONISTS?
New word today from a heart-felt writing by a Tan Sei Hon - "Ironists". Nothing to do with Iron Man (mmm, perhaps it does in some circumstances). I think it means "cynics who take 'ironies' in life too seriously".
Have to admit though, sometimes I am a cynic who likes to dwell with ironies. Ya, don't have to pretend la, I used to be a hardcore 'ironist' (and used to wish to be an Iron man too!).
I know I might sound bias here, but a little tinge of cynicism and 'ironist' in us is quite ok, even useful. But too much of it can be harmful.
Now, many of us (other than me) have sometimes become miserable cynics who like to impose our twisted and extreme take on ironies upon everyone through constant bickering on twitter, facebook, blog and other social media.
We react to every tiny things, sometimes (or most of the time) CONveniently blaming on everyone and everything except ourselves.
There are many types of cynic 'ironists' amongst us, and each has his or her own 'field of cynicism and irony' to focus on obsessively. Some simply focus on 'dosa' that 'other people' have committed, not necessarily in regards to religion, but also to other fields, like politics and heritage for example ( many in Penang where I stay).
But the worse for me are those self-proclaimed, self-righteous 'politically-correct', who are obsessed with this thing called 'race relationship'. They will look at everything racially, despite their pious claims of being 'anti-racism'. In being 'anti-racism', they are in a constant look for 'racism'. What an irony! (choosing to focus their mind on something they 'don't like').
They even keep on looking with scrutinizing eyes for any little tiny thing that for them smells 'racist'. They become very good in smelling or sniffing 'racism' (hopefully not like a dog, that would be demeaning). They do this under a politically-correct pretext to uncover, to condemn, to despise, to correct the malaise of racism. Unfortunately, sometimes one can 'sniff' their ulterior motive - to elevate their 'piousness' and social or political status. To avoid unfair generalization, this does not apply to all cynical 'ironists' out there.
Some clever-clever 'ironists' that I admire amongst us (ya, of course I read twits, fb comments and notes as well as blogs)sometimes fell victim to their own device (relying purely on online materials for example), giving 'knee-jerk' 'analysis' and 'reading' of things that actually "DIDN'T REALLY HAPPENED'.
When that happened, I lost my admiration, but not sense of respect (we are after-all humans, nobody is perfect, k.).
I recall that cinema ad of a man in 'kain pelikat' too busy ironing till he answered a call with the hot iron. What an irony!
The moral? Well, to those cynical 'ironists' I still admire out there, don't take your ironies too seriously or to too much extremes, and most importantly, make sure you DON'T BE THAT IRONING MAN (OR WOMAN) IN 'KAIN PELIKAT'.
Have to admit though, sometimes I am a cynic who likes to dwell with ironies. Ya, don't have to pretend la, I used to be a hardcore 'ironist' (and used to wish to be an Iron man too!).
I know I might sound bias here, but a little tinge of cynicism and 'ironist' in us is quite ok, even useful. But too much of it can be harmful.
Now, many of us (other than me) have sometimes become miserable cynics who like to impose our twisted and extreme take on ironies upon everyone through constant bickering on twitter, facebook, blog and other social media.
We react to every tiny things, sometimes (or most of the time) CONveniently blaming on everyone and everything except ourselves.
There are many types of cynic 'ironists' amongst us, and each has his or her own 'field of cynicism and irony' to focus on obsessively. Some simply focus on 'dosa' that 'other people' have committed, not necessarily in regards to religion, but also to other fields, like politics and heritage for example ( many in Penang where I stay).
But the worse for me are those self-proclaimed, self-righteous 'politically-correct', who are obsessed with this thing called 'race relationship'. They will look at everything racially, despite their pious claims of being 'anti-racism'. In being 'anti-racism', they are in a constant look for 'racism'. What an irony! (choosing to focus their mind on something they 'don't like').
They even keep on looking with scrutinizing eyes for any little tiny thing that for them smells 'racist'. They become very good in smelling or sniffing 'racism' (hopefully not like a dog, that would be demeaning). They do this under a politically-correct pretext to uncover, to condemn, to despise, to correct the malaise of racism. Unfortunately, sometimes one can 'sniff' their ulterior motive - to elevate their 'piousness' and social or political status. To avoid unfair generalization, this does not apply to all cynical 'ironists' out there.
Some clever-clever 'ironists' that I admire amongst us (ya, of course I read twits, fb comments and notes as well as blogs)sometimes fell victim to their own device (relying purely on online materials for example), giving 'knee-jerk' 'analysis' and 'reading' of things that actually "DIDN'T REALLY HAPPENED'.
When that happened, I lost my admiration, but not sense of respect (we are after-all humans, nobody is perfect, k.).
I recall that cinema ad of a man in 'kain pelikat' too busy ironing till he answered a call with the hot iron. What an irony!
The moral? Well, to those cynical 'ironists' I still admire out there, don't take your ironies too seriously or to too much extremes, and most importantly, make sure you DON'T BE THAT IRONING MAN (OR WOMAN) IN 'KAIN PELIKAT'.
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FIVE WIN VIDEO ART COMPETITION (1994)
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TAKDA KAITAN DENGAN MAKNA HARI RAYA
Dasyat kita ni. Bandarnya raya, kotanya raya, kerjanya raya, pasarnya raya, jalannya raya, dan yang takda di tempat lain, hantunya raya.Oh ya! pi Balai, Balai raya juga, dan buat PILIHAN pun, RAYA.
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LITERATURE REVIEW FOR NEW MEDIA ART PRACTICE IN MALAYSIA
I'm currently struggling to finish a commissioned essay on
new media art in Malaysia. In the course of finishing it,
especially in regards to textual materials for
the study or research on contemporary art practice in
Malaysia, I can't help but to stumble upon phrases such as
'not enough materials to refer to', 'lack of substantial
materials', 'lack of critical writings/analysis', 'absence
of criticism', so on and so forth. Perhaps, these phrases
are partly true, yet they are partly questionable too.
Sometimes, I wonder if these generic and sweeping phrases
came out of extensive period of reSEARCHing based on an
empirical study, or just a lazy assumption from in front of
a laptop on an office desk.
After about 20 plus year of dwelling in the field of art, I
have discovered a diverse range of textual materials that
can be utilized, including in this case, for the study of
new media art in Malaysia (I use the term E-art). Ya, not
all fall within what can be narrowly defined as 'academic
research' (according to scientific paradigm most of the
time), yet, all are pertinent for many different reasons.
The following is an excerpt from a draft summary of
literature review for the commissioned essay. It might be
handy for students who are interested in researching about
electronic and new media art in Malaysia.
Perhaps, it can be handy for me too, especially in
soliciting constructive comments to further improve it from
anybody out there.
Summary of Literature Review
Other than relying on various forms of primary data including participative observation and direct engagements, this study and essay also rely largely on textual materials from local scholars and writers. Their writings are highly instrumental for several different reasons and purposes, and have been referred and quoted in providing contexts, describing and interpreting case examples, instigating questions, probing into themes and issues, sparking and exploring different perspectives, supporting arguments, and most importantly, shifting paradigm.
Seminal writings by the early generations of writers such as Syed Ahmad Jamal, T.K. Sabapathy, Redza Piyadasa, Krishen Jit, Sulaiman Esa and Zainol Abidin Ahmad Sharif are critical in providing contextual grounding for this study and essay.
Their writings, especially in chronicling the history of modern art in Malaysia, are important pre-requisites for this study and essay, without which, the idea and notion of ‘shifting-return paradigm’ and ‘contemporary art’ would be meaningless. Seminal works such as Vision and Idea (1994) and Rupa Malaysia (1999) are two important references for this study and essay. In a way, they have performed as the master-narrative of modern art history in Malaysia, other than laying the foundation and establishing a paradigm for modern art in Malaysia to be further developed (and shifted!).
Syed Ahmad Jamal’s Rupa & Jiwa (Form & Soul) (1978), Sulaiman Esa’s The Reflowering of the Islamic Spirit in the Contemporary Malaysian Artand Ruzaika Omar Basaree’s Kesenian Islam – Suatu Perspektif Malaysia(Islamic Art, A Malaysian Perspective) (1995) serve as important references in probing into early examples of ‘localization’, ‘decolonization’ and for some ‘indigenization’ of modern art in Malaysia. Their writings can also be taken as a negation of Western historical and aesthetic tradition, representing Malaysia’s version of post-colonial reflex, framed within the context of the political, social and cultural economy of nationalism, centred on the Malay-Islamic tradition.
The other version of such negation, especially in regards to the notion of ‘otherness’, is Piyadasa’s critic of what he termed as ‘Malay-Islamic proclivity’ is his Rupa Malaysia. In this essay, Piyadasa also highlights several key artists and artworks that may not easily and conveniently fall within the State-defined construct of national identity and culture. Piyadasa himself produced several works that questioned the fixed notion of identity and culture. Other counterpoints are Zainal Abidin Ahmad Sharif’s Towards Alter-Native Vision: The Idea of Malaysian Art Since 1980 (1994) and T.K Sabapathy’s Merdeka Makes Art or Does It? (1994). Perhaps the most controversial example of negation of Western aesthetic, beyond nationalism and ethnic preoccupation would be Towards A Mystical Reality by Sulaiman Esa and Redza Piyadasa himself.
Even though these writings and their contents may have been framed within a post-colonial discourse, they can also be ‘re-visited’ as early preludes to critical regionalism and post-traditional theory.
To counter-balance and triangulate, writings by Jolly Koh, Suhaimi Mohd Noor and Ooi Kok Chuen have also been referred to. Jolly Koh’s Some Misconceptions in Art Writing in Malaysia refutes the writings of Piyadasa and Sabapathy on Malaysian abstract expressionism and the authenticity or originality of ‘Malaysian modern art’ itself; while Suhaimi extends the historical root of modernism in Malaysia (or Malaya) by including ‘modern’ illustrations and publications by local artists and writers during the colonial period. Ooi Kok Chuen on the other hand, extends (or perhaps end) the ‘history’ of Malaysian modern art with the inclusion of the ‘syiok of the new’ as a pun on the ‘shock of the new’ through his essay, A Comprehensive History of Malaysian Art. In extending the historical ‘root’ or ‘origin’ and the ‘tail-end’ of modern art history in Malaysia, and in questioning a part of its construction, these writers have provided critical forms of alternative ‘shifting’ forces within the dominant discourse of modern art in Malaysia. Another important source is Australian-based Michelle Antoinette’s, Different Visions: Contemporary Malaysian Art and Exhibition in the 1990s and Beyond (2003). Her essay provides a much-needed survey on several major shifts that have taken place in the contemporary art practice in Malaysia after 1990.
Perhaps, the most crucial ‘shifting-return force’ can be traced in the writings of Ismail Zain. In fact, most of the theoretical references related to E-art come from the writings of Ismail Zain, supported by Redza Piyadasa and Krishen Jit, especially through Digital Collage(DC)(1988) and Ismail Zain Retrospective (IZR)(1995). Both perform as key theoretical references for this study and essay.
In reviewing DC, it is quite apparent that Piyadasa plays a complimentary supporting role to Ismail Zain’s intellectual probing. Ismail Zain’s seminal Ucapan Nada Idea and Masa Depan Tradisi: Dikhususkan Kepada Pengalaman Kuno di Malaysiacan be taken as two of the most important and early textual sources in providing a conceptual grounding and theoretical framework for E-art, especially in regards to technology.
Central to Ismail’s writings and works are the linguistic and semiological dimensions of visual culture, both from structuralist and post-structuralist positions. They epitomize the shifting paradigm of nationalism to critical regionalism, of modern to post-modern, even post-traditional. Ismail Zain’s theoretical scope is wide-ranging, often placing the practice of contemporary art within the discourse of language, media, communication and cultural anthropology. His proposition of Frampton’s ‘Critical Regionalism’ as a response to the imperatives of information age has been referred to by several writers, including for this study and essay.
A much more focused body of reference on E-art in Malaysia comes from writings by Niranjan Rajah and Hasnul J Saidon (the author), both collectively and individually. In fact, this study and essay is a delayed extension and up-dated version of their previous survey on E-art, mainly the 1st. Electronic Art Show (1997) and E-art ASEAN Online (2000).
Niranjan Rajah is one of the forerunners of internet and new media art in Malaysia and South East Asia. He has also written, presented and published numerous writings related to E-art in seminars and conferences, mostly outside Malaysia (see bibliography for his list of publication).
His body of writings can be summarized as highly theoretical and philosophical, mostly focusing on the internet and relying then on a small pool of concrete evidences, mostly from his own works, other artists’ and even his students’ to articulate his points. His proposition on post-traditional theory is compelling and pertinent, especially in regards to the practice of E-art in Malaysia and South East Asia.
In rertrospect, writings by Niranjan Rajah and Hasnul J Saidon are perhaps known for their articulation on the practice of E-art in Malaysia vis-à-vis regional and international arena, including language of new media, geo-political forces and transnational power structure that underline the practice of E-art regionally and internationally. Their body of research and writings have also been wide ranging. Yet, through their individual articulations of E-art practice in Malaysia, several recurrent themes, frameworks and underlying concepts can be ascertained. Amongst them include paradigmatic shift, E-art and its fusion with information system, cybernetic theory, mind studies, consciousness and quantum physic; trans-disciplinary approach towards contemporary art especially the convergence of art and science; and shared principles between E-art paradigm with many forms of Eastern cosmology and Islamic arts. These themes are explained through myriads of case examples that include their own artworks as well as by other local artists, E-art exhibitions and events. Central to their writings have always been the need to address, repond, contextualize, understand, articulate and pro-actively react to the imperatives of profound changes or transformation, in short, ‘paradigm shift’, brought about by information technology, according to local and regional cultural terms.
Other critical sources, especially in regards to ‘shifts’
or for some, ‘subversions’ within the social and political forces in Malaysia, can be traced from the writings works and discourses surrounding the works of Ray Langenbach and Wong Hoy Cheong, especially during the 1990s. Their pioneering works, especially their published conversation, provide ample examples for critical articulation of contemporary art as a site for shifting paradigm, discussed within the frameworks of social and political sciences, cultural studies and critical theories. In fact, one of Wong Cheong’s solo exhibitions is titled Shifts (2008), perhaps to position him as an epitome of shifting paradigm within the context of contemporary art practice in Malaysia and beyond. Furthermore, Ray Langenbach himself, is also critical to what he perceives as Niranjan’s and Hasnul’s “missionary desire to romanticize or redeem digital communication” that mimicked “Mahathir Mohammed’s strategy of appropriating the rhetoric of the local centre-left to criticize the very global capital markets to which he was nevertheless committed”(Sitharan: 2008, p46). Both are also critical of the notion of ‘Asian values’ and indiginization of the local arts, that can easily and conveniently be exploited as an extension of State-sponsored framing of national identity at the expanse of more inclusive social and cultural initiatives. The study of E-art in Malaysia would be incomplete without referring to their works and writings, including writings by both local and international writers on Wong Hoy Cheong’s diverse and multi-dimensional artworks.
Baharudin Mohd Arus, known also for his early video installation work done under the supervision of Ray Langenbach during his study at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) in the early 1990s in Penang, has written on the convergence between art and technology in the early 1990s. His writings are complimented by the writings of Zanita Anwar. Three writings by Zanita Anwar are used by this study and essay, mostly for extracting several shifting modes in contemporary art practices by young artists through her review of the local Young Contemporaries Competition (1999); underlining key outcomes from the convergence of art and science in ALAMI (1999); and articulating ICT as a form of cognitive tides, based on the as ebs and flow of information or data that can be stored, retrieved and even erased in Flow/Arus(with Wayne Tunniclife)(2000). Her articulation, especially on the cognitive tides, relates to the epistimilogical shift-return and the deployment of a quantum model in this study and essay. In connoting the notion of information storage, retrieval and deletion to implantation and erosion of cultural memories, she also echoes the spirit of critical regionalism and hints on the need for a post-traditional theorization in facing the imperatives of ICT.
Writings by Beverly Yong and Adeline Ooi, especially their overview of video art in Malaysia, provide a complimentary, if not updated reading for the previous study on similar subject by Niranjan and Hasnul. Both frame the video art practice as an articulation of alternative visual language and exploration of newly emerging locations and spaces for contending discourses. Such framing appears to echo Ismail Zain’s call to look into the ‘conceptual and linguistic efficacy’ within the local responses to video technology. Beverly and Adeline also write about Wong Hoy Cheong, along with other writers such as Goh Beng Lan, Camren Nge and Shabbir Hussain Mustaffa. Beverly co-edited Between Generations (2007) with Hasnul J Saidon, surveying and comparing two generations of Malaysian artists, whilst discussing the different contexts and strategies between the two. Recently, Beverly co-edited another milestone publication entitled Narratives of Malaysian Art with Nur Hanim Khairuddin, as a part of a planned four volumes publication that will comprehensively cover various dimensions of Malaysian art practices. They have also worked together, with several other writers, in surveying several emerging practices in Malaysia.
Supplementing the materials from Beverly and Adeline are writings by Tengku Sabri Tengku Ibrahim, Nasir Baharuddin and Badrolhisham Mohd Tahir. Tengku Sabri or TSabri is known mostly for his mapping of modern and contemporary art in Malaysia that he refers to as Seni Rupa Malaysia or in short ‘Serum’. Badrol’s and Nasir’s writings are more theoretical, yet are highly pertinent in regards to the need for a cognitive shift within the practice and discourse of contemporary art in Malaysia. In addition, Nasir’s own creative works deploy a linguistic approach to visual culture, whilst revisiting critical theories through Eastern spiritual and metaphysical lenses. In fact, Nasir’s conceptual stance is echoed by this study and essay. Except for Badrol, both TSabri and Nasir are currently university-based researchers, writers and artists.
Chai Chang Hwang, Majidi Amir, Nur Hanim Khairuddin, Sareena Abdullah, Safrizal Shahir, Sharon Chin, Simon Soon, Tan Sei Hon and Yap Sau Bin, represent the younger generation of writers who have contributed significantly to the body of literature on current contemporary art practices in Malaysia, especially after 2000. As contemporary chroniclers, the range of their coverage corresponds to different trajectories of contemporary art practices in Malaysia today. Their writings are not anymore confined by modernist and nationalistic frameworks of the previous generation. Theirs are less concern with the ‘master-narrative’ of Malaysian modern art history, reflecting a shifting contextual grounding for contemporary art discourse and practice in Malaysia.
Nur Hanim’s writings are referred to for their articulations on shifting paradigm within several platforms, namely curatorial practice by a new generation of ‘multi-faceted’ curators in Malaysia; alternative stances taken by a network of artists, collective, groups and communities; and new artistic strategies taken by young artists today. Her review of Hasnul J Saidon’s The Smilling Van Gogh and Gauguin (1997)(2010) provides a valuable example of the application of critical theories in the analysis and criticism of a single E-art work. Her own art magazine, sentAp! provides a fertile platform for many writings by other contemporary writers, some of which are also referred to by this study and essay.
On the other hand, Majidi Amir, Yap Sau Bin, Tan Sei Hon, Simon Soon and Sharon Chin, despite their limited writing output, provide valuable insights to several alternative, obscured and less visible, yet emerging sides of contemporary art practice in Malaysia. Majidi Amir for example, has even organized and curated several projects and exhibitions that feature E-art works. Complimenting them are writings by Sareena Abdullah and Safrizal Shahir, both currently based in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), a local public university in the northern state of Penang, Malaysia. Sareena’s work is crucial in her explication of post-modernism in Malaysia, especially her thesis on the rise of the middle-class Malay and the corresponding effect in the shifting attitude amongst younger artists. Safrizal’s writings are critical in providing an appropriate theoretical framework for the discourse of contemporary art in Malaysia, echoing the need for critical regionalism and post-traditional theory in theorizing modern and contemporary art practices in Malaysia.
Roopesh Sitharan, Lim Kok Yong, Wan Jamarul Imran, Khariul Aidil Azlin, Hasnizam Wahid and Tengku Azhari represent a group of writers whose writings are rather obscured or less visible, perhaps due to their academic and specialized leaning towards E-art and new media technology. All are based in universities, local and overseas. Yet, their writings, academic or non-academic, are instrumental in providing insights for the study of E-art in Malaysia and beyond.
Roopesh’s writing in Relocations: The Electronic Art of Hasnul J Saidon & Niranjan Rajah(2008) for example, provide an in-depth review on the works of Niranjan Rajah and Hasnul J Saidon. His theoretical probings especially through post-colonial framing, are highly instrumental. His epistimilogical argument on the fluctuating and fluid nature of new media technology through his recent presentation The Doing of Media (2013) is also helpful for this study and essay. He also writes for his own solo show Fermentations (2010), whilst providing contextualization of his repertoire of video and interactive art.
Khairul’s proposition of ‘hybridity’ as the converging agent for both design and fine art practices is also pertinent, as far as the shift from disciplinary to transdisciplinary approach in creative practice is concerned. Hasnizam Wahid and Tengku Azhari write about electro-acoustic and video technology respectively. Hasnizam has been writing and presenting papers on electro-acoustic composition mostly outside Malaysia, using his own technical research materials as case examples. Lim Kok Yong, on the other hand, writes about his own interactive works, in a very probing and existentialist approach.
Complimenting the the above-mentioned materials are writings by Faizal Sidek, Arham Azmi, Fuad Ariff and Tan Nan See, perhaps to give a broad overview or picture of different trajectories within the contemporary art practice in Malaysia, especially those driven by young artists.
A surprise yet pleasant addition to the existing body of literature useful for the study of E-art in Malaysia is Ismail Abdullah’s Seni Budaya Media dan Konflik Jati Diri (Art, Culture, Media and Identity Conflict) (2009). In this book, he speaks about cyber-culture and its influence in creating a new cultural environment dictated by automation and machine. He argues on how technology has become a product of siginification and machine protocol. He explicates new media as a symbol of artistic modernization and trans-avant garde exploitation of multiple texts and sub-texts. He explains the impact of artist’s use of electronic eyes through digital camera lenses, LCD, CCD, CMOS and many other sensor technologies. One important point he has made, that should be taken into consideration as far as the history of media art is concerned, is the role of photography and photographers as the early preludes of E-art and new media art in Malaysia. Names such as Ahlmarhum Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, H.S. Lim, Eric Peres, Shamsul Kamal, S.Y Yeong, Ibrahim Ismail, Yusoff Osman, Raja Zahabuddin Raja Yaacob, Ismail Abdullah (himself) and Soraya Yusof Talismail Ibrahim should be taken into account in surveying media art in Malaysia. The use of photography technology by prominent Malaysian artists such as Ibrahim Hussein, Redza Piyadasa Nirmala Shanmugalingam, Ismail Zain, Wong Hoy Cheong and Liew Kungyu for him, are also important factors and sites to articulate the role of media technology in shifting certain ways of approaching modern and contemporary art practice in Malaysia.
In supplementing the textual materials, this study and essay have also been greatly assisted by a very rare institutional collection of video art at the Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah (MGTF) Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang.
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PARODY THESE DAYS
I used to embrace parody, and practice it. It used to be my favorite tool too. But these days parody does not taste good anymore, not even spicy as it used to be. Now, everyone seems to be using (and abusing) it. It doesn't bite anymore. It has become a tired cliche, an ineffective weapon. It has lost its charm. Heck, it has become a popular house-style, hip even.
Parody these days is fast becoming a language of a mutant snob. I'm beginning to 'not' enjoy it anymore. Perhaps I'm getting old (and wiser I hopefully).
Parody is becoming a convenient and lazy excuse for snobs to hide their own lack of conviction and commitment, in engaging or dealing directly (ya, 'like a true gentleman/woman') with issues (and people/collective/organisation/institution) that are normally 'exploited' as their objects and subjects of parody. Parody has become a fashionably easy escape from responsibility.
Snobs because they are intolerant skeptics and doubters who posses a 'by-default' superiority complex, looking down at their objects and subjects of parody, normally those who don't share they opinions (if they don't posses this, they will be a fair 'listener', not a snob). Snobs because they are intolerant to dissent (voices of those who oppose their views). Snobs do not enjoy a civilized dialogue, do not bother to listen, do not commit, do not engage. They just mock to have fun amongst themselves like in a mass orgy.
This is made worse by a lazy take on cliche binary or dichotomy, without taking into account that we are increasingly living in a hyper-connected world, where easy dichotomies and lazy binaries may not be, well...... convenient and easy anymore; that there will be lots of lots of fusion, lots of blurring, lots of slips, lots of overlaps. Snobs dismiss these gray areas, or pores, or small holes, or potentialities. Snobs do not see that space 'in between' binaries or dichotomies. Instead, they prefer to take in a blanket yes-no, either-or, zero-one absolutism. They do not understand 'fuzzy logic'. They are blind subscribers of 'binary logic'.
A non-committed brats, hiding behind a parody, based on a cliche binary, is a mutant snob who does not know how to live in the present and embrace his/her 'being'.
Mutant snobs can breed skeptics and doubters (even potential dictators or terrorists); skeptics and doubters can easily grow into angry mobs. Angry mobs breed hatred, hatred can escalate into war.
So, beware of parody these days. A tinge of it is cute, but too much of it may spell disaster.
No, its not somebody out there. Not 'some people', but someone everyone of us may embody 'within' and manifest or parade externally.I know this very well, I've at times embodied it!
Parody these days is fast becoming a language of a mutant snob. I'm beginning to 'not' enjoy it anymore. Perhaps I'm getting old (and wiser I hopefully).
Parody is becoming a convenient and lazy excuse for snobs to hide their own lack of conviction and commitment, in engaging or dealing directly (ya, 'like a true gentleman/woman') with issues (and people/collective/organisation/institution) that are normally 'exploited' as their objects and subjects of parody. Parody has become a fashionably easy escape from responsibility.
Snobs because they are intolerant skeptics and doubters who posses a 'by-default' superiority complex, looking down at their objects and subjects of parody, normally those who don't share they opinions (if they don't posses this, they will be a fair 'listener', not a snob). Snobs because they are intolerant to dissent (voices of those who oppose their views). Snobs do not enjoy a civilized dialogue, do not bother to listen, do not commit, do not engage. They just mock to have fun amongst themselves like in a mass orgy.
This is made worse by a lazy take on cliche binary or dichotomy, without taking into account that we are increasingly living in a hyper-connected world, where easy dichotomies and lazy binaries may not be, well...... convenient and easy anymore; that there will be lots of lots of fusion, lots of blurring, lots of slips, lots of overlaps. Snobs dismiss these gray areas, or pores, or small holes, or potentialities. Snobs do not see that space 'in between' binaries or dichotomies. Instead, they prefer to take in a blanket yes-no, either-or, zero-one absolutism. They do not understand 'fuzzy logic'. They are blind subscribers of 'binary logic'.
A non-committed brats, hiding behind a parody, based on a cliche binary, is a mutant snob who does not know how to live in the present and embrace his/her 'being'.
Mutant snobs can breed skeptics and doubters (even potential dictators or terrorists); skeptics and doubters can easily grow into angry mobs. Angry mobs breed hatred, hatred can escalate into war.
So, beware of parody these days. A tinge of it is cute, but too much of it may spell disaster.
No, its not somebody out there. Not 'some people', but someone everyone of us may embody 'within' and manifest or parade externally.I know this very well, I've at times embodied it!
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MASNOOR RAMLI - THROUGH THE 'EYES' AND 'HEART' OF A FRIEND
The following is two parts of an original essay written for the book 'Matahati' published by Petronas Art Gallery in conjunction with the groups major show in 2008. It covers a repertoire of Masnoor Ramli's works. Due to space constraint, this original essay was edited and re-edited to fit the editorial requirement of the publication. The following is a part of the original version. Other parts will be posted in sections.
MASNOOR RAMLI
THROUGH THE ‘EYES’ AND ‘HEART’ OF A FRIEND
Hasnul J Saidon
Good and beautiful things are normally not to be seen or touched. They are meant to be felt.
I think I might have taken the above quote from Hellen Keller. I believe that it captures the spirit of love and friendship that I have taken for granted in the midst of ‘sustaining a career’. It lingers in my mind as I’m writing this.
1. PRELUDE
1.1 The Riddles of Sustaining A Friendship
My dear friend Masnoor.
Thank you for inviting me to write about you and your work. Thank you for traveling to Penang to spend some time with me and to provide me with all the necessary materials. I will treasure them as a ‘trust’ that only a few privileged souls would be honored to keep. Thank you for your willingness to share your journey as an artist. I welcomed your invitation as an honor, but took it as a weighty responsibility. Anyway, thank you.
Masnoor my friend.
The word ‘friend’ can be a very elusive term in today’s age of instantaneous communication. A lot have changed for the past 19 years, especially since our youthful days in UiTM. Today, its not about ‘getting high’ (with youthful idealism), but ‘getting real’. As I had written to our fellow friend Hamidi before :
“We are living in a country that is anxious to reach its ‘vision 2020’. After all, most of us would readily subscribe to an urban lifestyle as dictated by the ebbs and flow of free market liberalism, globalization (read Western) and the novelties of information and communication technology. Even lifestyle itself can be perceived as a form of industry and a money making business”.(1)
“Some of us would aspire to emulate the ways of a post-industrial society – contemporary, liberal, efficient, professional, high-tech, trendy, hip, and don’t forget – rich. It is a society of ‘spectacle’ in which impression, brand presence, positioning, business acumen and strategic planning are critical to one’s political, social, and economic survival. It is a society that is supposed to operate on a highly specialized, systematic, organized, rational, and objective system - a legacy left by the operational logic of industrial paradigm. Progress, development and success are highly equated by tangible material gains and numerical indexes”.(2)
Masnoor,
Today, friendship can be easily swallowed by the need to be highly perceptive towards the forces of the market. Instead of simply being a ‘friend’ and valuing our ‘friendship’, we may start to look each other “as a ‘commodity’ striving for a ‘competitive market value’”.(3)
Friendship in today’s age of ‘glocalization’ can also be very clinical. Even the term ‘friend’ has sometimes being elevated to ‘professional networks’. Sadly, you and I may begin to look at each other as either a ‘collaborator’ or a ‘competitor’. We may also equate a ‘friend’ within the framework of our ‘hidden agenda’, ‘promotional, marketing and branding strategy’, and the need to expand our ‘profit margin’. With our ‘mata’(eyes), we may begin to be suspicious of everything, and at the same time, always looking for ‘strategic extension’ of our ‘career path’.
With our left brain, we may plan rigorously and strategize regularly. Our mind will begin to breed on a claim of objectivity and being ‘independent’, which will then entail us to separate ourselves as the ‘observers’ from the ‘observed’. Consequently, we may grow an appetite to control or to dominate others (including our friends).
Instead of inter or co-dependency, we may proudly yell ‘independence’ (a delusion that has been proven ‘primitive’ by quantum physic). What we may not realize is that it will also create layers upon layers of veils to discriminate, analyze, differentiate, and separate. But who cares!, It will greatly assist us to dwell into the economics of income, earnings, revenue, proceeds, turnover, profits and loss! We need to get real, remember!
In the midst of all these, what will happen to our ‘hati’ (heart), my friend Masnoor?
Perhaps, with our ‘hati’(heart), we may begin to ‘veil’our soul with self-glorification, self-centeredness, greed, envy, jealousy, and hate. Today’s friendship can be easily tested by these ‘lures’. These lures tempt every soul without discrimination. No matter how submissive we are to the stereotypical ethnic identification that we have inherited from our colonial legacy, these lures will tempt us regardless.
Masnoor my friend.
Forgive my sarcastic ranting. I need to get it out of my system before I can write with a clear conscience. 19 years of friendship cannot be simply demoted to ‘a task’ or ‘an assignment’ or ‘a project’ with a given ‘dateline’. Forgive me for the apparent lack of urgency (some would use ‘professionalism’) and having to take (or waste) some time to ‘detoxify’.
Now, I hope I can engage and write peacefully.
1.2 The Enigma of Transcribing the ‘Hati’(heart).
Masnoor,
Most of what I will write about will be based on my personal encounters with your artworks for the past 19 years. Most of the encounters were primary, meaning that I had spent some quality time engaging directly with the works when they were exhibited or screened. Some of the encounters came from secondary sources – your own documentation (videos, pictures, press reviews), and exhibition catalogues. Of course, I will add some spices by employing several theoretical frameworks and contexts. I know that we might end up feeling dizzy or ‘high’, but I guess I don’t mind taking that risk. My approach is not chronological, but thematic. Since your artworks feature various trajectories, I have to employ a combination of methods - formalism, semiotic (which relates to deconstruction, intertextuality, simulacra) as well as a restrained use of psycho-analytic and spiritual frameworks. Most of the time, I will try to be ‘rooted’ to the local contexts.
I will also rely on what others have written and said about you, from exhibition catalogues, press reviews and interviews (sometimes bordering on gossiping). Simply put, the whole writing will be based from what I saw with my ‘mata’(eyes) and what I felt with my ‘hati’(heart).
Certainly, the ‘hati’ part is best told or narrated by you. Initially, I thought about using Al-Ghazali’s elaboration of ‘mata hati’ to propose my reading of your group’s name.(4) I think the name of your group is very beautiful, important and has a very deep spiritual connotation. It would be interesting to know where the idea of using the name ‘Matahati’ came from, before the formation of the Group.
In recalling the initial formation of Matahati at UiTM, Rahime Harun writes:
“While at MARA they sowed the seeds of wanting to create a ‘garden of art’ with the vision to enliven and brighten the somewhat lackluster art scene in the nation”.(5) I do hope that you and your friends have succeeded in enliven and brighten the local art scene, perhaps with the Group’s hearts.
But since the significance of the group’s name will probably be done by the appointed Chief Curator and another appointed writer, I will focus on you as instructed. Anyway, even if I wanted to quote Al-Ghazali in explaining your work, it would probably turn this writing into a ‘khutbah’ (sermon) or make it sound corny. That was my enigma.
When it comes to ‘hati’, the cliché assumption is that an artist should not be required to explain his or her work. Such assumption can sometimes be used as a veil. Since I know that you don’t like cliché things, I will also refer to your diary or personal notes on your artistic journey. But the reading of your work will mostly be mine. I propose that you include some of your personal notes as a separate entry in the catalogue.
Another enigma is that no matter how ‘independent’ you may claim to be, I hope you will be open to the notion that your ‘identity’ as a visual artist may be a ‘construct’ – build by a combination of overlapping matrix of relationship, not just with ‘friends’.As mentioned by Adeline Ooi in her “Thoughts on Matahati PL 1999”:
“Identity is a construct. Perception constantly changes. It is never absolute, only relative”. (6)
This ‘relative construct’ relate directly to my previous ranting. The players and movers within the intertwining matrix are your fellow artists, curators, writers, gallery owners, collectors, editors, journalists, and almost anybody who has become a symbiotic part of the local art scene (and in today’s age of ‘gobble’lization, includes regional and international art scenes). The matrix will continue to construct and re-construct your ‘image’ by defining, explaining, positioning, marketing, promoting, hyping, acknowledging, validating, celebrating, and glorifying you, or even deconstruct you by doing the opposites.
I understand that ‘meanings’ and meaningful things in such matrix can be ‘lost in translation’. I don’t have to elaborate on this. Shahnaz Said has explicated rather eloquently on this and on what she called the ‘third meaning’ in her essay for your “Matahati PL” exhibition, held in the Petronas Gallery in 1999 :
“In a desire for the construction of a vibrant contemporary context for art, they have maneuvered a means for critical dialogue through an exhibition agenda in which topical issues are brought to the fore. In order for dialogue to take place, language must be founded on voices heard”.(7)
At the end of the whole thing, you may end up reading the voices of my ‘mata’ and my ‘hati’. How ironic isn’t it.
But then again, the ‘I’ in ‘my’ can also be taken as a accumulation of ‘voices heard’, a kind of endless strings of intangible frequencies or vibrations that manifest themselves in a localized or physical form as MASNOOR RAMLI : THROUGH THE ‘EYES AND ‘HEART’ OF A FRIEND.
Masnoor,
My reviews will be broken into 7 parts, since 7 is an auspicious number according to
many traditions.
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MASNOOR RAMLI-THROUGH THE 'EYES' AND 'HEART' OF A FRIEND (PART 2)
Part 2
MASNOOR RAMLI
THROUGH THE ‘EYES’ AND ‘HEART’ OF A FRIEND
Hasnul J Saidon
2. THE REVIEWS
2.1 Awakening the ‘Alter-Native’
I found that most of your earlier paintings are abstract, dominated by some kind of organic forms and inspired by the symbiosis between humans and the natural environment. I guess you were probably inspired by our trips to Sarawak in the late 80’s, initiated by our lecturer Fauzan Omar. For a city dweller, they may appear ‘primitive’ or ‘alter-native’, but yet retain the crude expressionist and surrealist undertones that you and your Matahati buddies have been known for in the 90s. Of course, you can link this interest with Azhar Manan’s early works “September 1989 – Aku Lihat Warisan Yang Hilang”(1989) and Bayu Utomo Radjikin’s “Bujang Berani”(1991).
Zanita Anuar outlines this interested as being “mindful of a local-regional perspective in the strive to understand Malaysia’s post-colonial identity…”(8) Michelle Antoinette explains it as being “attuned to a broader range of socio-cultural issues and problems”. In commenting on the “Malay-Islamic revivalist propensities in art during the late 1970s and 1980s” as allegedly propagated by the MARA Institute of Technology (UiTM), she notes that the “Matahati artists were less interested in privileging expressions of their Malay ethnicity through their art”.(9) Masnoor,perhaps you may want to relay your response to her.
I can’t relay your personal experience as a student in UiTM but from my experience of being a student at MARA for 4 years (1984-88), a part-time tutor for another year (1989) and a lecturer in 1994, I could not recall being forced to conform to a particular ‘Malay-Islamic revivalist propensities’. I guess my gurus then (yours too) such as Fauzan Omar, Ismail Zain, Ponirin Amin, Awang Damit, Amron Omar, Choong Kam Kow, Joseph Tan, Tan Tuck Kan, Ariffin Ismail, Zakaria Awang, and Ruzaika Omar Basaree were less interested in forcing down my throat such propensities. Fauzan Omar for example, was more interested in ‘expanded painting’ than the alleged propensities. Ismail Zain was more interested in the juxtaposition of cross-cultural elements brought about by the mass-media.(10)
Anyway, the mood and temperament in “From Ngsebang Pelaik to KL”(FNPKL)(1991), is indeed suggestive of an ‘alter-native’ vision as coined by Zabbas. He coined the term ‘alter-native’ in his essay in “Vision and Idea” to refer to the return to ethnic-based concerns within and beyond what has being constructed by the National Cultural Policy.(11)
Formalistically, “FNPKL” is mysterious yet dynamic, probably due to your deployment of sharp, curvy and diagonal forms. At first glance, it looks like a squeezed rectangular shape, or a convergence of two triangles (to create a third one). The use of constructivist and assemblage approaches makes it appear like a relief or wall sculpture, reminding me of Latif Mohidin’s “Langkawi” series in the 70s, and Sharmiza Abu Hassan’s wall sculptures, “Coaches” (1995).
In comparison, the use of ethnic-based motifs taken from our diverse Southeast Asian cultural traditions can also be traced in the works of many local artists from the senior generation such as Patrick Ng Kah Onn (“Spirit of Earth, Water and Air”, 1959), Anthony Lau (“Spirit of Fire”, 1960), Nik Zainal Abidin (“Wayang Kulit Kelantan”, 1961), Chuah Thean Teng (“Musim Buah”, 1967), Ahmad Khalid Yusof (“Alif, Ba, Ta”, 1972), Sulaiman Esa (“Nurani”, 1983), Fatimah Chik (“Meditation # 1”, 1986) , to the younger generation such as Mastura Abdul Rahman (“Interior No. 29”, 1987), Tengku Sabri Tengku Ibrahim (“The Warrior”, 1988), Kelvin Chap Kok Leong (Belawing, Keramen, Mamat”, 1995), Shia Yin Ying (“Penghormatan Untuk Alam Yang Kian Pupus”, 1997), Chuah Chong Yong (“Hun Li Wu Yu Series”, 2001) and Khairul Azmir Shoib (“Kala with Guard”, 2007). J.Anu has produced several important works that chronicle the Indian community such as “Running Indians and the History of the Malaysian Indians in 25 Cliches” (2001), while Niranjan Rajah produced his provocative “Telinga Keling” (2002) that touches on the delicate inter-ethnic relationship and stereotyping in Malaysia. Yee I-Lann’s large-scale collaboration with Pakard Photo Studio Melaka “Through Rose-Coloured Glasses”(2002) marks a more inclusive approach towards our rich and diverse multi-ethnic heritage. Of course, there are also numerous other artists who still paint Chinese landscapes or scenes, or infuse elements of such style including Chinese calligraphy in their contemporary works.(12)
Nevertheless Masnoor, it has to be noted also that through post-modern revaluations, many canons, monuments and meta-narratives of modern Malaysian art have been purposely and indirectly shackled or shifted. Such revaluations have instigated a return to what was previously tagged as ‘pre-modern’ or ‘primitive’ and ritualistic forms of local traditional art and cosmology.
When I initially looked at the work, I felt as if I was encountering a rudimentary or some primordial forms of nature with its complimentary pairing of order and chaos. At times, it appeared like a kind of artifact, or an amulet that carries hidden codes obscured by tribal symbolism beyond my comprehension. I guess it was meant to capture your own encounter with some forms of tribal arts in Sarawak. The title hints at the idea of a distance or a degree of separation. Indirectly, you may have implied a kind of binary pairing of two opposite values - between living or breathing art and exhibiting art (in Kuala Lumpur), between rural and urban, between belief and practice, religious ritual and commodity, between humans and the natural environment.
For new city dwellers like us who were ‘privileged’ to ‘study art’, being ‘at lost’ when we encountered the so-called ‘primitive crafts’ by ‘other natives’ might be a healthy dose of ‘rude awakening’. We are blessed with rich and diverse cultural traditions, only to unfortunately reduce and marginalize them by a highly blinkered cultural view. I guess all of us may be at some points of our lives, guilty of being chauvinistic in regards to ‘other culture’. Sometimes we did it by choice, sometimes ‘by default’. But I guess it is easy to point and allege ‘others’ as being prejudice and racist rather than pointing at ourselves.
Masnoor,
If “FNPKL” was meant to capture a ‘rude awakening’ in regards to your cultural worldview, “The War That Never Ends” (TWTNE) (1995), seems to capture a rather dark and gloomy existentialist sentiment towards your own ‘native’ cultural setting.
“TWTNE” features a silhouette and somewhat hazy image of a keris (Malay dagger) that is enclosed by a triangular shape and rounded form. The work emits a sense of isolation, separation, detachment or even loneliness. For some, it may appear like a close-up shot from a ritualistic episode. It also emits a dreamy and haunting post-apocalypse feel that retains your penchant for a mixture of surrealistic and expressionist undertones.
The overall visual reminds me of several gothic and dark animated shorts from German that I’ve seen few years ago. Perhaps, it is due to the use of low key register in a predominantly constrained monochromatic range. The surface is occupied by clashing brush strokes that create a rough, chalky and hazy texture. The space is shallow, as if I was looking down at a ground or soil or a partially cleared land. The focus seems to be on what is contained within the triangular shape and protected by the rounded form.
I presume that this piece reflects your introspective lamentation of the state of your native cultural backdrop or setting, as implied by the ‘keris’. I suspect that it is akin to a mental or emotional index, or a visual account of your inner encounter with your own notion of being a Malay. Perhaps, it reflects your personal conundrum of being politically-constructed or ‘encircled’ as a ‘bumiputera’ (son of the land).
I can’t shake off the smell of UMNO. Like an over-concern parents, there seems to be a lingering force that is more than willing to contain, construct, position, define, protect and support me as a Malay. For these, I think you and I should be very grateful, appreciative and feel very blessed. Nevertheless, such force may also constrain, restrain, limit, separate and isolate us. But I have to say that such force has nothing to do with my keen interest in ‘keris’ as a beautiful but deadly form of traditional art. Anyway, that is my puzzle. Is it yours too?
Theoretically and thematically, both works can be placed within the framework of cultural identity. Culture and nature can be ideologically constructed and made to be taken as natural. As we are living in the age of ideological and cultural contestation, there is this lingering dichotomy between the center and periphery in regards to the notion of identity.
Perhaps, you would want to compare “TWTNE” to the recent London-inspired works of Bayu Utomo Radjikin (Solo exhibition “Mind Your Gap”, 2007), or Ahmad Fuad Osman’s paintings based on his sojourns in Vermon and South Korea (Solo exhibition “Dislocated” 2007). If you were tired of looking at their works, try pondering Mutalib Musa’s keris-laden “By Default”(2002) or Nur Hanim’s video art called “se(RANG)ga”(2005). You may also want to refer to the work of Hazrul Mazran Rosli’s “M.O.U : Takkan Melayu Hilang Di Dunia”(2004) that reverberates with Malay ‘under siege’ nationalistic sentiment so prevalent during the eighties. Our guru’s work, Ismail Zain’s “DOT : The De-tribalization of Tam Binti Che Lat”(1983) is certainly worth referring too. Certainly, I would be very honored if you would consider viewing my own archaic video pieces entitled “Return of A Native”(1991) and “Kdek-Kdek Ong!” (1994) to revisit the “Malay Dilema”.
Not all Malay artists paint ‘kerawang’ or ‘arabesque’ to affirm their root and identity, or to comment on Malay fatalism. There are many other artworks and writings that you can refer to. Sadly, such works and artists (including you) seem to be underrepresented or not prominently featured in the regional and international art scenes. This makes me curious. Aren’t you curious too?
Anyway Masnoor,
If you want to get ‘excited’, you can read Sulaiman Esa’s writings, or as an antidote, Piya’s. Or you may want to read Vallentine Willie’s and Jolly Koh’s points of view in “Malaysia Art Now”. Of course, we can babble indefinitely on this issue. In case you are interested, I have delegated the references in my footnotes.(13)
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MASNOOR RAMLI-THROUGH THE 'EYES' AND 'HEART' OF A FRIEND (PART 3)
2.2 Absorbing Future Shock (or ‘Syiok’, as coined by Ooi Kok Chuen) (14)
“Rama In Cyber World” (RICW)(1996),is another example of your engagement with the notion of cultural identity, especially in relation to information revolution or implosion of ICT. As Malaysia braves the challenges of globalisation and free market liberalism, the fate of her rich and diverse cultural traditions is uncertain, or perhaps bleak. Will such traditions be marginalized, sidelined or pushed to the periphery with the influx of global capitalism?
In this work, your main visual text ‘Rama’, one of the main characters in the traditional Kelantan shadow puppet or ‘wayang kulit’, is placed as a dark silhouette in almost the middle of the pictorial plane. He seems to be at odd with an array of assorted images of modern gadget such as CPU circuits, a hand phone, a dollar sign and graffiti-like floating writings. The mood is hectic, active and dynamic, as if intending to negate the presence and dominance of ‘Rama’.
The painting appears like a collage in a pop expressionist rendition. The colors are rich, red, cream peach, black, orange and yellow ochre with subdued white. Rama’s low key silhouette is contrasted against a white background, flanked by a high intensity red to create a dramatic contrast. The surface quality still retains your preference for a rough canvas. The space and composition are flat, shallow, cluttered and confusing.
Interestingly, instead of relying on your typical raw expressionistic quivering, the work seems to toy with semiotic, perhaps through the binary pairing of ‘Rama’ and the MSC’s (Malaysia’s and Mahathir’s Multimedia Super Corridor) logo. Your sentiment borders on parody.
I suspect that you were not too happy with media imperialism, hegemony and control, and lament the impact of popular culture and rampant consumerism towards our rich cultural traditions. Knowing that you have no qualm about using or employing new media technology in producing your video art, I guess you might have experienced a paradoxical dilemma in engaging with technology. How do we face the emergence of net or cyber generation? How do we engage with the future consumers of media technology and the future prosumers of global lifestyles? Your voice through this work sounds like a patriotic and concerned Malaysian.
Many local artists including me have responded to media technology and the emergence of cyber world. Ahmad Shukri’s “Insect Diskettes series II”(1997) and Long Thien Shih “Bar Coded Man” (2001) are two examples that I can recall. In fact, following Ismail Zain’s “Digital Collage” solo exhibition (1988) and the “1st. Electronic Art Show” (1997), we have witnessed the emergence of video and digital art in Malaysia.(15)
Of course, it has to be noted that the Malaysian art scene in the past 15 years, especially during the late 90’s, has been predominantly preoccupied by ‘future shock’ - changing realities brought about by globalization, capitalist free market liberalism, information revolution and digital technology. I refer to the future shock as post-modern raves, which include critical exposition of new media and its influences.(16)
My friend Masnoor,
“Cinta Dewa Dewi” (CDD)(2007), also features two ‘wayang kulit’ characters, in this case taken from the Jawa and Thailand traditions. But “CDD” may not be your direct response to the future shock, even though it may be related to post-modern challenges encountered by us in the Southeast Asian region as we position ourselves in facing the imperatives of the 21st. century. I this regard, I recalled Niranjan Rajah’s proposition for a Southeast Asian paradigm in responding to globalization.(17) “CDD” also relates to what Michelle Antoinette refers to as “a broader range of socio-cultural issues and problems” as stated in the previous section.
“CDD” is a textbook example of semiotic and appropriation at work, in which visual texts taken from diverse sources are placed together to unveil new readings. Other than the two ‘wayang’ characters, “CDD” also features two forms of landscapes rendered in Persian miniature and Chinese scroll painting styles. In appropriating distinctive Oriental styles, you may intend to remind your audience of our very own Southeast Asian forms of pictorial recitation and story-telling. Appropriating visual texts from the ‘wayang’ tradition can also be seen in the works of Nik Zainal Abidin and Khairul Azmir Shoib.
The mood in “CDD” is tranquil, quiet and cool, but not without a hint of a confrontation lurking beyond the calm ‘oriental’ setting. It connotes nature, and denotes the notion of nature as rendered or interpreted by Eastern outlook. The ‘wayang’ characters at both ends of the pictorial plane can be read as the guardians of the forest. The title suggests an idea of heavenly love, perhaps towards one’s own land. “CDD” may also imply the lurking crisis of urbanization that may negate the interest of preserving the rich cultural traditions and natural environment of Southeast Asia.
In “CDD”, you still retain your surrealist undertone, but with a much tighter composition and arrangement of pictorial elements. The color treatment is more lavish and grandeur. There is a cool range of monochromatic blue with white in the middle, dark silhouette of trees, yellow ochre and deep brown with creamy skin tone and green in various value keys. Most of the colors are secondary mix except for the blue. The texture is more intricate perhaps due to the rich patterns on the ‘wayang’ attires and the intricate ornaments created by the rendition of the trees, branches, twigs and leaves. The spatial treatment is a mixture of atmospheric perspective with isometric or shallow space treatment commonly found in a Persian miniature painting. The forest has a Chinese scroll vertical orientation while the placement of two ‘wayang’ characters at the far ends of the painting creates a lateral orientation.
Masnoor,
If you would recall, our future shock in the 90’s was marked by a sudden pressure to change within a short time span. It has lead to a lost of balance, especially in several delicate issues concerning the sustainability of our natural environment and diverse cultural traditions. Some of us were not ready to adapt to the imperatives of change, and risked being left-out or marginalized.
Other than our natural environment and diverse cultural traditions, the future shock has also brought changing lifestyles and unveil critical issues related to ethnicity, religion and gender in this region. You, like many other artists in the 90s, were very much into responding to these issues.
In Malaysia, the term ‘issues based art’(IBA) was coined to explain artworks with more pronounced political and social concerns.(18) The concerns may sometimes not be openly debated, but the heat is still lurking underneath. If you look at contemporary artworks done by several artists from the Southeast Asian region in recent years, you will probably notice IBA as well. There are many examples. In fact, you can see IBA in almost any contemporary exhibition. It seems like you need to have ‘an issue’ to be a visual artist today. It has become almost a ‘by default’ pre-requisite to enter into the ‘big scene’ especially in international exhibitions.
But certainly not all engaging art must be a politically and socially ‘issues based
art’. In fact, some IBA can be very pretentious and superficial.(19) Furthermore, we would surely want our contemporary art scene to be more diverse, and accommodative to works that feature other concerns such as aesthetic, tradition and spirituality. Even if issues were deemed as important, there are many more to be put forward, such as sustainability and the convergence of art and science. Certainly, there many new findings in various disciplines of knowledge that can inspire our local artists.
Anyway, it is interesting to note that your voice in “CDD” is not anymore ‘Malay-centered’ or ‘Malaysian-centered’, but embraces a more regional cultural concern. Perhaps you want to emulate ‘glocalism’.
2.3 Responding to Post-modern Raves
Masnoor,
Do you agree that we are surrounded by post-modern irony and paradox? I called it post-modern raves where loudness, irony, parody, sarcasm, pastiche, indiscriminate appropriation and deconstruction are favored. I have commented on such raves in my two essays on Malaysian Young Contemporaries. Other writers have commented on our local version of post-modern raves as well.(20) Some of them despise the raves while some others welcome them. Some prefer to stay ‘in between the lines’.
The raves are commonly linked to the so-called ‘independent’ art spaces and groups as well as the so-called ‘alternative’ artists. Inclusive in the raves are the many faces of our local ‘underground’ sub-cultural elements. These art groups such as Rumah Air Panas and SpaceKraft “have sought to detach themselves from the establishment”.(21)
For some, we are in the age of crisis and deconstruction of our very own ‘national’ value system. They fear the loss of ‘center’ or something common that can be used as an anchor. Some would call it the age of ‘anything goes’ in which everything can be turned into a spectacle, superficial façade, endless play and pastiche. Several local artists are riding on these.
Interestingly enough, especially in the 90s, you and your Matahati buddies were very much into the raves. I’m not sure whether you were interested in riding them, or using and commenting on them. Nevertheless, you response to the riddles of post-modern raves is no less interesting.
One example is “Documentation”(1997), a paintingthat features a silhouette image of a ‘mat rempit’ (a local version of street dare-devil racer) in his trademark ‘superman’ (flying) riding style, seemingly racing towards his own death (an image of a corpse wrapped in white cloth). Despite the pronounced reminder of death, the work ironically has a touch of pop, pastiche, parody and comical feel to it. It is rough, crude, raw, bold, playful, defiant, direct and aggressive – characters that one would associate with the ‘rempit’ sub-culture, or even post-modern itself.
Another example is“Festival” (1999), in which you used video as a form of political satire. It also seems to be a parody of the banality in our local political fiasco (and spectacles). Shahnaz Said explains how your installation of flags and buntings “lead us to two video projectors facing back to back, each facing a wall. On the walls are projected montages of close-ups of a mouth ranting. A steady sequence of close-up images of the faces of two different people as opponents continues. Clearly the two people are addressing each other. The dialogue increasingly breaks down and rapidly deteriorates into the ubiquitous punch-up; the only common ground.”(22) I remember responding to almost similar political fiasco through my video installation with internet in “kipASAPi”(1999).
“Independence”(2004) is another video parody in which you deconstructed the celebration of our Nation’s Independence to unveil the binary pairing of war and peace (or war within peace). Through this video, you make a comment on the spectacle of independence (fireworks) that may ironically diminish or even deconstruct the very idea of independence or freedom itself. The work is mesmerizing and hypnotic but not without a pinch. It teases our notion of ‘real time’ and makes a point about how ‘reality’ itself can be highly relative.
Interestingly, both “Festival” and “Independence” were presented in a form of installation. Installation can be taken as one of many forms of post-modern raves. In this regard, and in commenting on Matahati’s decision to use the term ‘zoo art’ to label their installation-based works in Matahati : PL, Shahnaz Said writes :
“Zoois in immaculate disparity with art. Through the use of precise images, a clarity of expression is won. The word zoo is imaginistic and impart a strong scent that threatens the rarefied world of art”(23) Yap Sau Bin proposes that “zoo could connote a quality of raw, unrefined and coarse – thus legitimizing the artists effort of producing work that challenges the audiences’ aesthetic sensibilities and demand critical exploration and reading of the content instead.”(24) Tengku Sabri poses several questions to such rave :
“It seems that Matahati does not really care about the exhibition’s space or place! What’s the significance of GALERI PETRONAS with PL’s Exhibition? But, should it be like that? Should they consider the ‘place’, or they just need to fill the ‘place’ with their artworks like the many previous exhibitions?”(25) Were you just filling up the space?
Other than installation, the presentation of both “Festival” and “Independence” also involved the use of video which could be seen as quite distinctive in comparison to Matahati’s general preference to painting and installation. In this context, and in comparison to your other Matahati buddies, you were perhaps more inventive. Your videos may also be taken as your response to media implosion in Malaysia. The implosion is full of ironies and paradoxes – key features of post-modern condition. One example is the fact that despite such implosion, many would have no reservation in lamenting on the lack of what they refer to ‘freedom of speech and expression’ in the local media. But the global media is far from being free or independent too.
Video is then an obvious choice, and I suspect that you were then interested in using it to comment on the state of political affairs in Malaysia.
Not many write about video art in Malaysia, even though some may pretend to behave like experts who are not shy in making dubious comments about it. Other than the National Art Gallery and Universiti Sains Malaysia,(26) I can’t find any other institution or private collectors who collect video art. Despite such limitation, video art in Malaysia emerged years before her neighboring countries, and has been quite a regular feature of many contemporary exhibitions.
Several young artists have employed video in expressing their ideas and feelings. I believe that you are a part of a group of artists who posses a more open-ended attitude towards their visual art practices such as Faizal Zulkifli, Noor Azizan Paiman, Nur Hanim Khairuddin, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Lau Mun Leng, Liew Teck Leong, Low Yii Chin, Roslisham Ismail, Kamal Sabran, Rini Fauzan, Tengku Azhari, Idora AlHabshi, Vincent Leong, Sharon Chin and Khairul Azmir Shoib. More established artists such as Wong Hoy Cheong continues to employ video and new media which include several of his recent international projects.
Recently, video has also become an instrumental tool for art collectives, cultural activists and groups, alternative spaces as well as small scale exhibitions, private screenings and community projects, with collaborative engagements and networking that often reaching out beyond the national border (towards regional collaboration).
My friend Masnoor,
I think your videos capture the temperament of a Malay artist who belongs to a screen or TV generation (not a computer generation). Your videos were perhaps previously obscured by other prevailing forms of visual art expressions in Malaysia. Historically, since there was no extended model of video art as a viable practice of fine art in Malaysia, those who wish to use video to express their voices had no reference to look for. Therefore, your engagement with video may pose many intriguing questions in regards to media implosion, both locally and internationally.(27)
2.4 Voyaging Into The Shrouded Selves
Masnoor,
Other than responding to the notion of culture and identity, future shock and post-modern raves, I noticed that your artistic journey also displays another distinctive trajectory. This trajectory seems to be moving away from the external cultural conundrum to an inner voyage. It moves deeply inward, suggesting a more personal and idiosyncratic voyage into the subconscious. It also resonates with a sense of cathartic release. Such trajectory appears to be the preferred direction of you and your Matahati buddies during the 90’s.
In relation to cathartic release, I recalled a thesis on ‘visual amok’ or “Malay angst” by Niranjan Rajah in “Bara Hati Bahang Jiwa”.(28) He refers to the works of several Malay artists with expressionist undertone such as Bayu Utomo Radjikin and Raja Shahriman. J. Anu refers to the undertone as a “much more confronting version of a Malay aesthetic – one that is less concerned with niceties or politeness”. While acknowledging Matahati as a part of “key influences in the rise of figurative social commentary that has dominated Malaysian art, particularly Malaysian painting since 1990s” he proposes that Matahati’s reading of issues “are told from their very distinct Malay-Muslim and incidentally South East Asian point of view, symbology and visual vocabulary”.(29)
While still retaining the ubiquitous surrealist and expressionist undertones, this ‘inner’ trajectory has also lead towards a much darker rendition. Such rendition emanates a haunting feeling of despair, hopelessness, anguish, desolation, misery and sadness. Despite both Niranjan’s and J. Anu’s propositions, this particular trajectory of yours is devoid of specific cultural and ethnic index, at least visually. The trajectory seems to be more existential.
“The Truth Within”(TTW)(1995), “Once Upon A Time” (OUAT)(1996) and “Sign of Life Voyager”(SOLV)(1995) represent this trajectory.
These works feature human figures in what I presume to be in a helpless state of grief and pain. “TTW” features bold strokes in vertical orientation while “SOLV” retains your clashing brushstrokes with thick pigment and dry brush effect. The key register in “TTW” and “SOLV” is predominantly low with mostly monochromatic gray scale, accentuated by the use of white and creamy flesh color to render the figures and schematic lines. “OUAT” features a high contrast between blazing hot landscape with a dark and cool interior. Spatially, “OUAT” can be divided into two parts – a wall with an arch, and a landscape beyond the arch. The landscape is filled with dead trees and what appear to be clocks.
Perhaps I can try my luck with an uncertified form of psycho-analysis here.
I believe that there is an intrinsic drive in each of us to voyage beyond the trappings of one’s shell and localized self. When we lost trust to our habitual gravitation towards physical desires, we usually yearn for a journey into our souls. We yearn to journey beyond the confines and confusion of our shrouded earthy selves. We begin to indulge into a ‘quantum state’ in which we become more engaged with our deeper thoughts and emotions. We may discover that our minds and emotions are more entangled, intertwined, closer and interconnected with each other than we thought. Not only that, they are also very noisy.
But we want to attain unity, perhaps by embracing diversity. We want to dissolve the binary forces of You and I, Right and Wrong, Positive and Negative, Ying and Yang, Rama and Sita, Shiva and Shakti, AsSham (Sun) and AlHillal (Moon). So we struggle to silent them in order to reach a state in which we simply dissolve into infinite rhythmic pulses, vibrating with different frequencies in the sea of a cosmic symphony. We dwell in the domain of ‘semangat’, ‘chi’, ‘prana’. We want to become pure energy reaching for Oneness.(30)
Quite mouthful isn’t it Masnoor.
But of course the explication above is easier said than done. In fact, many may just give up such yearning even before they embark on such voyage. Some of those who had succeeded in initiating such voyage may even enter into a state of delusional hell, turning their journey of love into a journey of extreme anger and hate. As we encounter our own demon, we may discover that all the anger, hate, sorrow, grief and pain that we normally point ‘outward’ (blaming on ‘others’) are actually residing deep within ourselves. For those who embark without a proper ‘spiritual cleansing’ and guidance from a master or guru, the journey may mislead one into a state of mental and emotional delusion or torment.
“TTW”, “OUAT” and “SOLV” seem to capture such torment, laden with a mixture of anger, sorrow, grief and pain. In fact, I have seen many ‘angry’ paintings done by other Matahati artists (and many other local artists) that feature similar visual torment. But ‘angry’ art can also be trendy and hip. Being angry and having an attitude can be a style and make one stands out amongst the subservient crowd. In art, we call it ‘angst-ridden’, probably to make it sound ‘justified’. So we ride on it (together with its seemingly unrelenting force). We feel strong and powerful. More anger, more hate, more sorrow, more pain, more grief, until we realize (if we were lucky, blessed our souls) that the force will lead us nowhere. It will even take control of our true ‘Self’. It veils us from knowing our true Self.
But still, the heck with it! Anger sells! Just like 9/11. No matter which side you are with (in response to President George Bush), anger sells.
I believe that everyone has surely experienced sorrow, anger, hate, grief and pain. But sometimes, we artists always have the tendency to make a big deal (or big bucks) out of it. Perhaps I’m wrong. I guess I have to admit, there is always this ‘drama queen’ (DQ) trait lurking within me. What about you? Or perhaps you might have noticed fragments of such DQ amongst your buddies. I assume that we do need DQs to make our lives more interesting. Nevertheless, and on the positive side, sincere expression or cathartic release of torment may allow us to peek into the normally obscured (or filtered) mental, emotional and spiritual states of us as Malaysians. They are not pretty all the time.
Masnoor, forgive my ‘expressionistic’ outburst.
2.5 Encountering Media Hegemony
Another significant trajectory of your works is simulation or fabricated reality, which seems to affirm the post-modernist’s proposition that we live within the sway of mythology conjured for us by the mass media, movies and advertisements. Not everyone can agree with this though, especially those firmly rooted in the modernist ethos.
“One Dollar, one dollar” (ODOD)(2007), and “I dream of Rome” (IDOR)(2007), remind me of Liew Kungyu’s recent digital collages, Ahmad Fuad Osman’s “An Eye For An Eye Will Make The Whole World Go Blind”(2003), Illi Farhana’s ’s “Believe It Or Not”(2004), and Safrizal Shahir’s “Imej Sebagai Teks,…”(2004). It also reminds me of Nadiah Bhamadaj’s recent ‘manipulated’ photographs. These works seem to suggest that “meaning (about a particular subject or subjects) can be constructed as a system of thinking to a point that the thought system be taken as natural or inevitable. They also imply that media and images have become sites of contestation in which culture, lifestyle and identity can be artificially constructed and hyped to feed a targeted mass and market”. A country (like Malaysia) can be the targeted mass and market. (31)
“ODOD”and “IDOR” may also suggest a poststructuralist interpretation that we live in a soulless or empty society. They remind me of an eerie link between media technology with political and economic imperialism, urbanization, popular mass cultures, advertising and branding with propagation of alternative metropolitan lifestyle. Such link can be exploited to further expand consumerist agendas, thus control of political, capital and market flow.(32)
As Zanita explains :
“We are now experiencing a media-saturated world powered and diffused by a select group operating within a post cold war mentality inherited from the West.”(33)
“ODOF” is direct, bold, frontal and ‘on your face’. The mood and sentiment border on parody and sarcasm. The work is multi-textual, featuring a combination of signifiers. The images of two children, a Cambodian girl and boy denote innocence. They can be read as the subservient receiver (or victim) of global capitalism. War itself can be a profit making affair meant to further extend hegemony and power, justified by the interest of ‘bringing democracy’. Harm and wound that children have to endure can be delegated as “collateral damage”.
The binary pairing of the image of Buddha statue (from Angkor Wat) printed on
the boy’s t.shirt with the image of U.S dollar unveils new readings, perhaps implying that the local or indigenous belief can be substituted by ‘capitalism’ under ‘one’ (U.S.A) nation. The phrase ‘in God we trust’ is further given a new twist when juxtaposed with the image of Buddha and the action of the children that were forced to become street-sellers to make a living. The looming presence of U.S dollar prominently placed as the backdrop can be read as the ominous dominance of American foreign policies (and interests) in the global affairs. The juxtaposition also unveils a sinister proposition of railing the world under one unilateral power (a lopsided effect of the notion of being ‘highly independent’).
“IDOR” reminds me of cultural contestation and media hegemony. Perhaps emulating certain presumed traits of the global media, the work features a scene that was digitally simulated, artificially reconstructed and totally fabricated. The ‘simulacra’ scene itself can be taken as a field for cultural contestation (or confrontation), in which ‘Wak Dogol’ (a comedic character from the Kelantan shadow puppet) comes face to face with President Bush in a stormy desert. I think the choice of using ‘Wak Dogol’ to spar with Persident Bush was deliberate, as if pairing two ‘comedic’ actors on stage. In between them stands the Coliseum, perhaps hinting at a possible ‘battle of the gladiators or perhaps ‘fools’’. The incoming desert storm acts as another signifier, suggesting an approaching war or another ‘desert storm’. Looking like a scene taken from a fictional film, the panoramic view further adds drama to the whole pictorial scheme.
As a visual text, the Coliseum can be read as an epitome of a mob hungry for the spectacles of violence and death. It connotes the bloody, violent and barbaric spectacles of the ‘highly cultured’ Roman Empire where actual killings of humans and their dignity were taken as afternoon entertainment. Perhaps it functions as an index for the global media and its consumers, always hungry for spectacles. To compliment the Coliseum, the binary pairing of ‘Wak Dogol’ and ‘President Bush’ may also perhaps suggest a clash between the ‘Apollonian’ and the ‘Dynosian’ idealism. Beyond the cliché U.S and Bush-bashing, it may imply the splitting paradoxes and chasm between the sacred and the secular, spirit and body, science and art, emotion and intellect, rational and sentimental, dialectic and compulsive, tradition and modernity, local and international.
Similar to Ahmad Fuad’s, Safrizal’s, Illi’s and Nadhiah’s strategy in the afore-mentioned works, your deconstructivist strategy reveals how certain meanings can be constructed by the media and repeated to make them natural. The constructed meanings may mask their opposite agendas. In some cases, deconstructivist strategy has been employed to reveal that history can be a myth and ideology can be masqueraded as truth. It can be used to question the power behind the representation of history, its linearity and the impact of ideology towards any narrative or style of historical writing. Several artworks by prominent Malaysian artists such as Wong Hoy Cheong’s “Re-Looking”(2003) can be read according to this framework.
2.6 Knocking on the Spiritual Door
Dear Masnoor,
For those who want to skip the highbrow field of expressionistic modernism and the dissonant raves of post-modernism, spiritual minimalism may perhaps be one possible avenue. After all, being over-engulfed by modernism and post-modernism can sometimes be hazardous to one’s health.
For some, the eventual rapture after an intense period of cathartic outburst may lead one to a state of spiritual yearning. This is another distinctive trajectory in your artistic repertoire.
Masnoor,
Your work “Faith”(2004), features such spiritual undertone. It reminds me of Daud Abdul Rahim’s works in his solo exhibition called “Visual Invocation”. In “Faith”, the repetitive sound of our heartbeats “invokes a sense of visual chant that lures and invites” one to contemplate and meditate.(34)
The sound of the heartbeats functions in “the manner in which repeated verbal mantras help to silence the mind, body and feeling or desire in order to embark upon a deeper state of meditation. It provides a form of spatial and rhythmic constant needed to attain focus, concentration and eventually a total silence.”(35)
“As piously marked by our heartbeats, life is a virtuous invocation, blessed by the miracles of existence. Imagine seeing and listening to the repeated invocation of humans’ heartbeats, amplified without the pretentious differentiations of the localized body. As one inhales and exhales, one is engaging in the miracle symphony of the whole. One is the whole, and the whole is one.”(36)
In this video installation, the sound of the heartbeats is accompanied by an image of a candle light. The candle light is used to signify the yearning for enlightenment and Union. The television monitor itself is a source and form of light.
Light is an interesting and engaging subject of study. In fact, the nature of light as explicated by many spiritual traditions and Eastern philosophies may share many common notions with quantum physics, rather than the classical sciences.
The study of light can also be linked to bio-energy, aura, chakra, the power of intention, and many new findings in alternative medicines. The whole spectrum of ‘spiritual sciences’ may indeed be a very transformative area of study and practice. Sadly, not many artists in the local art scene are into it. I guess we are still framed and prefer to be conditioned by material sciences. Perhaps it is much easier to deal with tangible things. Of course, spirituality is best experienced than explained (it is beyond the confines of language). Plus, this is not the venue to indulge into the notions of light, be them spiritually or scientifically.
Masnoor,
I remember seeing several video arts from Japan in 2003 when I was in Fukuoka, Kyoto and Tokyo for a research on the use of new media technology in Japan. Some of the videos that I’ve seen (especially those produced in the 70s) featured similar interest in spiritual minimalism. “Faith” also reminds me of some of Bill Viola’s videos.
Another work of yours that features similar spiritual minimalism is “Kantung”(2005), which according to you is your video interpretation of Rumi’s poem. It is marked by a circular base with a small pot placed on firewood as if waiting to be boiled. Water contained by the pot reflects a top view image of a man (from a video projection), trying to escape from his container. Rumi wrote in his poem :
“Though water be enclosed in a reservoir
Yet air will absorb it, for it is its supporter
It sets it free and bears it to its source
Little by little
So that you see not the process
In like manner, this breath of ours by degrees
Steals away our souls from the prison of earth”(37)
Other than video installations, your personal version of spiritual minimalism can also be traced in “Alif” (2000) and “99 Names” (2007).
Instead of repetition, “Alif” appears more like a proclamation. The style is very graphic with intersecting patterns that create gradual tonal values. The space is purposeful flat and shallow while the surface is geometrical and mathematical. The composition is centralized to allow us to focus mainly on the letter ‘alif’. ‘Alif’ as an Arabic letter carries many spiritual significances in the Malay-Islamic tradition. Perhaps I should leave the explanation to other experts.
“99 Names” refers to 99 Names of Allah. According to you, the number is believed to be inscribed as the Arabic number 99 on humans’ palms. Humans’ palms are commonly associated by Muslims with ‘doa’ or prayer.
Despite the spiritual and religious undertone, the work is presented in a highly graphic, figurative and modern form. Spatially, the work displays an angle that positions the viewer as the ‘actor’ in the act of ‘doa’ while meditating on the Arabic number 99 inscribed on his or her palms.
Masnor,
I think what makes your trajectory towards spirituality interesting for me is that you are not confined by the need to rely on the use of arabesque, commonly featured in what we normally refer to as ‘contemporary Islamic art’. Since you are not an expert in the Islamic art, be it traditional or contemporary, I think it is more sincere for you to rely on the medium that you know best and feel comfortable with. I also think that it is rather inventive to incorporate the use of video and digital technology in manifesting your spiritual inclination.
But instead of just knocking on a door, you may want to think about whether you are already ‘inside’ or still ‘outside’, as far as your spiritual state is concern. Perhaps, there is no such thing as being inside or outside, as well as being secular or spiritual. In this regards, I will leave you with another Rumi’s :
“I’ve lived on the lips of reason,
wanting answer, knocking on a door….
I’ve been knocking from inside.”
2.7 Returning to Love and Friendship
My dear friend Masnoor,
As evidently surveyed through this writing, your 19 years ‘career’ has been multifarious and features multiple trajectories. I don’t know whether this is good or bad, or whether you should think about focusing on one particular trajectory or continue to flirt with diverse directions. But regardless of whatever direction that you are heading, there should be a point of return as much as there should be a point of departure.
The word ‘return’ may indeed suggest a kind of finality, or an end of a journey. But such reading is based on a highly linear reading of time. A cyclical and multidimensional reading of time may indeed provide a different perspective. We may have ‘returned to love and friendship’ many times in our live. On the other hand, theories, writings and notions about love are not love, but a crude physical explanation and manifestation of love. Love has to be felt and experienced, as suggested by the opening phrase of this writing. As a Muslim, we are told to ‘be love’, to embrace and manifest it in every breath as we utter “Ar Rahman nir Rahim”. Once we attained unconditional love, we will be a step closer to Oneness and Union.
In this regard, “Sahabat Karib”, 2007 is a very unassuming work that embodies the spirit of love and the path towards Oneness.
“Sahabat Karib” is not merely just about ‘friendship’ as implied by the title. I know that the work is based on a Malay proverb “cubit peha kiri, peha kanan terasa” or “when you pinch your left thigh, the right thigh will also feel the pain”. More than just a proverb, it captures the spirit of inter-dependency and sustainable co-existence. It is about acknowledging and submitting to the fact that we are closer to each other (regardless of our differences) than what we normally presume; that we are actually inter-connected in a highly symbiotic way; that we are a small part of the larger whole. To feel connected with each other and with everything through love (not the primitive assumption of being snobbishly independent), is to be a step closer to a higher state of unity.
“Sahabat Karib” is the most appropriate work that summarizes your precious 19 years journey with your Matahati buddies. In retrospect, how many times have you and your buddies returned to love and friendship as a point of return and a point of departure during the Group’s illustrious career?
Dear Masnoor,
It is ‘Asar’ now, and I can hear the calling of ‘bilal’ from a distant. In the Quran, there is a phrase that begins with “in the name of time” to remind us of the deeper significance of ‘time’. This writing is my way of honoring the significance of the 19 years you have spent as a visual artist.
Don’t worry about returning me the favor. But if you insisted, send me a ‘doa’. I need it. After all, I think I will get paid for writing this. I apologize for any inconvenience that may be caused by this writing. If you experienced any inconvenience, blame it on me. Don’t be shy to disagree with me. For the sake of knowledge, or some heavenly ideals that are bigger than my ego, I think I can tolerate working with people that I may dislike or disagree with. I’m not perfect and I can be wrong. You are welcomed to correct me. I can be stubborn, bias or prejudicial at times.
Lastly, I pray that your future endeavor will be propelled by the spirit of love and friendship that echo beyond the need to ‘sustain a career’.
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JURUJUAL TAK BERBAYOR.
Adik-adik, jangan jadi jurujual tak berbayor, masuk perangkap viral ciptaan borjois sesat dan kapitalis kota haloba. Dia popular, dapat perhatian dan kaya, kamu hanya dapat saka 'amarah' dan semakin miskin jiwa.
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AMANAH YANG DIPINJAMKAN
Adik-adik, nak jadi kaya (harta benda) takpa. Jadilah. Bagus jadi kaya-raya. Tapi janganlah 'miss the point'. Semuanya amanah yang dipinjam, termasuk NYAWA. Kalau semua orang faham konsep yang mudah ni, insyaAllah kita semua perolehi kedamaian dunia akhirat.
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SUPER -OTAI RAMLI SARIP DUTA PERDAMAIAN
Bang Ramli Sarip, lu memang 'super otai'. Lu punya "Kamelia" live di Dewan Budaya USM malam semalam memang buat bulu roma dan segala jenis bulu gua meremang dan darah rock kapak gua menyirap.
Tahniah pada Prof. Kamarudzaman dari Unit Perdamaian USM (adik lain mak dan lain bapak Ramli Sarip) atas perlantikan sebagai Professor, dan atas inisiatif membawa dan menjadikan Abang Ramli Sarip sebagai Duta Perdamaian.
Tahniah pada Prof. Kamarudzaman dari Unit Perdamaian USM (adik lain mak dan lain bapak Ramli Sarip) atas perlantikan sebagai Professor, dan atas inisiatif membawa dan menjadikan Abang Ramli Sarip sebagai Duta Perdamaian.
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TRACING THE LIGHT - "MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL" (1994)
Sejak kebelakangan ini, terlalu kerap saya melihat Van Gogh mengenyit matanya.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u59jGfnDNNE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u59jGfnDNNE
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