Category Archives: Editorial

Ceramic artist, sculptor and painter Umibaizurah Mahir Ismail is probably the most exciting Malaysian contemporary artist today. The biting installations at her solo show, Fragile, at The Edge Galerie reflect her views on global, regional and national issues.

Contemporary ceramic artist Umibaizurah Mahir Ismail’s whimsical works are widely recognised in the art fraternity but her latest installations convey a serious tone. They highlight the fragility of human life and coexistence in the context of common issues.

Inspired by children’s toys, her figurines are playful in nature and experimental in presentation. Bold and adventurous, the works include hand-painted, ceramic and terracotta figurines or zoomorphic figures that rest on steel discs, plinths or mini shelves. Her idiosyncratic accessories match the quixotic installations.

Umi’s insightful works, especially her ceramics, reflect her thoughts on global issues. Her upcoming third solo exhibition, titled Fragile by Umibaizurah: Recent Works 2015–2016, to be held at The Edge Galerie from July 21 to Aug 5, will feature 17 sculptures including ceramic wall hangings, four paintings and a set of 10 collage works on reproduction photogravure images by famous European artists.

The idea behind Fragile came to Umi when she was taking part in a residency programme in Amsterdam between 2013 and 2014. While she was in Europe, she also participated in an exhibition at La Galleria, in Pall Mall, London, in 2014. The show, Diversity – Malaysia Art, was put together by British contemporary art writer and curator Tony Godfrey.

“Fragile’s theme is an observation of life and humanity — touching on issues like love, honesty and loyalty — and in the context of honour and principles in politics as well as in the economy. It is not so much about the fragility of the medium,” explains Umi.

“For instance, The Orchard is a depiction of willpower. The giraffe represents an individual or family facing financial difficulties that is willing to sell its valuable possessions (in the form of vegetables) in order to survive.”

Umi explores the human condition within the layers and depths of modern society, pondering issues like coexisting in a community, emigration and the constant conflict between man and nature. Her designs are derived from imagination and inspired by vintage toys found at European flea markets.

“This exhibition is a challenge that I gave myself in terms of skill and scale. I have adopted the modular concept in my work, to add or subtract a piece to create a whole new composition and dimension.”

The laborious process is evident in works such as The Giver, The Lady “Smoky Haze”, Yes Sir!… On Duty and Famous Five.

The central figure in The Giver installation is a doll-like figurine inspired by Kewpie — a cherubic cartoon character created by American illustrator Rose O’Neill in 1909 that was later developed into bisque figurines in Germany in 1912. The figurine stands on top of a pile of laboriously-assembled four-tiered circular ceramic forms that resemble vintage biscuit canisters.

The cylindrical ceramics are decorated with a floral and cherry motif using the pattern-transfer technique. Six glossy blackbirds and eight bronze pears are perched on the tiers.

“The Giver is based on the idiom ‘charity begins at home’. I have appropriated Kewpie as the main character because I am interested in its long history. It has been used to promote household products in the US and also on the Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise brand since 1925,” says Umi.

Umi’s preliminary ideas are expressed in the form of paintings before she moulds the characters out of clay. In Fragile, the four paintings titled Friendly Haze, Kita, Yes Sir!… On Duty and Ocean are closely linked to her sculptures.

For instance, The Lady “Smoky Haze” consists of 15 miniature masked busts assembled in a pyramidal form. Each female figurine is distinctive, with the eyes, hair, face mask and plinth painted in various colours.

“Friendly Haze is the genesis of The Lady “Smoky Haze”. I was documenting the bad haze in Southeast Asia while in London last September. I have even included the date here (on the painting),” says Umi. A calendar page for September 2015 on which Umi has outlined her travel itinerary is adhered to the painting.

Politically-inclined
Her paintings are influenced by the places she has visited. For instance, Kita has a Japanese ambience as seen in references to Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai’s iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, a Koi fish and an origami cube.

“The word ‘kita’ has two meanings. In Malay, it means ‘us’ and in Japanese, ‘welcome’. It’s a cross-cultural reference inspired during my stay in Japan,” says Umi.

Yes Sir!… On Duty is an assemblage of 32 green soldiers holding the salute. They are placed on stacked cubes painted in pastel pink and army-green and adorned with a pink floral decal motif. The politically-inclined work explores the concept of government leadership and the loyalty and trust of citizens.

“For this piece, I am interested in the meaning of ‘enemy in the blanket’ besides exploring political affairs, leadership and loyalty,” says Umi.

English writer Anthony Burgess, who was a teacher and education officer in Malaya, wrote the novel The Enemy in the Blanket (1958) as a part of The Malayan Trilogy. The fictional story is set during the de-colonisation of Malaya.

In her preparatory painting, Umi illustrates a female figure dressed in green military uniform. She playfully incorporates familiar images like Donald Duck’s beak and Minnie Mouse’s face in the background together with dogs and flowers as well as a human heart and a boxing glove painted in red.

“For paintings like Friendly Haze and Yes Sir!… On Duty, they are Western-inspired, in terms of objects and colour palette while Ocean and Kita are more Eastern-oriented. I enjoy exploring the idea of juxtaposing East and West, old and new, reality and imagination in my work,” explains Umi.

Famous Five represents the Rukun Negara, consisting of five child-like figures sitting on a row of chairs mounted on wheels displayed on a wooden plank affixed to a custom-made pedestal.

“Each figure signifies a principle (from Rukun Negara) and the presentation is intended to mimic schoolchildren. The principles are recited weekly during compulsory assembly at primary and secondary schools in Malaysia,” says Umi.

Another intriguing body of work is a set of 10 collage works rendered on reproduced photogravure by European masters from 1400-1800. Titled The Others #1 – #10, each work is Umi’s interpretation of transforming something old into something new.

The Others #7 illustrates the work of Hans Holbein (1497-1543), Portrait of the Merchant Georg Gisze (1532), in the background. Considered one of the greatest paintings of the early 16th century, the original oil on wood painting is currently displayed at the Gemäldegalerie Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz museum in Berlin, Germany.

Umi adds a touch of humour to Holbein’s work, giving Gisze a broad smile.

She has also created relevance by incorporating 21st century technology such as the collage of a laptop and placing a child’s body with a cat’s head in the act of perhaps surfing the internet.

Finding her passion
Umi has chalked up 18 years of experience in ceramic-making. She became a full-time sculptor at 30 after she taught ceramic art at her alma mater, Mara University of Technology in Shah Alam, from 2000 to 2004.

“I have always been interested in fine art but when the time came to choose my major as an undergraduate student, ceramic art chose me,” remarks Umi, calling it the most important decision in her life.

“I am drawn towards the unpredictability of clay and ceramic as an art form. For example, if I envision a red duck, it may turn out pink for reasons like the type of clay used or the temperature level during the firing process. I love the element of surprise in ceramic-making.”

Adds Umi: “One has to be very patient and disciplined to work with ceramics. The experience is filled with mixed emotions. It’s the excitement of making [the pieces], and the anticipation of opening the kiln door that is nerve-racking.”

“Once the kiln door is opened, I will either be ecstatic or disappointed with the outcome,” confesses Umi. It either turns out perfect or broken into shards.

Among the ceramic artists who have inspired Umi is Turner Prize 2003 recipient Grayson Perry, who had expressed the same sentiment about opening the kiln door.

Umi recalls attending classes of art lecturers who are also accomplished artists such as Yusof Ghani, Jalaini Abu Hassan and Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, whom she later married.

Since then, Umi and her husband have collaborated and exhibited their works together. In 2003, they presented a show titled Incubator Series at Rimbun Dahan, an arts centre established by architect Hijjas Kasturi and his wife Angela Hijjas located in Kuang, Selangor.

Later, they presented Virus at the Art Season Gallery in Singapore and in 2006, Toys at Wei-Ling Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. The following year, they presented Grand Opening – Warning! Tapir Crossing at their work space Patisatustudio in Puncak Alam, Selangor. Patisatu (which means “uniting essence”) is not only a studio but also a creative space for visiting artists.

“We have been organising international exchange programmes for artists since Patisatu’s inception in 2007. Over the years, we have welcomed friends from Indonesia, Japan and Europe,” explains Umi about the self-funded programme. The non-profit initiative aims to build a network for international ceramic artists to share knowledge and culture through art.

Since her last solo exhibition, Tag, in 2012, Umi has developed a different way of presenting her work. By incorporating the “repetitive-stacking”, or building-block technique, and custom-built plinths (painted grey to resemble Roman concrete pedestals) that form each artwork, Umi has expanded her creative horizon beyond producing imagined characters that are the essence of her art.

“I draw a reference to Brâncuși’s Endless Column dated 1938, in which he used a single form repetitively to create a different meaning altogether, and it works,” explains Umi. The outdoor sculpture — located at Târgu Jiu in Romania to commemorate fallen soldiers in World War I — comprises 17 rhomboidal cast-iron modules, with a half unit at the bottom and another at the top to suggest infinity.

Umi has also been inspired by ceramic, visual and performance artist Theaster Gates, who is also an urban planner based in Chicago.

“Just because there are not many artists working with ceramics, especially locally, that does not mean I am free from competition,” says Umi about the challenges ahead.

“I am constantly competing with every artist working in all media, which is why I often study the works of other sculptors who work with everything and anything. The possibilities are endless. That is where I would like to take my work.”

This article was originally published by The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd in July, 2016.

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In reinterpreting the late Ismail Zain’s works, Al-Kesah: Homage to Ismail Zain aims to encourage the exploration of new ideas and critical thinking through artistic engagement.

Organised by Galeri Petronas, the tribute exhibition Al-Kesah: Homage to Ismail Zain features the works of 22 local artists from different generations and disciplines showcasing their interpretations of Ismail Zain’s visionary thoughts and ideas on globalised visual culture.

Ismail Zain (1930–1991) was an artist, thinker, writer and academician. He was also a civil servant, holding posts such as director of the National Art Gallery Malaysia, the first local to succeed the last British administrator Frank Sullivan, director-general of culture at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and director-general of National Film Development Corporation (Finas).

Petronas chairman Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said at the launch of the exhibition on June 2: “Al-Kesah: Homage to Ismail Zain derives from one of Ismail Zain’s significant works, Al-Kesah, which was featured in his solo exhibition Digital Collage in 1988. The masterpiece expresses his critical response to the penetration of global mass media into our local culture. I am pleased that Galeri Petronas has played a vital role to reposition Ismail Zain and his works.

“The objective of this exhibition is to create an ideal ecosystem for Malaysian artists to flourish while producing groundbreaking art and, at the same time, enhance the public’s appreciation of Malaysian contemporary art. Petronas’ long-standing commitment in promoting local talents through the cultivation of creativity, innovative ideas and critical thinking is evident in this collection, an impressive artistic reinterpretation of Ismail Zain’s work.”

The participating artists are Abdul Razak Abdul Jabbar, Ariffin Mohd Ismail, Noor Azizan Rahman Paiman, Mohd Nasir Baharuddin, Fadzil Idris, Bibi Chew, Mohd Fadli Yusoff, Raja Shahriman Raja Aziddin, Hamir Soib, Haron Mokhtar, Hasnul Jamal Saidon, Sharmiza Abu Hassan, Mohd Azhar Abdul Manan, Mohd Azlan Mohd Latib, Nirmala Shanmughalingam, Ramlan Abdullah, Redza Piyadasa, Saiful Razman, Yee I-Lann, Zainon Abdullah, Izaddin Matrahah and Umibaizurah Mahir @ Ismail.

“The artists were selected through a rigorous process,” said exhibition curator Badrolhisham Mohamad Tahir. “A list of acclaimed artists was presented to Galeri Petronas’ selection panel. The panel has played a vital role in creating a diverse assembly of artworks from different approaches to reflect Ismail Zain’s aesthetic hegemony.”

Educated at Ravensbourne College of Art (19611964) and Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (1964-1966) in London, the UK, Ismail Zain was influenced by semantic symbolism — the study of meaning in language, programming languages, formal logic and semiotics through representations.

He expressed the significance of symbols and icons that represent meanings in many of his writings and instilled in his students the notion of relevance in art-making when he taught at the Mara Institute of Technology in the late 1980s. He often referred to works by such philosophers as Leo Strauss and Marshall McLuhan, art critic John Berger and writer Susan Sontag.

Badrolhisham added: “At Petronas, we encourage wholesome leadership. Ismail Zain was a highly influential artist — the thought leader who took bold steps in changing the present convention of art. After 25 years of his demise, his contribution in the field of aesthetic and cultural history needs to be revisited and reinterpreted in order to stimulate further research, publication, discourse and engagement.”

“Galeri Petronas will be organising a symposium in conjunction with the exhibition on Aug 13. There will also be six curatorial walk-throughs between July 15 and Aug 19,” said Roshaniza Ilmi Mohd Ali, director of Galeri Petronas. The 30 works on exhibit were sourced from the collections of Petronas, National Visual Arts Gallery, Tuanku Fauziah Museum and Gallery as well as private collectors and artists.

The exhibition offers a renewed focus on the legacy of an artist who was ahead of his time and who embraced technology during the nascent era of technological advancement.

The highly significant work Al-Kesah (meaning “once upon a time”) was created in 1988 through the innovative use of Apple Macintosh. The monochromatic digital collage has the Ewing family of the Dallas television series in the foreground, with a traditional Malay kampung house in the background. The composition can be considered as his interpretation of globalisation.

Such juxtaposition of cultural elements — popular and traditional, East and West, reality and fiction, black and white — are the basis of Ismail’s semiotic endeavours.

An assemblage and video projection by conceptual artist Mohd Nasir Baharuddin, 56, entitled Pada Suatu Ketika…Tersebut Alkesah, depicts a typewriter mounted on a black wall with a series of sentences and alphabets projected intermittently above in a single line.

According to the artist’s statement, the display is “an attempt to express the appearance of inter-textual adaptation of the ‘sacred’ texts and writings of Ismail Zain”.

On a similar note, Random Access Memory by Noor Azizan Rahman Paiman, 46, also incorporates an excerpt of Ismail Zain’s speech, titled Ucapan Nada Idea, delivered at Universiti Sains Malaysia in 1986 in his installation and videography work.

Also on display is a sculpture by ceramic artist Umibaizurah Mahir @ Ismail, 41, titled Secret Toys. The “porcelain on cast concrete” work depicts a rocking horse with floral motif decal that is mounted on wheels.

Explained Badrolhisham, “The audience can draw a relationship between Umibaizurah’s artwork and Ismail Zain’s idea of semantic symbolism through her use of toys as a metaphor. As a metaphor, the audience encounters Umi’s response to everyday objects as a symbol of life.

“Thus, the metaphor is an image or an object regarded as representative to artists’ abstract idea. It is a kind of visual strategy introduced and developed by Ismail Zain in the 1980s.”

Another thought-provoking work is Saiful Razman’s Selepas 7.pm, using non-art materials of toilet paper, medical gauze and crepe paper mounted on acrylic perspex with polyvinyl acetate adhesive.

Mohd Azlan Mohd Latib’s Wayang Unfair: After Ismail Zain consists of a set of 48 photographs treated with coffee for an aged effect, archival cartridge ink, and collage and hand-tinting technique.

Bibi Chew’s Itu Malaysia — Biasa, O, Kaw Kaw, Kosong, Cam & Kurang installation explores the issue of identity. It depicts a variety of used coffee strainers categorised according to the respective palate of Malaysian coffee drinkers.

The exhibition aims to live up to Galeri Petronas’ promise of “breaking away from conventions, exploring innovative ways and meaningful solutions to deliver essential energy to the people”, and in this case, making art accessible to everyone.

This article was originally published by The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd in June, 2016.

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Art collective Anak Alam regroups in a showcase of the evolution of its idealism.

Four members of Anak Alam, an influential art collective established in 1974, reunited recently for an exhibition of their latest works in Kuala Lumpur. Mustapa Ibrahim, 70; Maryam Abdullah, 65; Ali “Mabuha” Rahamad, 64; and Mohd Yusoff Osman, 66; showcased 38 paintings at the National Visual Arts Gallery from May 7 to 22.

Titled Tunjang, the show was curated by Tan Hui Koon and Baktiar Naim in collaboration with Yusoff’s wife, Siti Zaiton Abdul Hamid. The exhibition was opened by National Visual Arts Development Board member Datuk Taib Ali.

Eight of the works were by Maryam and 10 each by Mustapa, Ali and Yusoff. Presented as a survey show, the recent works were aimed at reflecting the idealism of the collective four decades on.

The name, Anak Alam, was derived from the German expression “Kinder Natur” and was proposed by Latiff Mohidin — one of Malaysia’s most prolific artists — upon its inception on May 1, 1974.

The collective has a manifesto, which emphasises the desire to become one with nature. An excerpt translated from Bahasa Malaysia by artist, curator and activist Wong Hoy Cheong reads:

“we are the children of nature. with a consciousness and a love which warms to a thousand colours and which believes in the freedom of humanity to announce its presence in a single force of artists communicating with the environment with tonalities of language and design as our expression that is known by all humanity.”

Mustapa’s interpretation of nature is delightfully expressed on rectangular canvases, creating organic outlines that frame multilayered hues of decorative form that resembles fine ornamental woodwork or filigree. He uses the colours of the earth such as sky blue, grass green and sunset orange to create undulating lines and curls that dominate the centre of the canvas.

Maryam’s floral-themed paintings are rendered in an abstract style by reconstructing the shape and colour of flowers blossoming into an explosion of organic lines and dots with a palette of feminine, pastel hues. Although her coarse brush marks convey hesitance, her confidence is projected through the scale of her canvases.

In the Seventies, Maryam, together with Mustapa, managed the premises of Anak Alam colony, known as Rumah 905.

Ali’s surreal dreamscapes depict the enchanting beauty and mystical qualities of dancing women and Mother Nature. The globetrotting artist has travelled extensively in the past four decades, residing in cities such as Amsterdam, Rosenheim and Los Angeles, before returning to Malaysia in 2013. Last year, he held a solo exhibition showcasing his Minangkabau and Angkor Wat series at The Edge Galerie.

Yusoff’s abstract paintings in mixed media are centred around perception, intuition and the existence of life. Executed in dark tones, his works suggest mystery and ambiguity. Apart from being an artist, Yusoff is an avid reader and writer, and has contributed sketches and short stories for publication by organisations like Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. He is also a theatre set designer and art director.

Yusoff’s exhibitions are managed by his wife, Siti Zaiton, who was a keen observer of Anak Alam’s activities when she was an art and design student at Mara Institute of Technology in the Seventies.

Housed at 905 Persiaran Tun Ismail in Kuala Lumpur, Anak Alam attracted artists, poets, writers, performance artistes and actors, who congregated, lived, worked and held events there.

In Latiff Mohidin’s journal titled Catatan, published in 2010, he noted that among the spontaneous and creative activities carried out in 1974 were “enviro-sculpture, drama, pantomime, playreading and mini-kata, poetry reading, musical performances, light shows, the sounds of genta, ketuk-ketuk and bamboo gamelan, and much more”.

Recalls Siti Zaiton, “The house was always full of activities. People painting, reciting poetry, singing, hammering this, hammering that — making art. I watched them rehearse and perform plays, and followed the group when they had performances at a theatre or by the street.

“Being in their company was an eye-opener. They were friendly and open-minded. The art colony was vacated on Aug 1, 1988, to make way for Kompleks Budaya Negara. Now, it is the art education institution, Aswara.”

At the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by Taib and Yusoff. There was a guided tour with the artists and curators as well as impromptu performances by Ali, who played the harmonica, and poetry recitals by Pyanhabib, Prof Ismail Abdullah and Mustapa.

Among the friends and supporters of Anak Alam who turned up were Buyong Zasdar, Apayee, Shahurin Mohd and Raja Ahmad. All the exhibited artworks were for sale, with prices ranging from RM8,000 to RM35,000.

This article was originally published by The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd in May, 2016.

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