15th March 2021, marks the premiere date for the launching ceremony of G.A.S, by the department of Fine Arts, School of Art and Design, UiTM Melaka.
The number of the date '15' chosen did not intend any specific rationale, however it would be rational to say that the most waited exhibition, listed 15 local professional Malaysian artist such as Rosli Zakaria, Sharmiza Abu Hassan, Diana Ibrahim, Hisamuddin Ahmad, Shaharuddin Sabu, Saharuddin Supar, Azhari Khalip, Ahmad Zuraimi, Wan Zulkifle, Munir Kaulan, Ali Bebit, Bahrim Samuri, Shahariah Mohammed, and Salmah Ali.
There were no particular theme connected to the premiere exhibition, nevertheless it would be reasonable, or perhaps the intended theme were on 'Humanism'. In portraying ability of the artists side as humankind, in responding towards the current global situation of Coronavirus (Covid-19) especially in Malaysia.
The acronym G.A.S (Gallery. Art. Shop) is particularly chosen for its main objectives which serves as an Art Gallery and Art Shop specifically for the art community in UiTM Melaka, as well as generally in engaging towards the development of local and international collaboration between artist and artisan in this new-normal art scene landscape.
The engaging concept was evident in the whole strategy of todays first G.A.S exhibition, which was conducted and assessed virtually through UiTM Melaka's main online platforms. The idea of an art shop which at the same time functioned as a gallery, fortunately blurred the distinguishing line between the field of arts and business, establishing the important development of a 'sound-mind', apart of Humanism in higher education, and fairly understood today as an approach in developing holistic educational skills happening in the campus community.
G.W.F Hegel in his writings on Phenomenology of Spirits, remarks 'beauty' as an expression of the human desire for freedom, which sets standards for what is beautiful. In addressing aesthetics as a philosopher, Hegel viewed the freedom of spirit in the history of humankind, as an unfold series of dialectical opposition which resolves as the 'Zeitgeist', or the spirit of its time. In the social history of art, German art historian Arnold Hauser in his writings The Philosophy of Art History, remarks his leading principle which the behaviour of individuals is the product both of their inborn capacities and of the situation in which they find themselves.
In the history of art, great despairs contributed great hopes, thus establishing great artist, artworks, and movements we encounter today. This is evidently seen in the establishment of multiple art movements during the uncertainty period of Modern Art (1860-1960) which was fairly accepted by majority of art historians.
In the early 1900, marks the heyday developments of the Modern Art movements, where artist find themselves in between the conflicts which would lead towards devastating world wars effecting everyone globally. However, these series of war did not set back the artist of its time. Movements such as futurism, proceeded with the Futurist Technical Manifestos by Fillippo Tommaso Marinetti, charging artist such as Umberto Boccioni in the establishment of change and freedom, manifested on the rhythms and movements of how Boccioni treated his elements of line, shape, colour, and space towards the movements of time and space, changing freely and dynamically. This is evidently seen in his painting 'The Streets Enters the House (1911)', and sculpture 'Unique Forms of Continuity in Space (1913)' artworks. It would be reasonable to say that he did set the standards for what is beautiful (freedom) during his time, despite the fact that he had the capacities of an artist, in a situation which he finds himself situated upon.
Ironically, today we find ourselves in between the global war against the coronavirus. Despite all the directions of policy planning, precautions, rules and regulations of multiple forms regarding Covid-19 charging everywhere, which would be a major set back for most in this moment of time. Nonetheless, the artists contributing towards this G.A.S Exhibitions portrayed a strong spirit of freedom in Humanism which does not merely intend to oppose the current situation aggressively, however more towards celebrating the freedom of humankind in practicing the ability to look for directions and capacity to make decisions together rather than preaching for answers.
The art historian Erwin Panofsky, in his writings The History of Art as a Humanistic Discipline, defines 'Humanism' as an attitude of belief in dignity of man, insisting on the values of rationality and freedom and acknowledging the limitations of fallibility and frailty, and resulting in the ideas of responsibility and tolerance'. This particular side of 'Dignity' in Humanism is well celebrated in the 'Categorical Imperative' in the works of Emmanuel Kant. Moreover, the spirit is evident in the artworks portrayed in the G.A.S Exhibition.
(Figure 1)
In figure 1. The artwork title is translated as 'My Body' by sculpture artist Shaharuddin Sabu charged as one of the first wall sculpture in this exhibition, with a semi-representational form of a human body, made out of iron steel and plastics. Dominantly it appears as the reminiscent of the humankind made out of fragile flesh and bones, exposed and vulnerable, the artist establishes this effect on applying the treatment of contrasting media of the hard iron steel as the inner form, and the meltable plastic as the outer shell form signifying the humankind flesh.
The ideas of 'Tabula Rasa' would perhaps portray this artwork, the idea that every child is born as a plain cloth, which eventually is coloured or shaped by the establishments of culture and society. This is evident on the white plastic media dominantly wrapping the semi-representational body form of this wall sculpture, charged with different contrast and movements of colours, as if they were thrown upon the subject, defining and shaping the identity of the vulnerable piece of humankind 'My Body', especially in seeking directions and decisions upon what is within or without the area of a humankind 'consent' in this devastating pandemic situation, where we do not work the rules, instead we are defined by the rules and regulations even towards our own body.
This idea is what the philosopher Martin Heidegger addresses as, the concern of beings, or what he calls as in German 'Da-sein', in which, a situation where we are as if thrown into this world, vulnerable of our past and future in a society like today, where its hard to conform as a humankind with the consent on what is the direction and decision of moral justice, even towards our own personal body.
(Figure 2)
In figure 2. The artwork title is translated as 'I Want To Be A Champion' by sculpture artist Rosli Zakaria charged significantly among the other wall sculptures in this exhibition, with an approach fairly towards one of a wall collage by Pablo Picasso Still Life (1914). The artist explores his discovery on the freedom of direction and decision of oneself in the explorations of multiple mix media, compromising of organic and non-organic material which sparks the dynamic contrast and resolving harmony of the artwork.
The Zeitgeist or heyday spirit of one's time, is evident in the treatment of how the artist applies the multiple frames and windows arranged in the basis of a specific narrative order. This is evident in the portrayal of the artist linguistic writings, which is viewed from one perspective point as his recitation of prayers, and the artist use of iconic objects and images as signs of success within his life story, depicting photos of his early success involvements in sports on the lefts side, and his high time on the right side, with his medal as being accredited as a 'Champion'.
The whole artwork is seen as a manifestation process of his success since his young ages and towards his high time who is a successful professional sculpture artist and an art educator who is awarded with a doctoral philosophy degree in his intended art field. The narrative of the process can be seen from the left to the right side of the artwork, where in the left is his recitations of prayers on his intended success and on the right side is his achievements in the paradigm of 'I Want To Be A Champion'. Nevertheless, the artist also connects success with the reflection of him as being a muslim, where eternal success is viewed in this world and the hereafter, this is evidently seen on the emphasis of the golden frame mirror on the right side, where his picture is superimposed in-direction towards the image of the sacred 'Kaabah' in Islam.
The artist composition of the different juxtapose of material is also seen as in accordance to the 'Cartesian' dialectical approach of the idealist and materialist of Humanism. This is evident from the idealist representation of the artist believing in himself with the two early linguistic statement on the left 'Before I was a Champion', and 'Now I am a Champion', which asserts his idealistic belief, predominantly one such of Corgito Ergo Sum (I Think Therefore, I am), by the philosopher and father of analytical geometry, Rene Descartes. The materialist representation in the artwork is seen on the actual image of the artist success in being credit 'Champion' and the actual object of his successful medals which validates his clear vision on 'I Want To Be A Champion'.
(Figure 3)
In figure 3. The artwork title is 'reconstructed By Heart Series: Value It While You Can', by sculpture artist Sharmiza Abu Hassan charged significantly among the other wall sculpture artworks in this exhibition.
The fairly Feminist approach on this artwork is evidently seen in the choices of the media object by the artist which are conventionally associated with the femininity side of women, such as velvet cloth and red rose. The artist's exploration in the interplay of contrast and emphasis of the chosen dominant colour red, found on the artist media of the red velvet, the red rose, and such round shaped outline in the colour red signals the 'alarming tone'! of the pandemic situation we find ourselves in currently, especially the moral imperative towards freedom of choices in the basis of equality.
This idea of equality can be seen in the emphasis of the concept of 'equilibrium' or balance in the nature of the chosen media object by the artist, which is evidence of the inclinometer slope level or understood as the 'water level' on the left side of the artwork, and arranged close within the main subject form of the artwork. It is reasonable to consider the elements of equality itself as fundamental as the 'Heart' of Humanism.
The freedom flow in direction and decision of one's personal choice is represented as equally important as the voluntarily circulation of the blood through the valves and towards the heart of humanity itself, despite selections of gender, race, ethnicity, class, or religion in obtaining the freedom of one's personal state of truth.
In this artwork, the manifestation concept of freedom as one's personal state of truth is as equally interesting in reference to the artwork 'I Want To Be A Champion' by artist Rosli Zakaria. Sharmiza Abu Hassan portrays her interpretation of truth in a semi-representational form of a humankind 'Heart', chosen as the main subject form in a very subtle approach, as well as the same time directly honest in the nature of the material chosen as her medias.
The articulation of the main subject form of a human's heart in this artwork, is dominated by the direct color of black. This choice on the selection of black is not coated accidentally or intentionally, but applied in the very rawness of the material itself, which is a black wire mesh grill material, and is significant towards the journey of the artist and her previous artworks in the Malaysian art scene. The nature of the material wire mess and the rose flower is in the state of 'metal', representing the qualities of strength, persistence, and transparent in the test of time. The specifically chosen media epitomize the reflection of the artist's courageous journey in seeking direct and transparent truth in herself as a women, mother, artist, and educator, especially in this uncertain pandemic situation of Covid-19 in Malaysia.
Thus the artwork is a reactions towards the important directions and decisions humankind can make, in this fight against the coronavirus situation, especially towards the balance of our own physical and emotional well-being, as entitled 'reconstructed By Heart Series: Value It While You Can'.
(Figure 4)
In figure 4. The artwork title is translated as 'Changing Orbit' by sculpture artist Saharuddin Supar charged significantly among the other wall sculptures in this exhibition, fiercely the treatment of acid lines which penetrates the metal plate addresses the fierce situation that the artist and the whole humankind experience during this devastating pandemic.
The rhythm and movement of the contour lines which is predominant in this artwork, represents domination of uncertain directions and decisions to be taken my humankind in this devastating pandemic situation in ensuring the existence of the whole species. The changing ability of the coronavirus in adapting to the spatial change is portrayed by the artist within the name of the artwork 'Changing Orbit', which is viewed as rapid, however evident in a very subtle way, to one that is beyond the naked eyes of humankind. This process is in fact the evident of vulnerabilities existing within humankind in the process of surviving this new-normal.
The rust effect on this artwork, is a result from the treatment of applying acid on the metal plate by the artist, manifesting the process of 'natural selection' in nature, or popularly understood as 'The survival of the fittest' in the society that we find ourselves living in. The rules and regulation seems to favour the exclusive minority 'ruling-class' who are labelled as playing more significant roles in society rather than the majority. This idea of a favoured political, economical, or social class which is superior above others does not only brings safety and security towards the vast majority, however acts more as an acid which penetrates and destroys society from the inside.
Thus the artwork title 'Changing Orbit' depicts the freedom imperative of humankind with the ability to take directions and make precautions in this rapidly changing new-normal landscape of a fierces war againts Covid-19.
(Figure 5)
The representational painting which dominates the background of the artwork is the representation of the coronavirus in its crude and vicious appearance as seen under a microscopic view. Apart from the iconic image painted in the artwork, it is evident of multiple object materials in the form of children toys used as the media at the lower part of the artwork. The process of gluing or attaching the object materials reasonably describes the nature of a collage artwork produced by the artist.
The narrative of the intended message delivered by the artist in this 'Versus' artwork is as equally interesting in reference to the artwork 'Changing Orbit' by the artist Saharuddin Supar. The idea of the 'natural selection' in the survival of the fittest is brought back, however in a different approach where in the former artwork, the survival selection was on the superiority upon the ruling political, economical, or social class, whereas in this artwork, the survival selection is on the superiority base upon freedom of choice.
In this artwork, freedom of choice is manifested in the nature of children with the imperative towards happiness in playing, the urge to play is stronger than its opposite. The artwork portrays the freedom imperative to play from a children's mind in the lower part, and the contrasting survival imperative to stay-aware from the adolescence mind in the upper part, this sort of imperative marks the superiority of 'freedom over survival' in the eyes of a kid, who is the early building blocks towards the development of our humankind society.
The title of the artwork which is 'Versus', also encapsulates the struggle taken by children's during this devastating pandemic situation. As vulnerable as humankind is in taking directions and decisions, the children's are sacrificing one slice of their early ages in the struggle between the 'freedom and survival', which is with utmost respect hard to comprehend by adults who have already past that part of the life phase. The toys are coated with a white colour coating, which can be viewed as representing the children's state of mind, on the manifestation of 'Tabula Rasa', a plain cloth to be coloured and shaped accordingly.
The artwork 'Versus' is a conscious reflections upon our taken actions towards our fresh young generations in this uncertain pandemic situation.
In a nutshell, it is reasonable to say, that it is certain that within great moments of uncertain devastation lays the unfolding freedom of truth celebrated in the ability of humankind to produce art and consume beauty which resolves as the 'Zeitgeist', or the spirit of Humanism respectively in its own time.
The contributions of several PACAQ (Public Art Creative Aesthetic Quality) members in this premiere G.A.S Exhibition, particularly the contributing artists, is being seen as bringing pride and honor towards the sustenance of Malaysian art scene, especially during this global pandemic situation.
'Keep on Charging!'
MUSADDIQ MOHAMAD KHALIL
Department of Liberal Studies
UiTM Alor Gajah
PACAQ- UITM RIG 2021
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