Early May 2021, administered by the Penang Island City Council (PICC), within acknowledgment of Penang Public Arts Review Panel (PARP), erection of 'The Cow' structural replica, dictated the roundabout of Bukit Bendera, Jalan Ayer Itam, Pulau Pinang.
Consequently, such public artwork attracted the attention of local citizen, as well as the global netizen within the social media community. Moreover, such situation occurred during the state of Movement Control Order (MCO), where we find ourselves confronted by the uncertainties of Covid-19 pandemic situation, locally as well as globally.
Approaching the 'Hari Raya Aidilfitri' (Eid al-Fitr) celebration, just around the corner, apparently the roundabout replica structure, took the Nation's attention by storm, rather than the engaging celebration, celebrated by Muslim communities around the globe, especially in Malaysia.
This situation has brought our attention upon seeking the 'Artistic Purpose', and 'Aesthetic Principle' behind 'The Cow (2021)', public art replica, which is considered as an Iconoclastic towards the Muslim community in Malaysia.
Before we proceed with the aspects of Iconoclastic, let us unfold the unravel formalistic aspects, from such interesting artwork, as 'The Cow (2021)'.
The structural replica dominantly acts as an 'Axis Mundi' or Center-of-Attention, since it is placed at one of the significant roundabouts, known for its crowded commute, in Penang.
The size of the structural replica creates an impactful statement, especially the subject of its form depicting the animal 'Cow'. Emphasizing such material-culture, such as the 'Songkok' (Oval Brimless Hat), 'Samping' (Traditional Kilt), as well as 'Ketupat' (Rhombus Rice Pack), which is significant towards the Malay Muslim culture in Malaysia.
The artistic principle of contrast can be viewed, within the anthropomorphic form, whereas depicting a structural replica of a standing cow, which attributes humanistic qualities upon such subject. The personifications element of visual material-culture, consumed as properties attributing towards such replica, is seen as a very alarming artistic approach, especially towards the beliefs and values of the Islamic communities in Malaysia, which prohibits idolatry as well as representations, of such anthropomorphic form, which symbolizes or reflects towards concept of idolatry.
In the history of art, Iconoclastic reasonably has to do with the reaction, in response towards Iconography, generically considered as an important aspect, attributing towards the early Christian artwork, before as well as after the establishments of Christianity, within the Roman Empire, by the Emperor Constantine, upon the proclamation of the 'Edict of Milan', in 313AD.
The TATE Museum, within their 'Art Term' section, defines Iconography as:
'An Iconography is a particular ranger or system of types of image used by an artist or artists to convey particular meanings. For example in Christian religious painting there is an iconography of images such as the lamb which represents Christ, or the dove which represents the Holy Spirit'
Studies of Iconography, at times, is fairly related to Symbolism in paintings, especially Christian artworks. However, Iconoclastic has to do with its opposite, such as its anti-thesis. In the cannon of western history, The 'Protestant Reformation', led by German Professor who is also an Augustinian monk, Martin Lurther changed the landscape and course of the Roman Catholic Church as well as its Iconographic attributes concurrently.
Martin Lurther published his 95 theses, underlining his two central beliefs, where the bible is the central religious authority, and that humans may reach salvation only by their faith and not by their deeds, upon such practice of selling "Indulgences".
Nevertheless, actions speaks louder than words, his ideas has maneuvered one of the most historical western movement apart form Renaissance, known as the 'Reformation', diverging religious as well as secularism school of thought, apart from Humanism.
It is upon actions which evokes movements, changing directions of history. Ironically, artist within producing artworks do have a significant impact, through their actions and expressions represented upon such artworks produced.
Movement such as 'Mannerism', broke ties with the ideal artistic purpose of Iconography, in favoring distorted and elongates forms of subjects, which acts as an anti-thesis upon ideal artistic practices, favoring the 'Dionysian' over such respective 'Apollonian', contributing towards the Iconoclastic artistic practice and purpose in the western historical cannons of art.
This situation is evident in the painting of 'The Last Supper (1590)', by Tintoretto, the Mannerist artist who disputes the formal ideal artistic Iconography, of 'The Last Supper (1490)' artwork, by his predecessor grandmaster, the celebrated Leonardo Da Vinci. Tintoretto aspects of Iconoclastic is evident upon elements of his striking color palette, compositional juxtaposed subjects, as well as dismissing several aspects of linear perspectives celebrated by the Masters of Renaissance.
In Art Criticism, the German-Jewish Art Historian, Erwin Panofsky, in his writings 'Studies in Iconology (1939)', remarks the 'Three Strata of Subject Matter or Meaning', such as the 'Primary Subject Matter' (Natural), 'Secondary Subject Matter' (Conventional), and 'Tertiary Subject Matter' (Intrinsic Meaning), respectively.
Panofsky's model of the three levels of art-historical as well as critic understanding, is crucial in dissecting Iconological meanings found in artwork subjects, where it does not only analyze an artworks formalistic aspect, however beneath the surface, upon its contextualistic phenomena, within aspects of culture and society.
In the social history of art, German art historian Arnold Hauser in his writings 'The Philosophy of Art History (1959)', remarks his leading principle which the behavior of individuals is the product both of their inborn capacities and of the situation in which they find themselves.
Using the Model 'Three Strata of Subject Matter or Meaning', by Panofsky. The public artwork such as 'The Cow (2021)', can be dismantle as well as dissect into extrinsic and intrinsic layers, upon establishing findings on its respective Iconology or meaning underpined by such interesting public artwork.
'The Primary Strata' explains 'The Cow (2021)' as a structural replica, where its form depicts, the feature of an animal, representing as a cow, with material-culture reflecting the Malay culture, such as 'Songkok', 'Samping', as well as 'Ketupat'.
Nevertheless, 'The Second Strata', describes the subject matter (Iconography), upon the application of significant material-culture items, which connotes or represents the celebration of 'Hari Raya Aidilfitri' (Eid al-Fitr), relative to the Malaysian Muslim community.
Finally, 'The Third Strata', which is also known as Iconology or the intrinsic meaning, denotes a disturbing, yet alarming meaning of an anthropomorphic cow standing, disgracefully symbolizing one of the most celebrated celebration, significant towards the religion Islam. Whereby such anthropomorphized structural replica, is against the values and teachings of Islam, which prohibits idolatry as well as representations, of such anthropomorphic form, especially denoting towards such sacred religious celebration like 'Hari Raya Aidilfitri' (Eid al-Fitr).
Citizens and Netizens addressed their concern upon such Iconoclastic artistic artwork, where its artistic purpose is fairly viewed as a blasphemy, insulting towards the religion of Islam, especially the Malaysian Muslim communities.
Engaging towards the questions of 'Aesthetic Principle'. Aesthetic Objectivity, as reasonably described by German celebrated Philosopher Emmanuel Kant, in his writings 'Critique of Pure Reason (1781)', regarding Aesthetic Objectivity, remarks his concept of ‘Categorical Imperative’, where Kant argued that rational beings can never be treated merely as means to ends; they must always also be treated as ends themselves. It is upon human beings who interrogate or frame nature into phenomena, objectively.
Thus, this aspect of the artist objective consciousness, within producing such an artwork as 'The Cow (2021)', to be consumed by the members of the public, is viewed as consciously or sub-consciously provocative with an intended message against the multiracial harmony of the Federal Constitution of Malaysia respectively.
Nevertheless, perhaps the artist wanted to cultivate the spirit of togetherness from the proverb 'Muafakat Membawa Berkat', or translated as consensus brings blessings, among the Malaysian heterogeneous society, especially in regards towards the Year of the Ox or Cow, celebrated as the Chinese New Year 2021 zodiac.
However, if not put upon thorough and meticulous consideration, especially from the Malaysian Muslim communities, such interpretation of the public artwork 'The Cow (2021)', is viewed as reasonably defying the Articles 295-298A of the Malaysian Penal Code, which provides penalties for those who commit offenses against religion, especially the Article 3 (1) of the Federal Constituition Malaysian, which provides that: "Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions can be practiced safely and peacefully in all parts of the Federation."
Furthermore dismissing the 'Malaysian National Cultural Policy (1971)', emphasizing the 3 principles upon amalgamating a safe and peace multi-racial nation, as stated:
In a nutshell, Penang Island City Council (PICC), as well as Penang Public Arts Review Panel (PARP), owes the public a proper explanation regarding the public artwork 'The Cow (2021)', especially the Malaysian Muslim community, where further preliminary actions and precautions should have been taken, before approving such structural replica which neglects 'Artistic Purpose' as well as 'Aesthetic Principle', of a safe, peace, and harmonious Malaysian society.
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