Figure 1: NEXUS (Ramlan Abdullah)
image courtesy by Artist
Situated at the heart of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam's main roundabout, September 2021 marks a historical moment where the masterpiece of Malaysian professional sculpture artist Ramlan Abdullah's creation entitled 'NEXUS' was erected.
Standing 7.2 metre tall, NEXUS compliments its site-specific horizons of the university's chancellory headquarters building. Out of the abundant collections articulated by Ramlan Abdullah, this interesting public art captivates a full circle story of his journey of coming and becoming a well known professional sculpture artist celebrated throughout the nation where numerous of his artworks are planted, as well as acknowledge internationally around the globe.
Rosli Zakaria, one of Malaysian artist who holds a PhD in Art Management; Public Art, remarks in his article 'An Overview Development of Malaysian Public Art (2011)' (Meninjau Perkembangan Arca Awam di Malaysia (2011)', describing Ramlan Abdullah as one of the earliest Modern Art Sculptor artist to be recognise and acknowledge overseas through his success on major global sculptor competitions as early as in the 90's, 30 years ago.
Ramlan Abdullah through his artwork 'Growth (1995)' was awarded Grand Prize at the 2nd Oita Japan International Asia Sculpture Competition. Rosli further elaborates that such recognition was an eye opener not only for the country's sculpture art community however draw international as well as national attention by the government on the significance of sculpture as apart from other superior fine arts disciplines such as paintings. It was a token of appreciation for the nation and a significant achievement which would change the course and direction of Malaysian Art Scene, respectively towards public sculptor.
A year later, in 1996 who would have known, Ramlan Abdullah for his second streak secured his artwork 'V.C (1996) with the award of Best Sculpture by APEC International Sculpture Garden, in the Philippines. It was within these recognition period where the next year in 1997, Malaysia's 'Father of Development', 4th Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad selected Ramlan Abdullah's public artwork 'Wahdah (1997)' to commemorate the nations 40 years of independence.
By the year 2000, Ramlan Abdullah was awarded 'National Sculpture Award (2000)' by Malaysian National Art Gallery, and in 2006 was granted 'National Art Award (2006)' for his numerous celebrated artworks. In 2010 Ramlan Abdullah in collaboration with Axiata delivered the nations highest public art sculpture measuring 24.2 metre in height entitled 'Prism by Axiata (2010)'. His success grows through his recognition period with a plethora of artworks all around the nation, especially in the Klang Valley of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
As significant as Ramlan Abdullah's recognition period, it would be fundamental to pay a visit on his formative periods spent in UiTM which at that time was ITM. Well known as one of the earliest art school to provide modern art education, ITM was the incubator which played a pivotal impact on Ramlan Abdullah's formative period as early as in the 80's where he finished his first bachelor in fine arts 1982.
Somehow or another, Ramlan Abdullah was exposed to the proto-nationalist art movement responding towards the National Cultural Policy (NCP 1971) resolutions taking place in Malaysia's Art Scene as early as the 70's and 80's. Muliyadi Mahmood, art historian professor remarks in his book Modern Malaysan Art; from the prioneering era to the pluralist era 1930-1990 (2007)', artist such as Ramlan Abdullah developed artworks which responded towards NCP 1971 resolutions whereby he framed such period as 'The Search for Identity', where artist would re-visit their origins of material and non-material culture as important subjects which revolves around the production of their artworks.
Muliyadi Mahmood, elaborated that even the country's national laureate Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal would held sxhibitions such as 'Form and Soul 1979' (Rupa dan Jiwa, 1979), where local base artist would respond towards the resolution from NCP 1971. ITM spearheaded its own exhibition of 'Seminar on the Roots of Indigenous Art (1979), where traditional forms of art such as batik, woodcarving, songket, tales, legends, literature and architecture served as references for artist in form of subject, themes, or motifs.
The systematic as well as geometric forms which would compliment most of Ramlan Abdullah's artworks in the form of motifs and patterns were a reincarnation process enlighten by him which is impressed as one of his unique distinctive styles in sculptural artworks. Such revival process is as similar to Jackson Pollock's action paintings where he dribs, splash, as well as sprays acrylic paints and bitumen on his canvas, the idea was inspired from the indigenous native tribes sand art long ago before American was even established, the sand was their canvas, their gestures and movement were sacred expressions apart of the whole process.
Such expression as to what Jackson Pollock executed would later be the style of American Abstract Expressionism movement, where American art critic such as Clement Greenberg would write and elaborate besides the personal relationship both of the artist and art critic shared. The bottom point was the revival of indigenous element was a source of proto-nationalist factor which would impacted the styles and direction of such artist as Ramlan Abdullah.
The style of Ramlan Abdullah's artworks would fairly be associated with the formalist attention on lines, shape, and space upon most of his sculptural artworks. The way he articulates the form of his artwork, meticulously exemplified through its fundamental measurements, methods, and mathematical calculations as evident in NEXUS (2021) one of his latest artwork.
Ramlan Abdullah's formative period of proto-nationalist in search of national identity by reviving indigenous tradition from material and non-material culture in his artworks styles, are seen one way or another similar to artworks of Italian Proto - High Renaissance effort by reviving classical material and non-material culture and traditions of the Greeks and Romans.
Masterpieces during the Renaissance such as 'Vitruvian Man (1490)' by Leonardo Da Vinci with its composed linear perspective measurements, mathematical sequences and calculations of Golden Ratio as well as Fibonacci numbers, in favouring design principles of the Greeks such as balance, proportion, and harmony. In an article by writer Nicole Chang 'Hunt for Ramlan Abdullah's publicsculptures around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (2021)', Ramlan Abdullah did mention his distinctive take towards his art process through systematic or geometric thinking:
"In many cases, artists tend not to fall into systematic or geometric thinking. Many insist that this type of thinking limits one's creativity, preventing him/her from being organic, and instead makes one too rigid. On the other hand, I consider it a challenge. Combining both my creativity and what I have been trained in which is structured thinking, I pursue my own style when it comes to sculpture-making" - Ramlan Abdullah
(https://baskl.com.my/hunt-for-ramlan-abdullahs-public-sculptures-around-kuala-lumpur-and-selangor/)
The demarcation of fine arts and non fine arts would clearly draw upon the lines of its purpose as utilitarian and non-utilitarian functions. However, Public art seems to cross between two facets of art and design, like a coin with two facets. Public art does have a purpose and function when situated in realm of the public, if not at-least upon withstanding its environmental settings and climates.
Such concern of functions in public art is expressed by Gottfried Semper (1803-1879), architect, art critic, as well as German professor of architecture where he insisted that a work of art is a result of combination of its function, its material, and its technique. Such operational definition transcends public art not only throughs is aesthetic experience however upon its ability to serve as a site-specific pride for a particular community where it is staged.
Ramlan Abdullah's attention to function of his artworks is evident upon his public artworks series of kinetic sculptures, where recently acknowledge by "Sculpture by the Sea" international exhibition held in Perth, Australia earlier this year 2021, entitled 'Ayden 2020 (2021)'. This masterpieces by the efforts of National Art Gallery, PACAQ, and other art bodies was crafted in 50 limited pieces of table sculptures, whereby most has been sold to their respective collectors around the globe. Ayden 2020 takes a traditional motifs of the Malaysian Moon Kite articulated by the artist ability in combining arts, mathematics, and science into one metamorphose masterpiece form.
In associating the styles of Ramlan Abdullah inclining towards the formalist, it would be critical to pay a visit to a few formalist art critics such as Clive Bell and Roger Fry's judgement on aesthetics, especially 'Significant Form'. Clive Bell in his book 'Art (1914)', remarks 'Significant Form' as a shared quality in objects of art which provokes the aesthetic emotion, where he further described, as lines and colors combined in a particular way, certain forms and relations of forms, which stir our aesthetic emotions, thus enlightens our aesthetic experience. Clive Bell further remarks, the existence of two respective qualities in the world of art, which is 'Significant Form', and 'Descriptive Painting'. The former moves the aesthetics emotion, whereas the latter describes information or sensual pleasure of the physiological, inferior towards such of the inner psychological.
Engaging towards the geometrical motifs and patterns as explored by Ramlan Abdullah since his formative period as a sculpture artist, all of its geometrical element are heritage of our abundant indigenous tradition and heritage as remarked in the 'Principle of Malay Aesthetics' by Zakaria Ali. As much as the Greek's sought for Aesthetic principles such as symmetry, proportion, as well as harmony, upon indicating such valuation of beauty. Nevertheless, the Malay's upon writings of Dr Zakaria Ali, who is a celebrated art historian professor, upon 'Thoughts on the aesthetics of Malay Artifacts (2006)', remarked several subjective Aesthetic principles shared as a common collective taste, indicating the valuation of beauty, from the Malay World Weltanschauung (Worldview), such as Berhalus (Finesse), Berguna (Useful), Bersatu (Unity), Berlawan (Contrast), as well as Berlambang (Symbolic).
Ramlan Abdullah artist statement on NEXUS (2021) describes the interconnection of Berhalus (Finesse), Bersatu (Unity), and Berlambang (Symbolic) are as follow:
" “NEXUS” is a connection or series of connections linking two or more things. This sculpture represents the growth between students, lecturers, and all other individuals who are constantly learning from each other in UITM. We are all interconnected with each other just like the concept of this sculpture. All parts and pieces are carefully calculated and connected with, to form a structure that shaped like a seed that is constantly growing into a full grown plant. I was inspired by the promise of seeds. There’s a deep metaphor in the idea that something tiny can transform itself into something immense. If we plant an acorn, it will grow into a giant oak, but if you plant a sheep nothing happens but decay. And I think the metaphor of seed is deeply ingrained in our culture. Just like our students, they come to UITM to seek for knowledge and growth in themselves. With the right guidance, they are able to grow and become an important part in our society" -Ramlan Abdullah
In a nutshell, NEXUS is a full circle story of Ramlan Abdullah from his formative period in the 80's with ITM being exposed with the NCP 1971 resolution on the search for identity, towards his recognition period as early as the 90's, 30 years ago whereby 'Growth (1995)' would set a game changer on Malaysian Visual Art landscape especially in regards towards public artworks.
The interconnection between articulated stainless steel plates meticulously constructed with precise measurements, methods, and mathematical calculations upon 'Nexus (2021), is a full circle journey of Ramlan Abdullah’s path from an ITM fine art student towards a UiTM Associate Professor in fine arts planting back his part at the birth soils of his Art School Institution. Moreover the representation form of a seed, is well seen as an appreciation gesture by one of our Malaysia's Prolific Professional Sculpture Artist, 'Ramlan Abdullah'.
PACAQ is honoured to have Ramlan Abdullah working hand by hand as permanent member in sharing experience, thoughts, as well as guidance in areas related to Public Art in Malaysia's rapidly developing art scene.
'Keep on Charging!'
MUSADDIQ MOHAMAD KHALIL
Department of Liberal Studies
UiTM Alor Gajah
PACAQ- UITM RIG 2021
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