30 July 2024 - Marks the most awaited moment for the opening of 'Nismilan' Art Exhibition. Coordinated by Mr Hisammudin Ahmad, Gallery Manager of G.A.S (Gallery Art Studio) UiTM Melaka, with the chosen theme 'Patah Tumbuh Hilang Berganti', in conjunction between the synergic collaboration of the Fine Arts department, College of Creative Arts (CCA), UiTM Melaka and the Negeri Sembilan State Museum.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Negeri Sembilan's tourist exco YB (The Honourable) Nicole Tan Lee Koon, accompanied by Head of Centre Studies, College of Creative Arts, UiTM Melaka, Dr Sharmiza Abu Hassan. Also present at event were YB (The Honourable) Tuan Haji Ridzuan Ahmad. Witnessed by the Museum's Curatorial top managements, Fine Art staffs, students, local host communities, as well as student's family members.
'Nismilan' Art Exhibition is a platform to celebrated selected works of art from the final year students Diploma showcase, department of Fine Arts (CCA), UiTM Melaka, where majority of these students at present are furthering their studies in the mentioned area at UiTM Shah Alam. Accompanied by seven (8) works of art by celebrated academic-artist; Hisammudin Ahmad, Azahari Khalip, Mohd Saharuddin Supar, Mohd Saharuddin Sabu, Ahmad Zuraimi Abdul Rahim, Wan Mohd Zulkifle Wan Yaacob, Ali Azraie Bebit, Shahrul Munir Mohd kaulan, and Salmah Ali.
'Patah Tumbuh Hilang Berganti' celebrates the symbiosis process in art makings, through visions and reflections from past and present.
Fine art is a body-of-Knowledge (BOK) which acquires intellectuality in process making, and requires progressive apperception upon articulating its respective Body-of-Work (BOD) in regards to academic-intelligentsia.
In the perspective of Art History, Art is fundamental towards society. Art is a reflection of society and culture. Arnold Hauser in his writings The Philosophy of Art History, remarks behaviour of individuals are products both of their inborn capacities and the situation they find themselves. Therefore, the symbiosis process in art making as evident in this exhibition, celebrates a process of organic as well as order, accomplished as outcomes upon the metamorphose journey through visions and reflections of these fine art students.
Through the perspective of Aesthetics, by Immanuel Kant, Vision (Matlamat) are considered as 'Purpose' (Hakikat), representing the 'truth/reality'. At the same time Reflections (Nikmat) are reconsidered as 'Pleasure' (Kesedaran), representing 'awareness/consciousness'. However, Hegel reconciles both dichotomous notion of (Purpose/Pleasure) as two sides of the same coin, where in his writings on Phenomenology of Spirits, 'beauty' (Aesthetics) is regarded as an expression of human desire for freedom, unfold by series of dialectical opposition (thesis/antithesis), which resolves as the 'Zeitgeist' (Synthesis), or the spirit of its time.
In todays reality or truth we find ourselves, it's all very well to say that most of the time we neglect, disregard, and easily take for granted our creative abilities, and capacities as human beings to create, develop, and cultivate our surroundings. Anthropologist Ralph Linton, once remarked "The last thing a fish would ever notice would be water". Hence human beings living in a place without society and culture, would be far displaced by the truth as well as reality, where they find themselves disapproved by pleasures of 'Self-Consciousness', and 'Awareness', to react, or reflect towards their identical surroundings (identity).
Notion such as 'Reflection' mentioned above, is highly valued in the approach of a Contemporary Art narrative, where inclusivity is celebrated through diverse styles, materials, as well as techniques in art; manifesting the form, as well as forces of these young art makers. The forces described here is viewed through the ability to reflect, and confront the past and present, beast and beauty, chaos and order, as experience by the art makers themselves. Throughout the whole creative process, most of them have accomplished to synthesise their process in art making, by filling the void between time and space of their subject matters, form, and content, as evident in the works of art presented in this exhibition.
In the work entitled 'Gadis Minang 1 (2023)' translated as 'Minang Girl 1', viewers are invited towards the rich material culture elements, where the main subject is a female figure, situated at the centre of the canvas. The girl is embellished with rich cultural values identified through the architectural design and textures from material of classical wood-grains surface treatment, representing her house as shelter (safety/security), clothes (pride/dignity), as well as harvest staple goods. She cherishes the harvest as a symbol of sustenance, wrap tight inwards close to her, at the same moment in time gazing deeply towards the audience. If you may, for a society which celebrates matrilineal custom, this girl should have been the Mona Lisa of this show! Empowering the female role in Negeri Sembilan's Adat Perpatih (Matrilineal) Customs. What connects the work of art through time and space, is the facial formation of the figure in this work of art. It's maker, Azza Mohd Narzi, consciously juxtaposes her face, as a gesture of her reflective journey as parts and parcel of this work of art.
Contemporary art celebrates such reaction, as well as reflections, upon marrying the past and present, inclusively to appeal in/by time. Nowadays we see videos on social media platforms of Point-of-View (POV) which celebrates the same aspects of a contemporary narrative. The title 'Minang" itself seems controversial at times, where present local society often regard themselves as 'Adat Perpatih' Customs rather than the former. However in Contemporary art the exclusivity (homogeneity) of the outcome, is subdued by the inclusivity (heterogeneity) of the reaction by the viewers themselves, such approach is significant towards conceptual art, which celebrates ideas rather than objects. Thus to differentiate the diverse narratives in art, is as far as how one shows appreciation upon embracing its novelty.
Most of the students selected in this exhibition do not come from the state of Negeri Sembilan nor they have direct contact with its society and culture previously. However, the exploration they confront themselves throughout the organic/order creative process makings are visions and reflections, which they cherish as apart of their creative journey, reflecting the sustainability of art makings, as a sustenance ecosystem crossing time, and space. Thus, as evident in this work of art 'Gadis Minang1 (2023)', Art is sustainable towards society and culture, through justifiable contemporary appreciation, as well as apperceptions.
In a nutshell, this exhibition may be viewed respectively; from an art devoted to objects, to one devoted to relation between objects, and, finally, to one devoted purely to the relations themselves. An accomplishment on awareness of self-identity, as well as sustainability in creative art making process.
ADDITIONAL EXHIBITION IMAGES:
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