In today’s society 4.0, where we discover ourselves bolstered by the technological advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT), the abbreviation (A.I) for Allegorical Intelligence is undeniably common to be mistaken with ‘A.i’ of Artificial Intelligence. While the latter is the cornerstone for today’s technological era, I find Allegorical Intelligence as simultaneously, as well as substitutable a key-source for today’s contemporary art reference. Representatively, as embodied in the work entitled ‘Alegori 1: Hati Nyamuk (2004)’ by Malaysian celebrated female sculptor Sharmiza Abu Hassan.
The work can be translated as “Allegory 1: Mosquito Heart (2004)”. This particular work is viewed as one of the artist’s prominent masterpieces, which encapsulates the spirit of the German term “Gesamtkunstwerk” (total work of art). The term describes works of art which integrates multiple artistic forms altogether as a cohesive whole; in this case, the amalgamation of textual literature translated into visual works of art. Such operational definition, is an archetypal quality to what I view Allegorical Intelligence (A.I), conceptually as the intersection between Malaysia’s past and present contemporary art narrative.
Allegory and Metaphors are a part of Sharmiza Abu Hassan’s forte as an academic-artist acquiring a PhD in the niche area, as well as Art Oeuvre in how the artist herself conceptualizes her Body-of-Work (BoW). The reason I view this work as one of the artist’s masterpiece, is not merely limited to the fact that it was her first national solo-show “Ledang Allegory (2004)”, taking place at Galeri Seni Maya, Kuala Lumpur. Also, not the mention the artist’s first international solo-show took part previously 4 years before in “Echoes of Dreams (2000)”, exhibited at Spark Art Gallery, Wollongong, Australia. Yet however, since this particular work played a pivotal role altogether during its initial take off, at the collector’s preview.
“Ledang Alegori (2004)” solo-show was officiated by the Malaysian Minister of Arts, Culture, and Tourism (MOTAC) at that time, Dr Rais Yatim. When the minister inaugurated the event, one of the first things he asked was which piece did the National Art Gallery (NAG) booked? Unfortunately, the work which was on the mind of the NAG curatorial team, was already booked with deposit by the avid Malaysian art collector Pakhruddin Sulaiman. To cut things short after the breakthrough, the NAG purchased the “Jambatan Emas ke Gunung Ledang” as its permanent national collection, and the enthusiast art collector walk away with “Alegori 1: Hati Nyamuk” as his private collection.
Interestingly, the work was represented as the “Ledang Allegory” Exhibition catalogue cover, published by the gallery. The dispersion of light and refraction of shadows casted on the seven-piece sculpture presented seven unique interpretation of heart forms. The artist remarks that “The lighting setups are integral parts of the whole work, where the tangible work is the physical aspects of reality, and the intangible lights, and shadows, cast its metaphysical aspects altogether”.
This work not only manifest the Allegorical Intelligence (A.I) of Puteri Gunung Ledang’s wise anticipated decisions, nevertheless it portrays the artist’s ability to transform classical allegorical legends into Contemporary Art Narrative which intersects between the synergy of the past and present. Initially, before the artist’s solo “Allegory Ledang (2004)” took place, the artist participated in the ‘Yayasan Warisan Johor (Johor Heritage Foundation’ competition with her work entitled “Kiasan Ledang (Ledang Metaphor)” in 2003, which was awarded the Grand Prize. During the awarding ceremony the now Queen of Malaysia (HM Raja Zarith Sofiah), handed the prize while the artist was still in her pregnancy, the Queen touched her belly and remarked that “this is a baby girl”. The incident was crucial since afterwards the artist did gave birth to a baby girl, the first and only girl of the family which was to be named after the HM Queen Zarith Sofiah.
Sharmiza Abu Hassan was on her confinement period when she was working on works of the “Allegory Ledang” series. Due to limited mobility permitted during confinement, the artist did not lay back on developing her artistic oeuvre after the “kiasan Ledang” success. Interestingly, the artists focus on the small mosquitoes articulated from galvanized iron and soldering technique, in articulating almost 500 pieces of micro scale mosquitos, as small as the female sized ring. Eventually everything falls into place until “Alegori 1: Hati Nyamuk” sculptural works were completed through diversified industrial materials such as; steel, wire mesh, magnifying glass, copper tubing, galvanized iron, light and shadow.
Contemporary Art is well known for its fragmented narrative of the “Con tempus (with time)” in constructing/deconstructing ideas and concepts with newer experience of the time we find ourselves addressed. By this operational definition, the artists grasp the analogy of weightless; through ideas of the mosquito heart juxtaposed into a tactile visual concept depicting the 7 bridal gift trays, through industrial material which are accustom for its heaviness in weight, and material-wise does not embodies the soft and vulnerable qualities of the former idea (mosquito heart). In applying such paradox between the fragmented idea and concept, Sharmiza Abu Hassan has achieved to step further in portraying the equilibrium of space between the physical solidified structures, and the metaphysical qualities of light, and shadows integrated as a whole masterpiece in her ‘Alegori 1: Hati Nyamuk’.
As remarked by the artist herself “The lighting setups are integral parts of the whole work, where the tangible work is the physical aspects of reality, and the intangible lights, and shadows, cast its metaphysical aspects altogether”. The refraction of light cast on the merely folded bridal wire mesh and copper tray, not only invites the viewers to contemplate on the symmetry and finesse of the folded 45 degree-angled tray, nevertheless evoking towards the whole continuity of the work, through light, and shadow empowering such novel formation of the symbolic heart shaped form. In a sense, this process legitimized that even with powers, and desires as portrayed by Sultan Mahmud Shah, there are still the distinction between realities that we can grasp, and unfortunately those that we leaved ungrasp, as mortal beings. A Memento-mori of "The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living", as portrayed in contemporary works of artist such as Damien Hirst.
The Allegorical Intelligence of the Princess of Ledang on how she as a female leverages her mind with wise anticipated decisions, in going against the will, and desire of such powerful man in-power depicts perseverance, and permanence of the mind over matter. In confronting liabilities as leverage, the artist herself does not limits her passion in producing works of art even on her confinement period. The artist’s exemplifies her enthusiast in integrating industrial materials which are more common to male sculptors of her time, however interpretating these material into feminine symbols such as the heart shape, and addressing her work into a more intimate and intricate level of sophistication in applying the magnifying glass, as an engaging, as well as interactive aspects which connects art with audience.
Through this intense, intimate, and intricate level, Sharmiza Abu Hassan evokes her audience to view things in multiple perspective, and standing points. On the macro level one would witness the seven-piece sculpture, coordinated by the ‘Jawi’ numbers at the center of each of the pieces from 1 until 7, subsequently side by side. On the micro level when one engages closer, the center-piece of each seven pieces is well attached with a magnifying glass; when viewed under the lights, one will notice the micro size mosquitos juxtaposed along the ‘Jawi’ numerical order of each piece. In applying this approach in art, the artist highlights the dynamics of scale from different standing points of the macro-micro, as well as the diversified experience of ‘form’ through several viewing perspective, and layers of the interwoven tangible-intangible reality.
By Exposing such concept, viewers are addressed on the contemplation of how cause, and consequences of our actions as humankinds effects our own ecosystem. Where concurrently in 2004, more than 200,000 people in South-East Asia (SEA) were killed due to the devastative Tsunami outcome which struck Asia, and its neighboring regions. In fact, insects do functioned as Bio-Indicators of our ecosystem we find ourselves.
In a nutshell, Allegorical Intelligence (A.I) simultaneously remains a significant, as well as sustainable key-source for Contemporary Art reference, through its cultural-traits which empowers original, novel, and sustainable qualities enriching cultural awareness, and identities, as witnessed in the work ‘Alegori 1: Hati Nyamuk (2004)’ by Sharmiza Abu Hassan. Globally renowned, and locally rooted.
Comments
Post a Comment