Figure 1: Ali Bebit with his work "Mat Teropong (2025) - Image Courtesy by Artist
12 July - 31 July 2025 marks the exhibition "3D Spectrum : Diverse Expression" at HARTA Space, Ampang Selangor. This 3-dimensional exhibition catalogue was published, and curated by Pelita Hati. Among the celebrated artist in this group show are: Abdul Hakkam, Ali Bebit, Fairus Ahmad, Hilal Mazlan, Iskandar Murad, Liu Cheng Hua, and Shaliza Juanna.
Figure 2: Group Picture -Image Courtesy by Artist
With all due respect, I have viewed almost all of the works exhibited in the show. Each and every art makers have their respective art oeuvre on approaching a divergent expression which harmonises what the exhibition title had proposed "3D Spectrum". I believe a divergent approach in todays contemporary art scene is as well equipped as its convergent counterpart.
After all we are unique individuals bolstered with unique characters in a multifaceted society we address ourselves. It is because of such characters stated that I do find a need to talk about Ali Bebit's work in this interesting exhibition, especially "Mat Teropong (2025)".
Ali bebit's work through the rawness of its metal and stainless steel coloured, are placed on white pedestals which perhaps intentionally or not, does tone the rigidity, as well as sturdiness of the material itself. Most of the time, when I meet the artist, he does has a deep appreciation towards his materials, which for instance he does takes these appreciation into another level, in by articulating these mundane materials into anthropomorphic forms.
The Anthropomorphic forms are meticulously connected into readymades which evokes a sense of character and sparks dialogues In-between "Art & Life". Through the sturdiness, as well as the stiffness of the materials, the artist does forged a sense of personality on each of his works exhibited, responding towards contextual issues, and criticism we find ourselves today. Among the works are; "Memancing Undi (2025)", "Mr Circus (2025)", "Me + Pet (2025)", "I Want to Fly (2025)", "Mat Teropong (2025)", "John Jenin Ingin Terbang (2025)", and "Mat Catur (2025)".
From the titles mentioned above, we can say that one of the approaches which the artist practice in opening the gap between the artwork, and audience is through an individual, as well as collective communication where at times he addresses the subject of its form as "I and Me", while other times he reflects it on a collective side of others through pseudonyms of the "Mr, Mat, John, Jenin".
Figure 3: The Artist with "Mat Catur (2025)" - Image Courtesy by Artist
From a criticism perspective, the artist does position himself one way or another, as a contextualist, which through the forms of his work, does deliver language of postmodernism, in a contemporary art scene. The way the artist address "Mat Teropong" or also can be translated as "Mr Monocular", depicts an interplay between the past and present, "Mat" in malay is a noun, applied as multiple use placeholder, to what we would understand as "John Doe".
Typically in legal actions outside of Malaysian geopolitical arena, "John Doe" would be use as a fictitious name use in legal proceedings for a male party whose true name is not known. However in the Malaysian context, especially in classical literature, it would be a noun to describe rather than to address directly towards a single name, since the act of slander, and accusation are not well accustomed in the Malay society.
Ali Bebit takes the classical nuance of the past, and forges it into the present contemporary approaches through the fragmented narrative context; wittiness of emotion, as well as satirical expressions. On a descriptive level "Mat Teropong (2025)" does engages its audience with the whimsical interplay of "Then, and Now". It's safe to say that most of the works does celebrate aspect of 'Motion" through the movement of each anthropomorphic forms, as well as mental-motion in stillness as in the work "Mat Catur (2025)".
On one perspective level, there are perceptions which highlights that these forms are robot like, and through some of its expression, I would not agree less. However the way the artist shifts that paradigm from the rough, raw, and rigid materials into polished, shinning, as well as satirical motion and humour, does takes each piece beyond just merely empty robots performing empty moves. For instance this factor, does credits the artist on how he highlights the 'automata' effect on each selected pieces he produces.
It the Internet of Things (IoT) era, originality, identity, as well as novelty does comes short. Society positions Artificial Intelligence (Ai) as an "Automatum", a relatively self-operating machine where we embrace the dogma, and on certain levels when we do not find facts from these Ai, we tend to reject the knowledge without considering or crosschecking references outside of such Automatum system.
Indeed, technology is a tool of social advancement however we must remember that these social advancement do come with a pandora box on the cultural aspects, in regards to fragmented cultural identity it replicates, as well as instance knowledge transfer it dictates.
The way "Mat Teropong" stands against the typical "contrapposto" move, with its left arm at its weist, and its right hand pointing the fictional monocular which takes the shape of a trumpet on its right eye, does evokes the sense of a moving (mental) in stillness of motion, which binds the past and the present. It also does sparks dialogues such "Do we approach progress in looking forward of backwards?".
Its important to take note that through each characters and personas presented, these polished automata entities which looks solid and sturdy, are assembled mundane objects where mostly each of its parts are empty metals and stainless steel objects. Even the monocular that "Mat Teropong (2025)" is holding does have its empty void opening.
This factor does highlights that art and objects does not merely take place in empty void of the non-objective reality, whereas art does takes form by the forces around it, the collective context of society and the culture we address ourselves.
In a nutshell, "Mat Teropong (2025)" does reflects the curiosity of the Artist, in one way or another addressing himself as the subject of his show. Importantly the work does speaks the language of a Contemporary work piece, which celebrates the vibrant aspects of "3D Spectrum : Diverse Expression", which is smart in addressing the main objective of this sculptural exhibition.
MUSADDIQ MOHAMAD KHALIL
Department of Liberal Studies
UiTM Alor Gajah
PACAQ- UITM RIG 2025
G.A.S UiTM Melaka 2025
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