ALI MABUHA RAHAMAD: KEMBARA

DI SARANG SENI
ART EXPO MALAYSIA 2011
BASIKAL, BECA DAN LANCA:
KENDERAAN SEBAGAI SUBJEK SENI
MURAL IBRAHIM HUSSEIN
DI UNIVERSITI MALAYA
FINDARS AT WANGSA MAJU
ART PROGRAMMES DEVELOPMENT
CHALLENGES FOR MALAYSIAS
VISION
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JOM
Jadilahahli
Wan Faizun Zafan : faizun@artgallery.gov.my
Rujukan
(1) Yeoh Jin Leng, South East Asian Art-A New Spirit,1997
(2) Nurhanim Khairudin, Article Life Cycle Industri, Insan dan
Kesementaraan Hidup, Euforia, 2010
Katalog Norhaslinda Nordin, Life Cycle, 2008
Katalog Roslisham/Ise, Keluar 90 Hari 2006
Katalog Ismail Hashim, Yang tu Yang ni This n That art
Photography and...by Ismail Hashim 2008
Katalog Suhaimi Fadzir RFTO Belleville 2010
Katalog BMS 2010
Semua Imej adalah Koleksi BSVN kecuali karya Suhaimi Fadzir dan
Mohd Lokman Hakim Abdul Halim.
08/page
BASIKAL, BECA dan LANCA
Karya
seni yang bersifat kekinian sama
ada di persada seni visual tanah
air dan antarabangsa muncul dengan pelbagai
jenis bentuk persembahan. Subjeknya juga
diperluas dengan pelbagai komplikasi makna
dan pernyataan. Objeknya pula bercampur aduk
dengan pelbagai rupa dan bentuk.
Kehadiran kenderaan untuk kepelbagaian
penggunaan, mencetus inspirasi kepada seniman
dalam menghasilkan ciptaan reka bentuk dan
gambaran kenderaan sebagai wadah baru
kemodenan dan mesin sebagai mekanisma
ketamadunan. Kenderaan yang merupakan bukti
kemajuan menjadikan keperluannya sangat penting
bagi setiap individu masyarakat serta menaikkan
nilai dan taraf hidup sosial masyarakat dan ia juga
sering menjadi tanda aras kejayaan seseorang
individu melalui penjenamaan kenderaan yang di
anggap lambang kemewahan individu.
Kenderaan sebagai subjek dan objek sering muncul
dalam penghasilan karya seniman. Ianya seiring
dengan kemajuan teknologi dan perkembangan
intelektual dimana seniman mula mencari variasi
dalam pembentukan karya seni mereka. Situasi ini
berlaku sama ada dalam konteks dunia seni visual
di Malaysia atau di persada arena antarabangsa
merangkumi pelbagai bentuk seni.
Fokus kali ini terhadap kepenggunaan kenderaan
basikal sebagai subjek dan objek dalam
perkembangan seni visual. Basikal merupakan
sejenis kenderaan ringan atau sebuah mesin
penggerak bagi memenuhi keperluan ringkas
kehidupan manusia. Kegunaan yang terhad, tidak
mampu untuk membawa beban melampaui
keupayaan dan ianya sebuah keringkasan
dalam penciptaan mesin. Keperluan sistem
kayuhan beroda untuk memulakan pergerakan
serta diimbangi dengan kudrat manusia untuk
mengayuhnya. Manusia masih lagi sebagai nyawa
pada jasad mesin yang kaku dan persenyawaan
ini membina suatu kebatasan teknologi yang
harus berpaksikan pada manusia sebagai tenaga
penggerak. Kini kenderaan menjadi keperluan
penting bagi setiap individu. Kepentingan ini,
menjadikan ia sebagai aset dalam pembinaan
struktur ekonomi dan tamadun. Jika di Malaysia,
kenderaan sebagai subjek dan objek muncul dalam
beberapa karya seniman.
KENDERAAN BASIKAL SEBAGAI SUBJEK
Beberapa contoh karya oleh seniman tempatan
dan antarabangsa sebagai kajian perbandingan
di antara penggunaan dan intipati makna karya
yang berbeza terhadap persamaan subjek iaitu
basikal. Sebagai contoh karya Woman and Bicycle
1952-1953 oleh William De Kooning salah satu
penggunaan kenderaan basikal sebagai subjek
dalam gaya catan Abstrak Expressionisme. Dimana
setiap subjek boleh dizahirkan dalam apa bentuk
seni sekalipun.
| BAKTIAR NAIM
Karya awal seniman Lee Kian Seng Pengemis dan Burung
1966, sebuah catan cat minyak merepresentasikan
kehidupan seorang lelaki yang memungkinkan dirinya
seorang pengemis berdasarkan perincian karya. Fizikalnya
sedang duduk di atas basikal mahupun beca dengan
burung menemaninya seolah ada perletakan plot sedih,
komposisi duduk dengan tangan lelaki tersebut diletakkan di
atas lututnya seperti pengertian berehat atau melabuhkan
keresahan atau intepretasi mengimbau masa lalu atau
masa hadapan.
Manakala seni fotografi Ismail Hashim yang sinonim dengan
teknik seperti hand-tinted photographs dan kebiasaan
subjek difokus secara dekat (close-up) oleh beliau seakan
memaksa penonton berkonklusi terwujud makna disebaliknya.
Lensa kameranya tidak pernah lekang dalam merakam
gambaran landskap rakyat yang menggupas pelbagai
isu semasa dan tempatan. Karya Pandangan Basikal,
Basikal Buruh 1979 menggambil gambar tempat duduk
basikal buruh sebagai subjek utama dengan kepelbagaian
jenis, rupa bentuk pandangan di dalam menyelami tema
masyarakat. Bagaimana kehidupan seorang buruh di sebalik
fotografi yang di pertonton. Adakah kenderaan seperti
basikal ini melambangkan status ekonomi seseorang lewat
1970-an di Malaysia? Kemiskinan dan pembangunan? Atau
perhubungan ekonomi di antara keringat buruh membina jasa
pada pembangunan negara? Atau terkandung prinsip dan
estetika fotografi yang mempunyai nilai dan basikal hanya
sebuah objek untuk pembentukan subjek karyanya. Menurut
Yeoh Jin Leng ...is a composition of well-worn bicycle seats
formed or deformed in the process of performing their roles as
supports in the wear-and-tear of labour.1
Karya Cangkul (1) Siri Gerek 2000, oleh Rohaizad Saari,
sebuah catan cat air dengan cangkul sebagai imej
primer dan basikal atau nama panggilan gerek di
negeri utara tanah air sebagai imej sekunder. Namun
basikal sebagai subjek yang menyokong signifikan
cangkul sebagai pembawakan makna, kedua-
duanya adalah peralatan untuk bercucuk tanam di
kebun atau kenderaan ke kebun. Keringat ayah atau
petani yang membanting tulang mencari rezeki atau
sebagainya. Pengisian makna yang mudah dan mesra
penonton tanpa perlu diterjemahkan terlalu dalam oleh
penonton. Begitu juga dengan karya Listless Afternoon
(1996, Cat air atas kertas)-oleh Chow Chin Chuan,
basikal sebagai subjek utama dengan perwarnaan
yang agak terang dan komposisi perletakkan
subjek di depan bingkai tingkap sebuah bangunan
lama mungkin meruntunkan hati penonton ke arah
menimbulkan perasaan hati (nostalgic mood) nostalgia.
KENDERAAN SEBAGAI
SUBJEK DAN OBJEK
DALAM KARYA SENI :
Lee Kian Seng
Pengemis dan Burung
1966
Cat minyak
122.2 x 146.5 cm
1966-012
Chow Chin Chuan
'Listless Afternoon'
1996
Cat air
76 x 102 cm
1996-096
Ismail Hashim 'Pandangan Basikal,Basikal Buruh'
1979, Hand Tinted Photographs
109x79cm, 1998.021
Rohaizad Saari
'Cangkul(1) "Siri Gerek"
2001
Cat air atas kertas
77.5 x 105.5cm
2004.027
Karya Messenger @ Passenger oleh Mohd Hafiz
Yahaya berunsurkan parcipatory art yang memerlukan
interaksi penonton untuk mengemudi karya iaitu
Lanca (binaan baru dengan bahan ready made)
melihat keseluruhan pameran BMS 2010 serta inspirasi
berdasarkan kepada kepentingan pertandingan Bakat
Muda Sezaman di dalam menjana perkembangan seni
visual di Malaysia. Penyataan Hafiz, Audien diperlukan
untuk menggerakkan karya (lanca) di dalam ruang
pameran BMS. Audien juga boleh memilih untuk menjadi
pemandu (messenger) atau penumpang (passenger).
Maksud messenger bererti
seseorang yang bersusah
payah membawa audien yang
terdiri dari pelbagai bidang
sama ada seni atau tidak untuk
melihat senario seni tampak
yang dipersembahkan dalam
BMS di Malaysia.
Manakala passenger
(mungkin audien) pula
merupakan audien yang boleh
duduk selesa di atas tempat
duduk lanca yang beralaskan
bantal empuk yang cuma
duduk berpeluk tubuh sahaja
sambil dibawa mengelilingi
ruang pamer BMS. Namun
peluang menyertai atau
merasai kehadiran makna
karya ini terbatas dek kerana pengunjung masih
tidak berani/segan/ tidak tahu menggerakkan karya
sebegini seperti kehendak makna oleh seniman dan
memungkinkan keberkesanan pemahaman umum
mengenai objek seni semestinya tidak boleh di sentuh,
di naiki, di duduki dan sebagainya.
Melihat kembali objek seni dan monumental
dalam Koleksi Himpunan Tetap BSVN. Dua
buah beca (merupakan transisi daripada
basikal) dari Terengganu ini yang mempunyai
lukisan kotak beca yang dihasilkan oleh
Ahmad Fuad Osman dan Dahlan Sulaiman
menggunakan cat enamel di atas kepingan
kayu yang merekodkan aktiviti, landskap, dan
budaya di sana. Ciri-ciri mendekorasi itu sudah
muncul dalam menghias kenderaan seperti
beca yang bertindak sebagai pengangkutan
ringan kepada masyarakat.
BASIKAL, BECA dan LANCA
Kenderaan seperti basikal
sebagai subjek sering muncul
dalam catan dua dimensional.
Ini menandakan kehadirannya
bukanlah satu kehairanan
kerana ianya kandungan dalam
persekitaran hidup. Seniman
juga sebahagian daripada
persekitaran dan kenderaan
menjadi subjek mudah untuk
diterjemahkan ke dalam karya
bagi seniman. Bagi Roslisham
Ismail (Ise), karya bertajuk Spring
Coming! (2007, Cetakan
digital atas kertas)-merupakan
rentetan peristiwa harian ketika
menjadi residen artis ke empat
(AHC Visual Arts Residency
Awards 2006, Australia)
pengungkapan karya melalui
teknik kolaj dengan penggunaan
imej dan teks daripada pelbagai
jenis bahan bercetak samada
majalah, tiket, peta muzium,
pelekat dan poster. Ianya menjadi
sebuah penceritaan naratif seniman,
merekodkan sesuatu yang boleh dikatakan
sebagai buku lakaran (artist sketchbook) yang
merangkumi pemikiran seniman semasa menghasilkan
karya yang meliputi tajuk, catatan, tarikh, masa, dan
tempat. Imej wanita moden berbasikal, landskap ceria
persis illustration dan inspirasi budaya popular (pop-
culture), hasilan kolaj dari majalah dan tulisan tangan
seimbang dengan peranan teks menterjemahkan
kekuatan subjek mendorong perletakkan makna bagi
karya tersebut.
Keupayaan mentafsir pelbagai intepretasi
kenderaan sebagai subjek membuatkan ianya
muncul sebagai simbol dan metafora bukan sahaja
saling bergantungan di antara manusia dan mesin
yang menjadi sebahagian pembinaan teknologi,
pengkelasan taraf sosial dan perbedaan ekonomi.
Bagi pelukis Norhaslinda Nordin, idea mengenai
kesementaraan hidup menjadikan kepelbagaian
kenderaan sebagai subjek dalam siri catan
Temporary dan Life Cycle 2008. Imajan basikal
digarap berselang seli dengan imajan lain seperti
kereta, kapal terbang, bangunan lama bersama
aroma bitumen, akrilik, karat zink dan teknik jahitan
membentuk rupa kenderaan yang menyarankan
kemajuan teknologi dan estetik kultural signifikan
terhadap era pemodenan dan konsumerisme. Dimana
kemajuan seringkali membina jurang perbedaan
ekonomi di antara rakyat serta memaksa kapitalisma
menjadi sistem menggali keperitan masyarakat, malah
ianya bergerak pantas seiring dengan perkembangan
ketamadunan dalam kanta pembangunan material.
Menurut Nurhanim Khairuddin ...kenderaan menyimpul
taraf sosial, status kemewahan, kedudukan dalam
hirarke kelas leisure, kewujudan dan imej diri dalam
kehidupan seharian.Kelajuan dan Keselesaan
adalah indeks kemanusiaan masa kini. Basikal
memeri kekampungan, kereta Kekotaan, skuter
kesuburan, dan kereta sorong keprimitifan kita.
KENDERAAN BASIKAL SEBAGAI OBJEK
Basikal sebagai objek di dalam karya bukanlah
perkara baru tetapi menarik untuk dilihat bagaimana
seniman senang bereksperimentasi dengan pelbagai
kenderaan dan fungsinya bukan lagi di jalanan malah
kini dipamerkan di muzium-muzium seni ternama dunia.
Kenderaan melambangkan status dengan kuasa dan
keupayaan membeli individu. Begitu juga dengan
karya Forever 2009 sebuah seni instalasi oleh seniman
terkenal China, Ai Wei Wei, objek basikal dipasangkan
saling berhubungan (interconnected) di dalam
lingkaran bulat yang terbentuk hasil jalinan antara
satu sama lain. Basikal sangat signifikan dan menjadi
simbol status bagi orang-orang Cina namun perubahan
masyarakat kini berorientasikan kereta-kereta mewah
mengikut selera hari ini.
Riding Bikes 1998 sebuah arca awam di Berlin,
Jerman oleh Robert Rauschenberg. Nyata basikal telah
menjadi objek baru dalam pengkaryaan sebagaimana
Rauschenberg meneruskan legasi Marcel Duchamp,
Kurt Schwitters, Joseph Cornell dengan pembinaan
teori ready-made Dada.
Tema perjalanan(journey) dapat di interpretasikan
terhadap karya Suhaimi Fadzir iaitu Kansas City
Kuala Lumpur yang kini sedang di pamerkan di
Florence Biennale, Itali. Suhaimi yang sinonim dengan
penggunaan bahan ready-made yang sarat dengan
penggunaan teknik kolaj serta assemblaj olehnya
serta perahan resepi dari pasca moden yang disulami
elemen kultural tempatan, menjadikan perbezaan
karyanya di kancah seni visual Malaysia. Basikal tua
sebagai objek major yang dicantumkan dengan
catan dinding dan dikunci erat dengan padlock.
Perhubungan secara simbolik dengan objek basikal
yang memangkinkan suatu tujuan, pengalaman dan
destinasi dengan jalinan teks yang jelas menyoroti
sebuah perjalanan di antara Kuala Lumpur ke bandar
Kansas, USA. Perhubungan interaksi di antara cita-cita
dan citarasa, bagaimana seorang Malaysia melihat
keterujaannya terhadap kota besar yang mewah dan
elitis sebagaimana basikal tua secara simboliknya
(melihat dalam konteks tempatan) menyarankan
perbezaan status ekonomi,
menyimpulkan harapan,
transisi pertembungan
budaya serta elemen
nostalgia seperti
mengimbau rindu pada
tanahair dari seorang
penghijrah. Selain jatuh-
bangun, berada di atas
dan di bawah seperti
menyirat makna kehidupan
sentiasa diduga dengan
cabaran dan dugaan
persekitaran, teknologi dan
Pencipta. (Tuhan Yang
Maha Esa).
Sementara itu, karya pelukis muda, Mohd Lokman
Hakim Abdul Halim (Hakim) Re-born of Hercules
After Decade : Make It U-Turn merupakan titik tolak
persoalan mengenai perbuatan patah balik yang
difikirkan kembali sama ada ianya benar dan relevan
dalam penentuan satu objektif atau misi. Bagi Hakim,
ianya sebuah respon terhadap tema pertandingan
Terbuka Pulau Pinang Hilang Seketika, dimana basikal
tua sebagai objek yang diubah dalam kedudukan
seperti pusingan U (U-Turn) dengan fizikalnya secara
visual dapat dibezakan dalam dua konteks masa
(dulu dan kini),(terbiar dan terpelihara),(cantik dan
buruk) bersama kekuatan dan perhubungan intrinsik,
memori pelukis tentang nostalgia zaman kanak-kanak
memberi kesan terhadap pembinaan karya ini. Seolah-
olah Hakim cuba mengembalikan kelahiran kembali
basikal tua berjenama Hercules ini sebagai kenderaan
harian, trend terkini, hobi eksklusif atau hanya sebagai
manifestasi terhadap pemuliharaan sebuah objek untuk
menzahirkan kewujudannya kembali dan pembinaan
makna baru baginya.
Kenderaan sebagai subjek dan objek dalam karya seni
bukanlah metode baru dalam penghasilan karya tetapi
menarik perhatian melihat bagaimana perhubungan
akrab di antara jalinan manusia dan mesin menjadi
penggerak dalam semua faktor pembinaan kesenian
budaya, infrastruktur dan ekonomi.
Roslisham Ismail (Ise)
Spring Coming! (Keluar
90 Hari)
2007
Cetakan digital atas kertas
78 x 55cm
2007.048
Beca
1970an
Campuran
139 x 190 x 127cm
2001.021
YOKOHAMA
TRIENNALE
YOKOHAMA
TRIENNALE
18/page
Below are excepts from the exhibition catalogue with the guest
curators essay by Nur Hanim Khairuddin and guest writer
Ooi Kok Chuen.
KEMBARA DI SARANG SENI, or JOURNEY INTO THE
WORLD OF ART, has a very meaningful connotation to Ali
Rahamad, an established local artist also known as Ali Mabuha.
Journey and 'art' are two words particularly synonymous to him, as
they have become two most signicant aspects throughout his life.
For approximately four decades, Ali, like a bird ying away from its
nest in search of a better place, has undertaken a series of journeys
from a humble village in Muar to a lively city of Kuala Lumpur, and
from there, to nearly all over the world. He travels to search for and
realise his artistic identity, his true self, his souls essence, and his sense
of love and humanity.
I could still recall several lines of a Tagores poem quoted by Latif,
in Dewan Sastera if Im not mistaken. This little note that Latif penned
especially for me as if to remind me that a journey will help us
discover and recognise our true selves.
As artists, just like musicians, writers or other types of people
involved with arts, we should develop our originality in terms of
techniques, themes, subjects and so forth. For instance, I could not
simply declare myself a musician even though I have been playing
guitar for 25 years as a form of self-entertainment. In order to create
originality in our art, we must be really skillful and truly believe in
whatever we do. We must keep on searching, must continue with our
experiments, and never stop at one position. We should never feel
satised with whatever achievements we have enjoyed so far.
As an artist, Ali has no high-falutin ambitions. He is doing only what comes
naturally and what he thinks ought to be expressed and articulated, in his own
inimitable way. In an interview with Asiaweek (November 2, 1979), he said: I
just wanted to be myself, to paint, travel and to be free.
Anak Alam was started by four brothers Latif, Mustafa, Jo and I.
Usman Awang (1929-2001, the poet, later Datuk) was our half-brother,
Ali reiterates.

Anak Alam was more like a colony of artists; it was not in any way an art
movement. As mentioned by Ismail Abdullah, Anak Alam did not advocate
any major or minor ideas, and nor were its members by any means naive. Its
movement was not conned to only one particular idiom, medium,
iconography, mentality, dogma or style of art.
According to some people, Anak Alam was a creative process, or even a theater
of life. It was, as stated by a certain journalist, a place where its members
shared their feelings and sensitivities, where love, freedom and imagination
came together to produce one unied meaning. Their studio-cum-residence,
though looked such a mess from outside, was vibrant with a diversity of
activities. They held art exhibitions, poetry readings, print and sculpture
workshops, theatrical plays, strange-looking installations and unusual
performances. Various people went there: visual artists, writers, cartoonists,
students, theater activists, ordinary people, famous gures such as Usman
Awang, perhaps politicians too.
MANIFESTASI GENERASI
ANAK ALAM
(ditubuh pada 1 May 1974)
di sekeliling kami mesin-mesin mulai
berkuasa,
manusia-manusia menilai sesuatu
di atas
hitam dan putih semata,
dan kebenaran hanya,
diperuntukkan kepada satu sumber
yang telah ditentukan
terlebih dahulu,
dan kesenian satu hobi yang
ditampalkan kepada
status hidup.
di sekeliling kami berguguran
kata-kata tentang seni
dan
ucapan-ucapan
terhadap seni dari orang-orang
yang tidak mengenal
apa lagi punya apresiasi
terhadap seni.
dan di sekeliing kami
kehijauan
mulai bertukar
kepada batu-bata dan kaca
dengan debu
yang dipaksakan
kepada kami menyedutnya
tiap detik waktu.
dan dikeliling kami
tali dan jaring
birokrasi semakin menceruti
gerak langkah
dan tutur kata
sehingga kami merasa kehilangan diri
dan realiti.
MANIFESTO GENERATION ANAK ALAM
(formed 1 May 1974)
all around us are machines assuming control,
humans making judgments
purely
in blacks and whites,
and truth is but
assigned to accepted beliefs
from times before,
and art a hobby
attached to status.
all around us are miscarriages of words about art
and
speeches on art from people who know not
let alone appreciate art.
and all around us
the greens
are transforming
to bricks and glass
with dust
that compels
us to gasp for each moment of time.
and all around us
the ropes and nets of bureaucracy
kami generasi anak alam.
dengan kesedaran di atas
dan dengan cinta yang hangat
kepada seribu warna
dan kebebasan kemanusiaan
menyatakan kehadiran kami
dalam
satu tenaga
seniman untuk berkomunikasi
dengan
alam keliling
dengan warna bahasa
dan garis bentuk sebagai pengucapan
kami
yang dikenal oleh manusia sejagat.
generasi kami adalah wadah
kegiatan dan kesanggupan
di mana idea
dan imaginasi seniman diterapkan
dengan kejujuran
dan sifat kebenarannya.
semua seniman dari cabang seni
yang merasakan getaran
dan keharuan yang sama
dengan manifestasi ini
adalah saudara-saudara kami
yang satu wadah.
tidak ada perbatasan keturunan,
warna kulit,
kepercayaan,
usia,
jantina dan ukuran rambut
bagi generasi anak alam.

are restraining
our walk
and speech
until we lose ourselves
and the reality.
we are the children of nature.
with a consciousness and a love which warms to a
thousand colours
and which believes in the freedom of humanity
to announce its presence
in
a single force
of artists communicating
with
the environment
with tonalities of language
and design as our expression
that is known by all humanity.
our generation is a vassal
of enthusiasm and readiness
where the ideas
and imagination of artists
are embedded with honesty and
qualities of truth.
all art practitioners from all branches of arts
who feel this tremor
and turmoil and are with us
in this manifesto are our comrades
in the same vassal.
with no divisions of ancestry,
of skin colour,
of beliefs,
of age,
of gender and length of hair
in this generation of natures children.
(TRANSLATED BY WONG HOY CHEONG)
War Series (1999-2002)
Mixed Media on Canvas
Blue Flame
Mixed Media on Canvas
102 x 78 cm
2011
Puteri Gunong Ledang 11
Mixed Media on Canvas
147 x 103 cm
2005
Puteri Gunong Ledang 20
Mixed Media on Canvas
147 x 103 cm
2005
Twin Tower Series
Mixed Media on Canvas
2008
Aztec Series (2007-8)
Mixed Media on Canvas
Below are excepts from the exhibition catalogue with the guest
curators essay by Nur Hanim Khairuddin and guest writer
Ooi Kok Chuen.
KEMBARA DI SARANG SENI, or JOURNEY INTO THE
WORLD OF ART, has a very meaningful connotation to Ali
Rahamad, an established local artist also known as Ali Mabuha.
Journey and 'art' are two words particularly synonymous to him, as
they have become two most signicant aspects throughout his life.
For approximately four decades, Ali, like a bird ying away from its
nest in search of a better place, has undertaken a series of journeys
from a humble village in Muar to a lively city of Kuala Lumpur, and
from there, to nearly all over the world. He travels to search for and
realise his artistic identity, his true self, his souls essence, and his sense
of love and humanity.
I could still recall several lines of a Tagores poem quoted by Latif,
in Dewan Sastera if Im not mistaken. This little note that Latif penned
especially for me as if to remind me that a journey will help us
discover and recognise our true selves.
As artists, just like musicians, writers or other types of people
involved with arts, we should develop our originality in terms of
techniques, themes, subjects and so forth. For instance, I could not
simply declare myself a musician even though I have been playing
guitar for 25 years as a form of self-entertainment. In order to create
originality in our art, we must be really skillful and truly believe in
whatever we do. We must keep on searching, must continue with our
experiments, and never stop at one position. We should never feel
satised with whatever achievements we have enjoyed so far.
As an artist, Ali has no high-falutin ambitions. He is doing only what comes
naturally and what he thinks ought to be expressed and articulated, in his own
inimitable way. In an interview with Asiaweek (November 2, 1979), he said: I
just wanted to be myself, to paint, travel and to be free.
Anak Alam was started by four brothers Latif, Mustafa, Jo and I.
Usman Awang (1929-2001, the poet, later Datuk) was our half-brother,
Ali reiterates.

Anak Alam was more like a colony of artists; it was not in any way an art
movement. As mentioned by Ismail Abdullah, Anak Alam did not advocate
any major or minor ideas, and nor were its members by any means naive. Its
movement was not conned to only one particular idiom, medium,
iconography, mentality, dogma or style of art.
According to some people, Anak Alam was a creative process, or even a theater
of life. It was, as stated by a certain journalist, a place where its members
shared their feelings and sensitivities, where love, freedom and imagination
came together to produce one unied meaning. Their studio-cum-residence,
though looked such a mess from outside, was vibrant with a diversity of
activities. They held art exhibitions, poetry readings, print and sculpture
workshops, theatrical plays, strange-looking installations and unusual
performances. Various people went there: visual artists, writers, cartoonists,
students, theater activists, ordinary people, famous gures such as Usman
Awang, perhaps politicians too.
MANIFESTASI GENERASI
ANAK ALAM
(ditubuh pada 1 May 1974)
di sekeliling kami mesin-mesin mulai
berkuasa,
manusia-manusia menilai sesuatu
di atas
hitam dan putih semata,
dan kebenaran hanya,
diperuntukkan kepada satu sumber
yang telah ditentukan
terlebih dahulu,
dan kesenian satu hobi yang
ditampalkan kepada
status hidup.
di sekeliling kami berguguran
kata-kata tentang seni
dan
ucapan-ucapan
terhadap seni dari orang-orang
yang tidak mengenal
apa lagi punya apresiasi
terhadap seni.
dan di sekeliing kami
kehijauan
mulai bertukar
kepada batu-bata dan kaca
dengan debu
yang dipaksakan
kepada kami menyedutnya
tiap detik waktu.
dan dikeliling kami
tali dan jaring
birokrasi semakin menceruti
gerak langkah
dan tutur kata
sehingga kami merasa kehilangan diri
dan realiti.
MANIFESTO GENERATION ANAK ALAM
(formed 1 May 1974)
all around us are machines assuming control,
humans making judgments
purely
in blacks and whites,
and truth is but
assigned to accepted beliefs
from times before,
and art a hobby
attached to status.
all around us are miscarriages of words about art
and
speeches on art from people who know not
let alone appreciate art.
and all around us
the greens
are transforming
to bricks and glass
with dust
that compels
us to gasp for each moment of time.
and all around us
the ropes and nets of bureaucracy
kami generasi anak alam.
dengan kesedaran di atas
dan dengan cinta yang hangat
kepada seribu warna
dan kebebasan kemanusiaan
menyatakan kehadiran kami
dalam
satu tenaga
seniman untuk berkomunikasi
dengan
alam keliling
dengan warna bahasa
dan garis bentuk sebagai pengucapan
kami
yang dikenal oleh manusia sejagat.
generasi kami adalah wadah
kegiatan dan kesanggupan
di mana idea
dan imaginasi seniman diterapkan
dengan kejujuran
dan sifat kebenarannya.
semua seniman dari cabang seni
yang merasakan getaran
dan keharuan yang sama
dengan manifestasi ini
adalah saudara-saudara kami
yang satu wadah.
tidak ada perbatasan keturunan,
warna kulit,
kepercayaan,
usia,
jantina dan ukuran rambut
bagi generasi anak alam.

are restraining
our walk
and speech
until we lose ourselves
and the reality.
we are the children of nature.
with a consciousness and a love which warms to a
thousand colours
and which believes in the freedom of humanity
to announce its presence
in
a single force
of artists communicating
with
the environment
with tonalities of language
and design as our expression
that is known by all humanity.
our generation is a vassal
of enthusiasm and readiness
where the ideas
and imagination of artists
are embedded with honesty and
qualities of truth.
all art practitioners from all branches of arts
who feel this tremor
and turmoil and are with us
in this manifesto are our comrades
in the same vassal.
with no divisions of ancestry,
of skin colour,
of beliefs,
of age,
of gender and length of hair
in this generation of natures children.
(TRANSLATED BY WONG HOY CHEONG)
War Series (1999-2002)
Mixed Media on Canvas
Blue Flame
Mixed Media on Canvas
102 x 78 cm
2011
Puteri Gunong Ledang 11
Mixed Media on Canvas
147 x 103 cm
2005
Puteri Gunong Ledang 20
Mixed Media on Canvas
147 x 103 cm
2005
Twin Tower Series
Mixed Media on Canvas
2008
Aztec Series (2007-8)
Mixed Media on Canvas
JAPAN:Kingdom of
Characters
20 Feb-20 March 2012
Gallery 2A
Balai Seni Visual Negara
www.artgallery.gov.my
Researching the seemingly broad and important
topic of art programmes in Malaysia, the first
noteworthy observation is the apparent absence
of any secondary literature on the subject. These
programmes serve the purpose of nurturing the
local and international artistic pace whilst supplying
Malaysians with a medium for creativity. Such
elements are paramount to the economic and
cultural prosperity which Malaysia is seeking, and
so the public and private spheres are beginning to
appreciate more that these programmes are worth
expanding and developing.
Malaysia has already proven its interest in visual arts.
In the last twenty years, Kuala Lumpur in particular
has seen an increase in the number of gallery spaces
emerging. Evidence for public provision is visible in
Malaysias National Visual Arts Gallery (NVAG), whilst
the Petronas towers are home to the companys own
Galeri Petronas. Despite a slight setback in the art
market in recent years, there is an increasing emphasis
on investment value-a questionable and dangerous
focus. The Tourism Ministry is touting 'Art Tourism',
albeit to a sceptical public audience. Parallelling this
momentum, a greater prominence has been given to
education in the arts in light of the private universities
that have sprung up to satisfy demand.
These various developments in the art world are
inspiring a number of artist-in-residence programmes,
public lectures and art CSR (Corporate Social
Responsibility) activities, provided mainly by private
organisations. The existence of these activities
shows an institutional desire to foster the worlds,
and Malaysias vision for the visual arts. A number of
private galleries, mainly in and around the capital, are
organising and accommodating such programmes.
There a numerous benefits to these programmes,
appearing in terms of public and private
advancement. For the established artists, the
residency programmes represent the provision of
appropriate tools, time and space with which to
work. It is frequently understood that there will be an
exhibition of the works which have grown from the
dedicated residency period, gaining both gallery
and resident publicity. In return the artists can usually
expect accommodation, often at the gallery itself.
Many artists may find inspiration unavailable in their
home setting, and the time and freedom is designed
to allow a certain forum for experimentation.
More than this, the residency is designed to give the
artists a pause for reflection in the hustle and bustle
of everyday existence, and a respite from distractions
which can dilute or disrupt the intensity of creation
or thought.
Interestingly, these residencies develop more than
just artistic expression. Many programmes are
international in nature and in focus. Rimbun Dahans
residency is intended to encourage links between
artistic communities in Australia and Malaysia
by accepting residents with Australian cultural
backgrounds. The cross-cultural and cross-artistic
dialogue which emerges often breeds intriguing and
eclectic individual styles. Artists, both international
and regionally diverse Malaysians, may take
inspiration from their new base and pursue interesting
new creative avenues and fusions. Furthermore,
intercontinental arrangements foster international
communication and strengthen diplomatic
connections between the parent and host countries.
Shalini Ganendra Fine Art (SGFA) launches the 'vv'
in 2012, which will involve collaboration between an
American artist and a team of Malaysian artists. The
Gallery, which emphasises cross cultural dialogues,
(whilst firmly exhibiting work that has a vernacular
identity), also has an ongoing and successful non-
profit lecture program, the 'Vision Culture Lectures',
that brings international cultural luminaries to Malaysia
in a carefully structured programme. Having a
multidisciplinary focus, the Lectures offer variety,
having hosted Sir Roy Calne (surgeon and artist); Carol
Cassidy (textile artist); Christopher Phillips (ICP Curator,
NY) and others.
The SAGER (South East Asian Art Group Exchange
Residency) of the Ampang-based House of Matahati
(HOM) encourages artistic connections with Indonesia
and the Philippines by working with TENGARA Artland
and Projectspace Pilipinas respectively. The residency
enables Malaysian, Indonesian, and Filipino artists
to foster and strengthen regional ties, [entailing] 30-
days each in Kuala Lumpur, Jogjakarta and Manila.
This same gallery is also committed to creating
exposure for Malaysias up-and-coming talents. Its
HOM Residency programme is designed for recent
graduates and self-taught artists under 30 years old.
Happily, the number of residency programmes is slowly
growing, with Rimbun Dahans establishment of an
offshoot in the Penaga Hotel, Georgetown. Shalini
Ganendra Fine Art has recently opened the innovative
Gallery Residence, an award winning green building
that boasts contemporary rejuvenation of traditional
building practices. SGFAs doors are opening to
exciting and uninterrupted artistic experimentation in
a relaxed suburban setting. It also hosts the Exploring
the East Residency, designed to allow graduates and
university students to develop curatorial and research
skills, as well as giving them the chance to travel in
Southeast Asia. This innovative residency fosters ties
between the East and West, as the participants usually
come from outside Asia.
Outside the metropolis of Kuala Lumpur there is a
startling sparseness in such programmes. Penang
appears to be the only other region in which any
form of creative provision is immediately visible.
Malaysia has so much to offer in terms of space and
inspiration - from the depths of the oldest rainforest
in the world, to the beautiful beachscapes in Borneo
or the rolling tea-plantations in the central mainland.
Yet the main source of residencies is in the capital.
ResArtis (www.resartis.org), a comprehensive website
listing the worlds residencies, reveals that Australia
has perhaps 20 times more opportunities than the
under-represented Malaysia. Many of these Australian
counterparts exist in rural locations, where the
landscape is a source of intense spiritual and creative
influence. In order to prevent Malaysian artists going
abroad for residencies and even work, the art scene
must adapt and expand to cater for its own talents.
Of course, not everyone can be the artist in the
strict definition of the word, where one makes a
living by displaying or selling their artistic creations.
Nonetheless, thankfully certain galleries in Malaysia
are making it possible for everyone to explore their
creative side. Currently, they are organising lectures
and forums allowing everyone to listen or participate
in questioning established artists, whether it be an
innovative Australian, making beautiful creations out
of discarded materials, or a traditional Malaysian kite-
maker, keeping alive the age-old styles. More often
than not this occurs alongside the artist in residence
programme-surely the best kind of art teacher. A
public gallery in KL, Galeri Petronas, frequently gives
visitors the opportunity to converse face-to-face
with their artist in residence (though there has not
been one for a few years), and the public can even
attempt their own designs using traditional methods.
SGFAs philanthropic programme Art Hug is designed
to expose under-privileged children to art and boost
their creativity and confidence. The classes are often
taken by the artist currently in residence or exhibiting
at the gallery.
These kinds of provisions offer Malaysians a pocket
of culture with which they may never again come
into contact. Visitors to SGFA in July 2011 would
have listened to a captivating lecture by Papua
New Guinea-born expert Dr Susan Cochrane and
Megan Djuramalwuy Yunupingu, a talented young
artist from the isolated communities of the aboriginal
26/page
| ALEX GOMAR & NATASHA LOGAN
www.rimbundahan.org
www.houseofmatahati.blogspot.com
www.matahati-sageresidency.blogspot.com
www.artgallery.gov.my
www.malihom-air.org
www.shaliniganendra.com/residencies.html
island of Elcho. It was a remarkable occasion for all
those present, and part of the Vision Culture Lectures-
providing a unique and rare opportunity to hear an
artist versed in the traditional Yolngu artistic styles.
But what if Mrs Djuramalwuy Yunupingu, as a
childhood artist, was never given the chance to
blossom? Education is a privilege sadly not available
to all communities and for some, creativity is often
forgotten in the effort to achieve even a minimal
education. Considered a liminal discipline by
many academic institutions, visual art is sometimes
neglected even for those blessed with a good
education. Understanding the statistic that the
average Malaysian child will finish his or her education
between the ages of twelve and thirteen, a focus on
the arts must clearly begin early in life. This is where the
art programmes play a very important part-like those
of SGFA and StART Society, an academy dedicated
to serve the underprivileged children community,
where the arts are used to bring healing and rebuild
their self-esteem. Such organisations contribute a vital
opportunity for nurturing childhood creative expression
through art classes.
An education in art fosters creative thinking and
interesting ways of expressing oneself. These are
fundamental skills needed for innovation in any field,
and can be applied in any situation, be it finance,
building contracting, or cuisine. An arts-based
education provides one with the ability to challenge
fixed and entrenched parameters within which people
usually work. Government authorities are well aware of
the benefits of creative thinking.
The education authorities have also made an effort
in this direction as they scrapped restrictive UPSR and
PMR examinations in 2010 in the hope that this would
avoid producing students who were trained solely to
pass exams and not think freely. The Knowledge-Based
Economy (K-Economy), an idea launched in 2001,
emphasises the fundamental role of critical thinking
in an efficient workforce. It gauged the existing levels
of Figural Creativity through collage-making, itself a
visual art form. The 2008 study showed that children
in Malaysia have the same artistic potential as their
American counterparts-therefore there is no reason
why this same smart thinking in life and business
cannot be seeded from a young age.
However, the current education system focuses much
more on vocational and science-based subjects. This
in itself should be valued, since Malaysia is one of the
leading innovators in physical sciences. Yet it can be
detrimental to the study of subjects which enhance
creative thought, which currently seem to have fallen
down the list of the governments priorities. According
to a survey funded by Scripps College, California, a
staggering 24% of people interviewed (a significant
majority) had no confidence at all in Malaysias
ability to reach Vision 2020s projected target of
developed-nationhood. This was in contrast to the 1%
who believed Malaysia could reach this target. Many
attributed this to the poor condition of Malaysias
education, which was contributing to the negative
brain-drain, as large numbers of Malaysians leave to
study abroad, many never to return.
Art programmes currently go a little way to filling this
socio-economic problem, but there is a considerable
way to go. Currently they function on a small
scale, receiving sufficient funds from private and
public sources. However, many people would like
to see funding greatly increase in an attempt to
combat this brain-drain. Most of the art initiatives are
privately funded and receive little support from the
government, and sadly even corporate sponsors are
moving away from support of the arts to focus more
on environmental or educational programmes.
The creative future of Malaysia is of vital importance
to the success of the country as a whole. Malaysia
can focus on the future without losing sight of
the traditional art forms which can be a valuable
means for personal expression. Art programmes go
some way to bringing the heritage - not only of the
people in distant lands, but also of the Malaysian
people themselves - back to Malaysians. These art
programmes seek to guide traditions down new
exciting avenues whilst endorsing a more widespread
contact with artistic license. They represent the
potential of Malaysia to achieve her goals by varying
creative possibilities, as well as developing artistic
styles, and are worthwhile for the sake of past, present
and future.
With Compliments
From
With Compliments
From
2 Jalan Temerloh
Off Jalan Tun Razak
53200 Kuala Lumpur
T+603 4024 4998
F+603 4025 4987
EXHIBITIONS
RESOURCECENTER
The National Visual Arts Gallery was established
on 27 August 1958 under the patronage of
Malaysias first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul
Rahman Putra Al-Haj. Presently the NVAG,
under the Ministry of Information,
Communications and Culture Malaysia, aims to
create awareness, understanding,
appreciation of the visual arts and is the
custodian of our national visual arts heritage.
GALLERYSHOP
SAKSI DAN BUKTI :
ANASSUWANDI DAN FAUZULYUSRI
(NATIONAL COLLECTION)
8 Feb-7 May 2012
Reka Gallery
Curators : Baktiar Naim & Syahrul Niza Zaini
PERTARUNGAN : AMRON OMAR
15 Feb-27 Aug 2012
3A&B Gallery
Curator : Alizam Hassan
JAPAN: KINGDOM OF CHARACTERS
20 Feb-20 Mac 2012
2A Gallery
Presented by Japan Foundation
Kuala Lumpur
THE LAST HARVEST :
RABINDRANATH TAGORE
28 Mac-6 Jul 2012
2B Gallery
Presented by the National Gallery of Modern Art
India
PHOTOS EXHIBITION
1 April-13 July 2012
2A Gallery
Curator : Mohd Khazrul Sharuddin

RECENT ACQUISITIONS
(NATIONAL COLLECTION)
4 Apr-12 Nov 2012
1A Gallery
Curators : Mohd Fairus Ismail & Ismail Yacub
KARTUN ORI EXHBITION
16 May-17 Aug 2012
Reka Gallery
Curators : Syahrizal Zaihadi
& Jazmi Mohamed Sharif
RAMADAN
17 Jul-7 Dec 2012
2B Gallery
Curator : Usnita Nasir
MEMBERS ONLY
24 Jul-30 Nov 2012
2A Gallery
Curators : Lim Ai Woei
& Mohd Anuar Abd Aziz
THE MERDEKA SHOW!
28 Aug-28 Dec 2012
Reka Gallery
Curator : Intan Rafiza
DRAWING : WANITA
5 Sept-10 Dec 2012
3A Gallery 2012
Curators : Rohana Mohd Yusof
& Hasimah Nyok
IKONIK
(NATIONAL COLLECTION)
20 Dec 2012-12 June 2013
1A Gallery
Curator : Bakhtiar Naim
ABDUL LATIFF MOHIDIN
(A BIOGRAFICAL EXHIBITION)
26 Dec 2012-13 June 2013
2A&B, 3A&B
Guest Curator : Tengku Sabri Ibrahim