Assignment 1 Part 2

Figure Out
English 2 (ESP 0205)

Tan Foo Wong (0310004) Lucas Wong Kok Hoe (0309421)

In this essay, we will be comparing about two paintings in terms of contrast. The first painting is the Tempoyak and Wisky Amok Di Pasar Salak. This mixed media on canvas painting is drawn by a Malaysian artist named Zulkifli Yusoff. The second painting is The Beggining. This oil painting on canvas is painted by an Indian artist, Syed Thajudeen. Zulkifli Yusoff was born on the 25th of January, 1962 in Yan Kedah. He graduated from Diploma in Art & Design (Fine Art), MARA Institute of Technology (MIT), Shah Alam, Malaysia and Master of Arts, Manchester Polytechnic, UK. His first Group Exhibition was in the year 1987. The exhibition was held in Kedah State Gallery, Alor Star with the theme called Warna-warna. His first Solo Exhibition was held in NN Gallery,Kuala Lumpur in the year 1996. The second artist, Syed Thajudeen was born in 1943 in Alagan Kulam, India. He graduated from Diploma in Painting, Government College of Arts and Crafts, Madras, India and Post-Diploma in Painting, Government College of Arts and Crafts, Madras, India. His first Group Exhibition was held in Annual Shows, Government College of Arts and Crafts, Madras, India while his first Solo Exhibition was held in Museum and Gallery, Penang. The first painting we observed was the Tempoyak and Wisky Amok Di Pasar Salak by Zulkifli Yusoff. This artwork is categorised as mixed media and abstract painting. Most of his paintings are related to Malaysian history with several colonizers. The painting method for this drawing was by printing. He printed a mixture of many repeated images in different colours and forms. Thus forming an abstract art which doesnt show the direct meaning of the event for which this artwork was created. The major event which happened in the artwork was the 1875 incident in which the British imperialist J.W.W. Birch was murdered by Datuk Maharajalela. This could be concluded where a foreigner that is known as J.W.W. Birch is seen at the lower part of the artwork. In the background of the artwork, old pictures and drawings of local residents, British armies and traditional houses can be seen to represent the timeline of Malaysia in the event drawn. A copper like coin is also present to

represent the state in Malaysia which is most likely to be Perak since J.W.W. Birch was in charge of that state. The word WISKY seems to represent the western value in the artwork. The image of the year 1875, guns, targets and inverted colors of blood splat shows the murder incident of the imperialist in that year. The word TEMPOYAK means preserved durian while AMOK in the left side of the painting means fight. However there is one symbol which remains unknown to us was used repeatedly for 4 times throughout the artwork. The rhythm of the artwork is mostly repetition. The texture of the artwork is very smooth because it was printed on a canvas. The title of the artwork definitely suits the art because it shows the fight of the locals with the British in Pasir Salak, Perak. The second painting we saw was The Beginning. The painting style of Syed Thajudeen was very distinctive and easy to recognize because he always combined the indigenous motifs and symbols from his Indian background into his painting. In addition, the style of his colourings is very unique; the painting method of The Beginning is using oil and canvas. The Beginning is more trended to abstract and the contents of the painting is come from the inspiration of the beginning of Malacca. The Malacca story is a well-known story for every Malaysia citizen, the story is talking the Parameswara how to thought-out the Malacca name after he had seen the mousedeer pushed the dog into the river, and he decided to named it Melaka after the tree under which he had taken shelter. So that why this painting had displayed in the Figure Out exhibition and the title as The Beginning because the Parameswara had given Malacca a nice name after he observed the surrounding and figure out this good name, after that he also started his first kingdom in the Malacca. The Beginning is a very suitable name for the painting, and the painting also show the scenery of the Parameswara and his followers saw the mousedeer revolt against the dog. After the observation, we had discovered this painting used a few of the principles. The first principles we found was emphasis of the painting, Syed Thajudeen put the emphasis on the

Parameswara and his followers, the size of Parameswara and his followers is more bigger that the background and the mousedeer and the dog. Although Parameswara and his follower were bigger than other thing, but the balancing of the painting also maintain on very good situation. The painting was drawn in two dimensional by using few element of art. This background texture of the painting is very common used by Syed Thajudeen, the texture is similar to the pattern of the yellow Marble stone and full of old style. Then for the element of the colour, Syed Thajudeen likes to use contrast colour as his painting style. As you can see, The Beginning is filled with red and some green colour. According to the colour circle, the green colour is the contrast colour of the red colour.

In conclusion, there are many artists in this world and each of them with their own artistic style. Thus it is very unique since there will never be another style which is the same in this world. Just like the unique fingerprint that we were born with. The paintings have shown the sacrifices that were made by artists; they sacrificed most of their time and money in order to create beautiful and renowned paintings. The value of their paintings is unlimited to them, because all of this for them is the spirit and soul of their entire life. Finally, the two different paintings as mentioned above have showed different meaning and taste. Therefore, we couldnt decide whether which is good or bad, we can just only use different point of views and opinions to appreciate and admire them.

Reference List
Syed Thajudeen's Photostream. (2012). Retrieved NOVEMBER 19, 2012, from http://www.flickr.com: http://www.flickr.com/people/syedthajudeen

Thajudeen, S. (2009, MARCH 2). Syed Thajudeen. Retrieved NOVEMBER 19, 2012, from https://www.facebook.com: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Syed-Thajudeen/60587354609?sk=info Yusoff, Z. (2012). Biography. Retrieved NOVEMBER 19, 2012, from http://www.zulkifliyusoff.com: http://www.zulkifliyusoff.com/zulkifli-yusoff/biography/