Freeman Fellowship goes to Nirmala Karuppiah

NIRMALA KARUPPIAH (b. 1972, Malaysia) has been awarded a 2009/2010 Freeman Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center, USA. During the Fellowship, Karuppiah will further investigate and develop her blend of culture narrative and traditional photographic techniques.

Works primarily with black and white photography, using traditional documentary techniques, as well as contemporary formats, Nirmala's body of work documents Malaysian dance troupes specifically traditional Indian dance. She has traveled extensively to capture dancers, audiences, performances and silences. She also photographs urban and rural landscapes, investigating cultural dialogues and developments.

Her masterful interpretations of these subjects have brought her recognition as a formidable young photographic talent with a discerning and elegant eye. Nirmala's work was most recently featured in the SGFA Gallery showing during Asia Week 2009, New York.

Portrait : Eng Tay

Since there is currently a retrospective show of his work going on at Petronas Gallery is now, we figured it apt to do his profile. The show curated by Ooi Kok Chuen, is the most comprehensive exhibition of the artist ever, assembling a selection of prints, paintings in oil and acrylic, sculptures both life-sized and marquettes, including hand-painted ceramic works. Eng Tay - The Exhibition is going on now until 17th May, 2009. A catalog of the show is available for purchase.

Eng Tay is among the few Malaysian artists to be celebrated locally while having made it overseas, in New York the epi-center of art in the US no less. Born in Kedah in 1947 he to New York City to study Fine Arts at the Art Students League in the late 60s and graduated as graphic designer at School of Visual Arts where he studied graphic design, painting and printmaking.

Eng Tay is famous for his paintings and (limited edition etchings) that tell stories of love, togetherness and camaraderie with round Gauguin-like couples embracing, music-making, dance and family intimacy. These tender moments create a warm feel-good mood whether hanging in a gallery space or your living room.

Eng Tay employs a multi-plate process in his etchings that is enriched by the a-lo-poupee technique. A technically complex process is hand painted and rubbed, burnished, blending a quiet play of color, tonalities, decorative motifs in perfect harmony.

Since his goal is to create simple poetry, his images are not pretentious or ornate, but a poetic language that is freely accessible that leave a lasting impressions of people in action and poetry in motion.

In his own words: "As I evolve I find myself less interested in the refined and the complex, and more and more drawn to expressing myself as simply as possible – which translates into a simplicity of form and an affinity with a more earthy feel. As I explore this direction I would like my work to become more and more universal and to be able to touch and reach as many others as possible; and I would wish that the boundaries between us can become fewer and fewer.”

Eng Tay still lives in New York City with his wife and 2 children. He continues to paint, sculpt and make etchings at his TriBeCa studio.

Selected Solo Exhibitions

1990

JRS Fine Prints, Providence, RI

Galeria Citra, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Portfolio Graphics, Montclair, NJ

Gallery '90, London, England

Renjeau Galleries, Boston, MA

Daruma Galleries, Cedarhurst, NY

Renaissance Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA

Howard Scott Gallery, Miami, FL

Solomon Fine Art, Scottsdale, AZ

1991
Parkshore Gallery, Naples, FL

Premier Gallery (host) Fredricksburg, VA

Portfolio Gallery, Portsmouth, UK

Ginger Gallery, Bristol, UK

John Sewell Fine Art, Birmingham, UK

Multiple Impressions, New York, NY

1992
Conservatory of Fine Arts, Penang, Malaysia
1993
JRS Fine Prints, Providence, RI

The Empress Place, Singapore

The Bell Gallery, Memphis, TN

1994
Crown Art Centre, Taipei, Taiwan

Multiple Impressions, New York, NY

GaleriCitra, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Howard Salon, Taipei, Taiwan

Fukuyama Museum of Art, Hiroshima, Japan

"Asian Sculpture" exhibition 163 Mercer Street Gallery, New York, NY

FrameShop Gallery, New Haven, CT

1995
Sapo Gallery, Taiwan

The Bell Gallery, Memphis & Michigan

Exhibiton of Sculpture Multiple Impressions, New York, NY

Crown Arts Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

1996
Conservatory of Fine Arts, Penang, Malaysia.

Morningside Gallery, Albany, NY

JRS Fine Art, Providence, RI

Jennifer Gallery, Avon, CT

Malaysian Arts Exhibition, New York, NY

New World Art Center, New York, NY

Pacific Artists in NY

1997
ArtFolio, Singapore

GaleriCitra, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Multiple Impressions, New York City, NY

Galerie Du Monde, Hong Kong

Renjeau Galleries, Boston, MA
1998
Artworks Gallery, Worcester, MA

Gallery 7, Danbury, CT

Sheryl Leonard Gallery, Potomac, MD

Big Pagoda, San Francisco, CA

1999
Multiple Impressions, New York, NY

Midday Gallery, Englewood, NJ

Renjeau Galleries, Natick, MA

TRA Art group, Troy, MI

2000
Artfolio, Singapore

Morningside Gallery, Albany, NY

Multiple Impressions, New York, NY

P & C Art, Fairfax, VA

Gallery 44, Ellicot City, MD

2001
The Air Gallery, London, UK

Midday Gallery, Englewood, NJ

Galerie Du Monde, Hong Kong

2002
Galerie Sono, South Norwalk, CT

Galerie West, West Hampton Beach, NY

Multiple Impressions, New York, NY

2003
Canna Gallery, Indonesia

Galerie Sono, South Norwalk, CT

2004
Galeri Citra, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Galeri DuMonde, Hong Kong, China

Multiple Impressions, New York City, NY
Artfolio , Singapore

Galerie Sono, South Norwalk, CT

Kiaraville, KL, Malaysia

2006
Bidadari Gallery, Bali

Canna Gallery, Indonesia

Midday Gallery, Englewood, NJ

Kiaraville, KL, Malaysia

2007
The Harrison Gallry, MA

Westville Gallery, CT

Artfolio Gallery, Singapore

Art Salon @ Seni, KL, Malaysia
2008
The Gallery@Starhill, KL, Malaysia
KL Pac, KL, Malaysia

Next Stop: USA - The MATAHATI Coming Out Party

Ahmad Fuad Osman, Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Hamir Soib @ Mohamed and Masnoor Ramli Mahmud the guys who make up the MATAHATI collective are all set for their much talked-about debut to the U.S.

Matahati ke Matadunia or Matahati in the Eyes of the World will premiere at Los Angeles-based gallery DCA Fine Art. This exhibition is crucial stepping stone for bringing their art (and other Malaysian art) to a wider and hopefully accepting audience.

It'll be interesting to see how they do. We'll keep you posted. Catch the preview of Matahati ke Matadunia exhibition showcased at Galeri Chandan, April 9th - 25th, 2009 before it takes off to Los Angeles.

Galeri Chandan

No 15, Jalan Gelenggang
Bukit Damansara 50490
Kuala Lumpur
Mon-Fri: 10am-6pm

chillin before the opening @ Chandan

What's MATAHATI?
Formed in 1989 while the five were studying together at UiTM, Matahati has organically morphed into a force to be reckoned with on the Malaysian art scene by averaging at least an exhibition a year while rapidly making their presense felt in the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and as far abroad as Great Britain.

Besides being bound together since uni days by a mutual interest in current social, political, and aesthetic issues, genuine respect and like for one another, and apart from sharing a dedication to perfecting their craft, the five Matahati indivuduals work and evolve separately yet are all accomplished artists in their own right.

Ahmad Fuad Osman
To Whom It May Concern

Contemporary Southeast Asian Art @ New York's Asian Art Week

Shalini Ganendra Fine Art will be showing contemporary art by established talents from South East Asia during Asia Week 2009 and Asian Contemporary Art Week, New York. Award winner, Yeoh Kean Thai; photographer, Nirmala Karuppiah; and heritage watercolourist, Chin Kon Yit will be featured. The exhibition, at the headquarters of the English Speaking Union of the United States, will show from March 12th to May 31, 2009. For more information, please contact: ESU 212 818 1200 or stag@tm.net.my www.shaliniganendra.com @ 144 East 39th Street, New York, NY ESU hours: 9:30am - 5:00pm Mon - Fri; 9:30am - 8:00pm Wed

Rajinder in Melbourne

If you're in Melbourne this week check out the launch party of Rajinder Singh's first solo exhibition in Australia!

T.V.I.M. -Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia

Chatchawan Rodklongtan

Abu Zaki Hadri

Organized by the artist group Seringgit and held at Jogja Gallery, a major exhibition of works of art originating from countries in Southeast Asia introduced Indonesia to it's neighbours through visual art. The aim of the exhibition was to connect young artists from each participating country and help develop contemporary art and strengthen ties within the region.

The main works featured were oil and acrylic paintings on canvas. Modernist aesthetics seemed to be the dominant theme, while issues from personality, society, politics, to religious matters were explored in the works. It was interesting to get a glimpse of various public discourses relevant to the different countries from this archipelago.

According to the organizers, the choice of Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia was, a conscious because it reflects the current strongholds of contemporary Southeast Asian art. (Thanks for the of validation!)

Artists: Anggar Prasetya, Laksmi Sitharesmi, I Wayan Cahya, Jono, Hardiana, Buniyal Abroru, Valentinus Rommy, Eddy Sulistyo, Kukuh Nuswantoro, Hadi Soesanto, Nurkholis, Ekasit Jirattikanon, Chatchawan Rodklongtan, Tanasade Silaapiwon, Jack Ting, Abu Zaki Hadri, Bee Ng, Muichii Ting, Ngoc Phuong Nguyen, Tran Cuong Nguyen, Thanh Son Nguyen, Tinh Do Xuan, Xuan Tiep Nguyen, Anh Tuan Dang

Ahmad Fuad Osman -ABPF Signature Art Juror's Prize

Recollections of Long Lost Memories
Ahmad Fuad Osman

39 year-old Ahmad Fuad Osman, founder of the Matahati group of artists received the Juror’s Choice Award at the inaugural Asia Pacific Breweries (ABP) Foundation Signature Art Prize of S$10,000 last week for prints titled Recollections of Long Lost Memories. ~They kinda remind me of Where's Waldo but grown-up~

Ahmad Fuad, was among the top 10 finalists for the awards organised by the APB Foundation and Singapore Art Museum (SAM), whose work had been shortlisted as one of the 34 nominated from 12 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The other shortlisted artists were from Cambodia, China, India, Mongolia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.

Yee I-Lann and Noor Azizan Rahman Paiman were also nominated. The 10 shortlisted works are on view at the Singapore Art Museum until Nov. 16.

The Challenger
Noor Azizan Rahman Paiman

Kerbau
Yee I-Lann

Picture Source: -APBF Signature Art Prize website

Portrait : Billy Tan

Original Uncanny X-Men #476 Cover
US$2,000.00 at www.billytanart.com

I'm always ecstatic when I hear that Malaysians are doing well overseas especially if they're artists. I used to be a total comic-nerd so I was super excited when I found that hot & rising Marvel artist Billy Tan who's done Uncanny X-Men (Uncanny X-Men!!!) is a fellow Malaysian... And even better news; you can buy his work from his website starting from US$75, hoard it for 5 years, then auction it on ebay for a ga-million! OK so maybe I'm still a comic-nerd (just a little).

BIO
Billy Tan was born(1970) and raised in Penang, Malaysia. He moved to the United States in 1989 to study business at the University of Kentucky.

He did his first comics work for Top Cow Productions. Among his credits are titles like 'Codename: Stryke Force', '21', 'Tales of Witchblade', 'Spirit of the Tao', 'Tomb Raider', 'Inferno' and 'Witchblade Obakemono'. Over at Marvel, he had a regular run on 'X-23' with Craig Kyle and 'Marvel Knights Spider-Man'. Besides drawing comics, he also freelances in illustration, design and storyboards.

He began working as a penciler for Image Comics in the early 1990. Tan became the regular artist of Marvel's Uncanny X-Men in 2006. In 2008, he was invited to draw New Avengers issues #41 and 43-44, before being offered to replace Lenil Francis Yu as the new regular artist on the title.

Portrait : Rajinder Singh

The Shabbiness of Certainty

"I invite my audience to view my paintings through a sieve – a sieve made of mathematical objects that pack a substantial amount of information on the way we might view beauty.

I invite my viewers to engage not analytically, neither synthetically, but in a way that combines both modes and feel/intuit the correspondence in the aesthetics of the combined beauty of my mathematics and the underlying beauty of my faces.

But most of all I want my audience to evaluate mathematics and its place in our lives. Is mathematics something necessary for life as “art” and not just “fact” and does its value lie in, as Polkinghorne said, as an 'abstract key which turns the lock of the physical universe', or is it the most self-flattering, self-aggrandizing trivia game ever invented?"
-Rajinder Singh

Aged Wisdom

Rajinder Singh born in Ipoh in 1964, was recently selected as one of 20 emerging artists to represent Asia by a juried competition in Hong Kong. He also recently become the first South East Asian artist to be invited to the famous Mourlot studios (now IDEM) in Montparnasse, Paris to make two lithographs of his work for a private collection. To date he has had shows in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Paris and Argentina. He will be showing in London, India, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Korea and New York later this year.

Major patrons of the artist are Farouk Khan, Baron Gonzalve Bich (of BIC conglomerate) and Franck Duboeuf (of George Duboeuf wines. He is represented by PACE gallery in PJ.~Now you know which gallery Yusof owns!~ Rajinder who has lived in United Kingdom for most of his life now lives and works in Singapore was tutored by a veteran English abstract expressionist, James Holdsworth, in 2002.

Rajinder’s extensive background in Mathematics is the driving force behind his successful art practice. His work has seen worldwide acclaim and has been described as modern and carries a message of change. Rajinder is the artist ambassador for the superpremium wine from Tuscany, Capannelle and his art is promoted by art agents internationally.

He also hosts a popular Singapore art blog with running commentary on the Southeast Asia art scene and was the unofficial site for the Singapore Biennale 2006.

Solo Exhibitions
June 25th, 2008, " Number-Trance-Face", PACE Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
May 27th, 2008, " Number-Trance-Face", Hong Kong Expo Centre, Hong Kong
March 29th, 2008," Number-Trance-Face", O.Fournier Galleries, Argentina
Dec 11th,2007, "Faces 2008", Calender launch, The Universal, Singapore
Nov 11th, 2007, “Faces”, Tower Club, Singapore
July 11th 2007, "Faces", ArtSpace@The Universal, Singapore
June 20th 2007, "Faces", Cellar Galleries@Chateau De Taillan, Bordeaux, France
April 18th 2007, "source_code", Darling Muse Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Dec 9th 2005, "I coME from over tHERE", PPH Public Art Space, Singapore
Aug 2005, "I can SMELL your BAD breath", Merbau Gallery, Singapore
April 2005, "Anthro", Anthropology Gallery, Singapore
Jan 2005, "Gridlocked", Block43 Art Gallery, Singapore

Group exhibitions
August 22nd 2008, "PACE Anniversary Show", PACE Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

June 14th 2008, " Singapore Street Arts Festival", Clarke Quay, Singapore

Oct 10th 2007, “ Shanghai Seduction”, Auction, Grand Shanghai, Singapore

August 22nd 2007
"Pace Gallery: The Opening", group exhibition of paintings with Ahmad Zaki Anwar, Jaliani Abu Hassan, Yusof Majid, Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Ivan Lam, Dr Rajinder Singh, Aswad Ameir, Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Umibaizurah Mahir Ismail, Daud Rahim, Ernesto Pujazon, Hamir Shoaib, Nelson Dominquez, joel couloigner, PACE Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

July 18th 2007, "Aceh Livelihood Project" , Auction, UE Square, Singapore

June 4th 2007, "What else is there?", with Disney animator Chris Shaw, Royal Plaza on Scott, Art Space, Singapore

Aug 22nd 2006, "Symbiosis" ,group Exhibition with Artists Donna Ong and Chng Nai Wee- Marina galleries, Marina Mandarin Hotel, Singapore

Oct 2005, "A prettier picture" , Auction, Your Mother's Gallery, Singapore

July 2005, "Racial Harmony", Bradell Heights CC Art Room, Singapore

April 2005, "Project Relief" , Auction, Seton Close Residences, Singapore

March 2005, "Chip Bee Artist Boheme", Michi Gallery, Singapore

Feb 2005, "Cotton Tree" , Auction , Cotton Tree, Singapore

November 2004, "Batch No 3" , Block 43 Art Gallery, Singapore

June 2004, "Singapore Art Festival 2004 "Vision and Illusion- Reconstruction of a city" , St James Power Station, Singapore

May 2004, "Malcolm` s Chicken" , Block 43 Art Gallery, Singapore

Nov 2003, "Nascent: Beginning to be" , Block 43 Art Gallery, Singapore

Residencies
IDEM ( former Mourlot Studios), Paris, France - july 2008 - three lithographs on plate & stone

Catching Up

YEE I-LANN
Kinabalu Series: Huminodun
Picture Source -Christie's

When it comes to Southeast Asian art at international auctions, Malaysian works seem to lag behind those of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. But recent auction figures at three major sales in Hong Kong -- i.e. Sotheby’s in April 2008 as well as Christie’s in Nov 2007 and May 2008 -- suggest that contemporary Malaysian art is catching up.

Examples of Malaysian artists whose works sold relatively well, included:

· Ahmad Zakii Anwar (HK$427,400 / RM179,891; Nov 2007)

· Latiff Mohidin (HK$391,500 / RM164,781; Nov 2007)

· Jailani Abu Hassan (HK$391,500 / RM164,781; Nov 2007)

· Yee I-Lann (HK$295,500 / RM124,170; May 2008)

· Chang Fee Ming (HK$137,500 / RM57,850; Nov 2007)

· Ivan Lam (HK$125,000 / RM52,524; May 2008)

But such Malaysian works are “cheap” compared to contemporary works by other regional artists, as shown below. However, works by top Malaysian artists like Latiff Mohidin and Datuk Ibrahim Hussein sell at a much higher price domestically than at international auctions, as yet.

Source -Southeast Asian Art At Auctions by Johnni Wong, The Star Online

IVAN LAM
3 Buses
Picture Source -artlease

Singapore Biennale 2008 Throws Us a Bone

Malaysian Artists at Singapore Biennale 2008

Beyond Recognition

Nadiah Bamadhaj, 2006

Click here to see highlights from Bamadhaj's Single Channel video installation of scenery with words from Joseph Conrad's The Lagoon appearing to be slowly carved onto the landscape.

Excellence, Glory, Distinction
Cemerlang, Gemilang, Terbilang
Liew Kung Yu, 2008

The proportion of regional art to the rest of the world stands at around 30... says Ngui. Doing the math one discovers that Ngui is correct, but because a good portion of the Southeast Asian quota is filled by Singapore artists, the section does not go far into giving viewers a balanced picture of Southeast Asia's creative wealth and breadth. This is an opportunity wasted, especially since though there are other similar art events in asia, the Singapore Biennale is the regions's most internationally-promoted and biggest.
- Iola Lenzi, Wonder: Is it Art or Commerce, C Arts Magazine -Volume 5

The 2nd Singapore Biennale, an international contemporary visual arts event, organised by the National Arts Council, is going on now until 16 November 2008 at City Hall and South Beach Development. Led by Artistic Director Fumio Nanjo and curators Joselina Cruz and Matthew Ngui, the Biennale features 137 artworks by 66 artists and art collectives from over 36 countries and regions including Malaysia.

The artist list include Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, Deborah Kelly, Isak Berbic, Hans Op de Beeck, Anthony McCall, Isaac Montoya, Faisal Samra, Fujiko Nakaya, Ki-bong Rhee, and Felice Varini, to Southeast Asia and Singapore, Alfredo and Isabel Aquilizan, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Heman Chong, Shubigi Rao, Tang Ling Nah, Willy Koh and Sherman Ong.

Singapore Regional art makes up about 30% so we're oh so grateful 2 of ours, namely Liew Kung Yu and Nadiah Bamadhaj made the cut. Not too sure if the other 3 Malaysian born artists (Heman Chong, Joshua Yang, Sherman Ong) are considered Malaysian or Singaporean. (?) Thailand, Phillipines and Indonesia only got 5 combined! Considering how important those countries are in the art world they were quite nice to us-lah.

Why Malaysian Art?

Seated Figure 6
Ahmad Zakii Anwar

Contemporary Southeast Asian artists are becoming an increasingly sought-after group in today’s market and once again the region’s key painters such as I Nyoman Masriadi and Ahmad Zakii Anwar and others are represented by strong works. -artdaily.com

Investing in a good art piece may be as good if not better than buying gold especially in these uncertain economic times. Southeast Asian art has just started taking off globally and good Malaysian art is at this moment, the lowest priced in the region. But not for long... So if you're a collector, an investor or are thinking about becoming one of these things, get in on the action already! But please do a little research first...

Close to 80% of 22 lots of Asian and Southeast Asian artworks were sold at a recent Amsterdam auction, most of them by up-and-coming artists from this region. 40% went to European collectors, proving a rising interest in contemporary new and emerging Asian and Southeast Asian artists. Highest bids were for Ahmad Zakii Anwar's Seated Figure 6 and Chang Fee Ming’s “September 27th” at €13,750 each at the auction jointly organised by Asian Based Larasati Auctioneers & Amsterdam Auctioneers Glerum.

Globally, the primary art market (artists-to-gallery) is presently healthier than the secondary (resale) market because primary prices haven't reached the degree of auctions and are also less prone to speculation. Having said that Malaysia's secondary art market is still relatively young and has yet to hit its real peak at which point many genuine collectors get priced out. For the same reasons, we can expect to find more experimental, political, profound and honest work rather than mere novel trinkets for billionaires who don't know what else to do with their money.