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MOHD AL-KHUZAIRIE ALI . DAUD RAHIM . AZAD DANIEL HARIS . ANNIKETYNI MADIAN . AZRIN MOHD . DHAVINDER SINGH

R E M A R K

Project Team

Azhar AhmadFuad Salleh

Kamaliah Azhar

WriterZena Khan

Ajako WatanabePhotographer

R E M A R K

REMARKREMARK is Artcubes rst show exclusively presenting emerging talents on Malaysias contemporary art scene. Featuring Azad Daniel, Anniketyni Madian, Mohd Al-Khuzairie Ali, Azrin Mohd, Daud Rahim and Dhavinder Singh, the show projects a snapshot of a new generation of talent and the exciting, inventive directions Malaysian art is moving towards.

Globally, contemporary art strives to match intellectualism with immaculate production. The mix of innovation and nesse exhibited by the six young artists in Remark is delightful to see. All subscribe faithfully to the formalistic tenants of ne art; yet have quickly found distinct signatures of their own. Azad Daniel is well known for his highly glossy nishes, derived from his inventive personal process of priming his unusual surfaces with cement, then painting with auto paint, propelling his art onto the next level of painterly works. Young ceramist Mohd Al-Khuzairie masters the delicately industrial medium of stoneware ceramics to speak about fragile relationships between humans and the environment. Azrin Mohd is quickly emerging as a leading assemblage artist with his ability to craft highly specic large scale works, intricately detailed so as to tightly draw his viewers in. Anniketyni Madian contemporizes tradition with her precisely detailed wooden sculptures that ow in an organic manner as they narrate heritage to a new generation. Daud Rahims philosophical conversations, crucial to the intellectual developments in increasingly auent societies, endear themselves to audiences an easy aesthetic that belie the diculty of his explorations in working in a reverse technique. Dhavinder Singh, fresh from a well-received solo exhibit, develops the local minimal art movement with works that strive to present established concepts in original congurations.

Artcube demonstrates their commitment to promote and represent high-value, investment-grade Malaysian contemporary art at an international standard not only through the representation of established artists, but also by supporting emerging talents. The gallery understands the need to showcase not only paintings and sculptures but also artworks such as installations, assemblage and experimental mixed media due to their fundamental role in context of the contemporary art movements development.

by Zena Khan

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Diverse in style and practice, the six artists Artcube brings together with Remark nonetheless have unifying threads binding them together. Each of the artists demonstrates an awareness of the landscapes surrounding them, be it physical, social or material, and strives to create discourse in an eort to engage the public in current aairs. Indeed, part of the fascination audiences will nd in the works presented, lies in the topics of commercialism, fragility of survival, ethics and spirituality, all of which constitute issues a developing society like Malaysia faces while balancing cultural identity in an increasingly homogenous world. These artists command admiration for their honesty, reecting onto viewers reality in raw, literal forms comprised of great beauty.

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Daud Rahim is known for both his exemplary technical abilities as well as the deeply philosophical thread running through his work. Recently, he has been focusing his attentions strongly on the anxieties the human soul faces when living in a material world. Coming o the strength of his well-received solo Jiwa in 2013, Dauds intertwined explorations of both his artistic practice and spirituality continue with his latest paintings, Jiwa, Stallion, New Generation 2 and Telur.

A spiritual energy infuses Dauds works, emerging not only from his thoughts, feelings and memories but also his observations of the physical world. Unsurprisingly, this leads him into realistic depictions of forms both natural and manufactured. Jiwa, Stallion, New Generation 2 and Telur provide a fresh direction within this established theme. The use of mechanical imagery is even stronger and more obvious than in earlier works such as Gajah, where the industrial elements were almost camouaged. Despite the harder edge of Jiwa, Stallion, New Generation 2 and Telur, from the inclusion of industrial components, skeletons and skulls, content wise these paintings are distinctly local via the spiritually radiating from them. As societies become increasingly consumer driven, a need for balance and reinstatement of values emerges. Rather than providing answers, Daud utilizes his platform as an artist to empathise with this search for balance, demonstrating an understanding of the dualities that mark contemporary life.

Working in color pencil, which is rare for such expansive and conceptual work, Daud harnesses this medium beautifully, and with great detail. Over 600 pencils in 200 colors were used in the creation of the Jiwa series, the period in which the artist gained mastery over the medium. Acrylic is sparingly used, primarily in the background, which was primed black as a rst step. Daud has been experimenting with a reverse technique, as was seen in Jiwa. Initially priming the surface of his canvas black, he works to bring forth colour and light. This is the polar opposite of the regular method where shadows are built up on lighter surfaces. Projecting light and shadow to achieve realism when working in reverse is immensely tricky, made possible only through intense layering. Dauds ability to impress a seamless easiness on his audience via such a laborious process speaks to his incredible technical prociency. The value of mark-making is apparent; the artist employs condent, controlled lines. The respect awarded to the formal aspects of art production not only provide representational importance but also remark on the delight Daud nds in painting, marking him out as a true artist.

DAUD RAHIM

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An analogy of the struggle between the search for spiritual fulllment and the quest for material things that describes societies of the twenty-rst century, Daud harmoniously combines opposing imageries in a highly current matter.

His message to diligently work at both the internal and external aspects of life, that is balancing the search for worldly fulllment with nourishing the soul, is beautifully communicated via his art. Dedication and discipline endow Dauds movingly appealing paintings with an eortless charm that manages to connect to large audiences.

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Media : Color pencil & acrylic on canvasSize : 171cm x 250 cmPrice : RM 18, 000Year : 2014

JIWAby DAUD RAHIM

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STALLIONby DAUD RAHIM

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NEW GENERATION 2by DAUD RAHIM

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TELURby DAUD RAHIM

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Assemblage, the three-dimensional counterpart of collage, involves the amalgamation of found objects and materials, generally non-art in origin. The beauty of assemblage lies not only in its physical appearance but also the allowances for an artist to create conversations that draw heavily from societal associations present in an object. Azrin Mohd, a rising contemporary Malaysian artist, regularly displays his innate understanding of the power of association within art, eectively harnessing it to capture his audiences attentions with works such as Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #1, Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #2, Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #3 and Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #4.

Earlier in his career, Azrin followed the traditional route of creating assemblages from found objects. This method certainly allowed for relationships to develop between the artwork and its viewers, indeed the consumption of found objects speaks to specic truths of both the item itself and the cyclical natures of art and the physical world. Azrin found himself on a quest to discover even stronger ways to connect his audience to his art, and began experimenting with crafting assemblages from articles entirely handmade by him. 2013s Duri Dalam Daging is a stunning example of this endeavor. A wall installation measuring four feet by eight feet, the main feature of this turning-point piece was numerous mini resin replications of warriors from the Chinese Terracotta Army. Bolstered by this experience, Azrin continues on his path of completely self-built works with Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #1, Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #2, Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #3 and Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #4.

To understand Azrins need for highly specic assemblage, it is important to recognize the value he places on the formalistic aspects of ne art. From concept, to studies, to nishing, each work is meticulously planned and possesses an intellectual weight. Continuing in this approach, Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #1, Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #2, Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #3 and Bila Pandangan Mata Hati Tertutup #4 certainly please. The artist focuses on the theme of greed. Each work is presented in a Perspex box. Within the box are a diorama, a mounted animal head, textual elements and drawings. Presenting mounted animals as trophies has several implications. The immediate association is that of a hunter and his prize, which could be emphasized by imagining the wallpaper background of the works to signify the interior of a home. Taking the text in account however changes this. The included quotes, politicise the pieces, and act as a subconscious thread binding the four together. The audience could now see the trophy as a form of imperialism, bringing to mind ideas of neo-colonialism, and the wallpaper link to home could be expanded to include countries within its denition. An ambiguity of exact denition actually suits the work, as the point Azrin raises is the omnipresence of greed in all layers of personal and public life.

AZRIN MOHD

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Several contrasting elements come together to present the opposing ideas of adorability and rawness in one frame. Excitingly, Azrin has added a new tool to his production arsenal by using three-dimensional printing to fashion the solid aspects of the work, enabling himself to now recreate his two-dimensional pre-production drawings. The narrative quality that acts as Azrins signature naturally strengthens with his ability to expand his technical range, resulting in intimately detailed works which delight and attract his audience..

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Media : 3D printing, soft pastel and digital print on canvas & mixed mediaSize : 125 cm x 94 cm x 10 cmPrice : RM 6, 600Year : 2014

BILA PANDANGAN MATA HATI TERTUTUP #1by AZRIN MOHD

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Kumbu Rayong and Berasok are two new 2014 wooden sculptures by emerging young sculptor Anniketyni Madian. Anniketyni is fast making a name for herself with her decidedly detailed wood-based works. Drawing inspiration from the Pua Kumbu textiles of her native Sarawak, the artist contemporizes tradition to create pieces that, despite their precise linear detailing and inert medium, ow in an eortlessly organic manner.

A ceremonial cotton cloth woven by Dayak women in Sarawak, the colourful patterned Pua Kumbu textiles are considered sacred. Pua Kumbu are involved in several lifecycle rituals and special events, including the birth of a child, coming of age celebrations, receipt of an important item to a longhouse and to screen a corpse prior to burial. The act of weaving Pua Kumbu itself represents a deeply spiritual and socio-religious undertaking. A sacred activity obligatory for all Iban women, the act of weaving establishes womanhood and worth, in a society with incredibly specic gender roles, and where spirituality is intrinsically linked to every aspect of daily life. The weaver thus takes her place in the spiritual regeneration of the traditional values and religious norms of her people. It is tting that Anniketyni, as a female sculptor, uses Pua Kumbu as her starting point conceptually. The modernity of her sharp slim lines as they reach out, while imbibed with a strongly Sarawakian avor, is thoroughly current. The artist, while relating her heritage with a symbol that is highly traditional, visually and conceptually, cleverly makes her aesthetic presentation in a manner that ts in with the currency of the developing society she observes surrounding her.

ANNIKETYNI MADIAN

Visually arresting, Kumbu Rayong and Berasok are the product of an intensely detailed process, going a long way in explaining Anniketynis ability to create an atmosphere of movement in static, wooden sculptures. Drawing inspiration from kinetic artists such as Theo Jansen, architects and engineers, Anniketyni has spent much of her young career working on ways to incorporate the neat technicality of construction into her artistic practice. She begins with delightfully uid drawings: a crucial part of her process, as planning is key to the success of each sculpture. These drawings act as plans from which the two-dimensional Pua Kumbu patterns are translated into three-dimensions, gaining sides, depth and perspective in the process. Each slice of wood is minutely detailed, with several shapes and edges cut in. The cuts need to be perfectly aligned in order to t neatly together for the nal aesthetic, and create the smooth, seamless ow running through these hardwood sculptures.

Anniketynis insistence on personally fabricating the entire sculpture provides a rapport between herself and her sculptures. This bond is evident in the immediate progress she makes technically and conceptually from piece to piece. Kumbu Rayong and Berasok are part of an early foray into working in hardwood. The draw of this new wood is clear in the richness of colour she extracts with the beautifully polished nishes applied to the pieces. Having come o a residency in 2011 with House of Matahati (HOM), Anniketyni has now been invited to participate in the Rimbun Dahan Residency 2014, a prestigious program in which eminent artists such as Multhalib Musa, Ahmad Fuad Osman and Haslin Ismail have all partaken. Given Anniketynis dedication to her craft and wonderful ability to narrate heritage and traditions in the language of a new generation, she looks set to be an exciting emerging talent in the genre of sculpture.

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KUMBU RAYONGby ANNIKETYNI MADIAN

Media : Wall sculpture ( Mix of hard & thick wood )Size : 152 cm x 213 cmPrice : RM 12, 000Year : 2014

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Media : Wall sculpture ( Mix of hard & thick wood )Size : 183 cm x 183 cmPrice : RM 10, 000Year : 2014

BERASOKby ANNIKETYNI MADIAN

One of humanitys earliest art forms is wildlife art. Widely recognized, the universal desire to pictorially describe animals encompasses all cultures and continents. Wildlife art resonates deeply by enriching the appreciation of the relationship between man and nature. In particular, art depicting endangered species, be they historical or contemporary, raises pointed questions about humanitys role in survival versus extinction. It is precisely this discussion which young ceramist Al-Khuzairie Ali raises with his new works, Pseudonym I, Pseudonym II, Pseudonym III and Pseudonym IV.

Originally from Pahang, Al-Khuzairie has spent the better part of six years in Puncak Alam, an area once popular with tapirs. Specic to jungle regions such as those found in Malaysia, sighting this once common black and white mammal has become increasingly rare, due partly to the development of forested areas. This observation triggered his examinations into the positive and negative results of interactions between human and animals, particularly those that are endangered. He looks to studying animals severely threatened in contemporary times, in an attempt to capture the dynamic before visual representation is the only record available.

Al-Khuzairie understands the need to strike interest in an urban audience on wildlife, given the disconnect that might exist due to radically dierent environments. The artist has worked on a series of mechanical parts that he then assembles to create impressions of ceramic animal skeletons. An industrial atmosphere infuses the skeletons, juxtaposed with the organic uidity aorded by the subject matter and smooth sculptural ceramic. Interestingly each piece is topped with a human skull, signaling mans pivotal position in the extinction process. An ominous tone hangs over these unyielding hybrid skeletons: is the artist predicting a future of technologically manufactured wildlife if awareness is not quickly spread?

MOHD AL-KHUZAIRIE ALI

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Ceramic art is popular in utilitarian trades and industry, marking it as a natural choice for industrial depictions. A great tradition of ceramic techniques and aesthetics in the creation of sculptural contemporary works exists internationally and has been increasingly brought into prominence locally by Al-Khuzairies mentor Umibaizurah Mahirismail. Al-Khuzairie demonstrates his own incredible technical abilities through the accuracy he is able to extract in all areas of his production process. He joins the forms together himself, exposing the millimeter precision he employs in his handbuilding technique and casting process, as well as his experience with including mechanical forms into his art, as previously seen in works such as Rise of Machine II and Rise of Machine III. Working in stoneware ceramic, the artist began his process with solid clay models to create moulds, going on to utilize the industrial technique, slip casting, to fashion the nal pieces. Slip casting, a notoriously lengthy and delicate process, involves ring the ceramic at 900-1200C. The delicacy of Al-Khuzairies process makes it a tting medium to convey his message of fragility in the natural world.

Al-Khuzairie witnesses and appreciates the rapid developments of his physical environment, understanding that the current landscape exists in a eeting moment of time. His endeavors to capture snapshots of his personal interpretations of events reveal a deeply philosophical streak, which seems inherent in artists of Malaysias East Coast. Indeed, presenta-tion of traditional concepts in formats encapsulating contemporary tastes mirrors the physical and cultural landscape, demonstrating his innate ability to enable his audience to emotionally invest themselves in his beautifully sleek and sculp-tural pieces.

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artworksMedia : Ceramic & mix mediaSize : 78 cm x 124 cm x 10 cmPrice : RM 5, 200Year : 2014

PSEUDONYM Iby MOHD AL-KHUZAIRIE ALI

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PSEUDONYM IIby MOHD AL-KHUZAIRIE ALI

Media : Ceramic & mix mediaSize : 93 cm x 91 cm x 10 cmPrice : RM 4, 500Year : 2014

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PSEUDONYM IIIby MOHD AL-KHUZAIRIE ALI

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PSEUDONYM IVby MOHD AL-KHUZAIRIE ALI

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I am what I have. This operative denition of self, describes how individuals view themselves in todays consumerism-driven society. Consumerism is a by-product of centuries-long process which gave rise to mass markets and industrialization. As incomes raise, so do cultural pressures to spend it all on an ever-growing output, underlined by an assumption human desire is innite. The correlation between consumerism and materialism is clear, and in the twenty-rst century, special emphasis can be placed on the prevalence of technological items. Digital media, personal computers and cell phones signify the consumers status in society, becoming symbols for the users position within traditions of auence. Azad Daniel Haris, with the observant skills and dry wit of a new generation of contemporary artists, strikes up a dialogue encasing this phenomenon with his ve new works Laced Skull, Swallows, Classy Mother Fucker, More Issues Than Vogue and Comic Strips.

Azads new paintings Laced Skull, Swallows, Classy Mother Fucker, More Issues Than Vogue and Comic Strips opened with the artists fundamental insight into iPhone covers. Their transformation started when he decided to literally blow them out of proportion, turning them from hand held objects into orthotropes of six feet by three feet. Each piece began as a cast Perspex shell, depicting a new base medium for Azad. Casting allows for repetition, unifying the ve works. Additionally, the casting process allows for neat detailing. Exactly as in an actual iPhone case, the ergonomic spaces for access to the buttons and camera lens are present, strengthening the viewers immediate recognition of the object. The artist individualizes the works through the designs applied on each via his highly innovative auto paint technique. Two of the works are inscribed with text; the other three have patterns typical of the choices for iPhone covers. The glossy impression of these graphic works, with their neat, sticker-like appearance, are achieved through the layering of stencils, from large to small. A highly technical process, it mirrors the neat exactness involved in creating technology. It should be noted Azads process is specic to him, and a result of experimentations with cement and auto paint in a process mimicking car restoration techniques. The cement base, layered auto paint and nal polish aord the works a perfectly beautiful sheen that is unusual in painterly works.

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AZAD DANIEL HARIS

Laced Skull, Swallows, Classy Mother Fucker, More Issues Than Vogue and Comic Strips possess both perfect uniformity and sporadic randomness, a feature consumers are exposed to in Apple stores. Each piece is dierent, providing something for everyone. A buyer could choose to show a fashion-focused edge with an intricate, graphic black skull, or buy into the dreamier swallows, or demonstrate a liking for art with a preference for a Ray Lichtenstein-inspired comic book nish case. The textual works are perhaps stronger statements; Classy Mother Fucker is charmingly confronta-tional, ambiguous in its standing as either a compliment or an insult. The double entendre More Issues Than Vogue showcases Azads quiet, observational humor, is he commenting on the plethora of issues besetting society or a particular individual? It is also perhaps remarkably timely given the debates surrounding American Vogues controversial April 2014 cover featuring Kim Kardashian.

While appearing whimsical, these works make a serious statement about the role of contemporary art in current society. In their nished states Laced Skull, Swallows, Classy Mother Fucker, More Issues Than Vogue and Comic Strips visually challenge their viewers on several levels. Their shiny nishes, each with an appearance whose appeal lies in the tastes and allegiances of the individual are as seductive as the real objects would be in an Apple store. As such they perfectly utilize art appropria-tion to address luxury and consumerism. Given the clear parallels between consumerism and technol-ogy, what would be a better icon to address the issue than the iPhone, seen as a pinnacle of human technology?

By recontextualising an iconic object, Azad comments on both its original meaning as well as the audiences immediate associations. While tapping into ideas of big business, consumerism, commer-cialism, and middle class values, the glossy works unwittingly reect instinctively human attractions towards design and individualism. The individuality of each nely-made work further propels them from mass produced consumer reproductions into high-end, one of a kind pieces. Each is unique, and once its gone you cant possibly get another. The stunning clarity with which Azad uses art appropria-tion to encapsulate the two sides of material society, pitting the need to be on trend, against the innate desire to be distinct, underscores the distinctions between popular taste and high art, an essential discussion in a rapidly developing society.

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CLASSY MOTHER FUCKERby AZAD DANIEL HARIS

Media : Auto paint on perspexSize : 183 cm x 92 cm Price : RM 15, 000Year : 2014


MORE ISSUES THAN VOGUEby AZAD DANIEL HARIS

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COMIC STRIPSby AZAD DANIEL HARIS


LACED SKULLSby AZAD DANIEL HARIS

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artworks

In principle, installation art looks to ll specic spaces with sometimes disparate items in an eort to invoke multiple complex thoughts, emotions and associations. Linking this thought to the concept of space-creation proves, while seemingly radical, historically it has existed in several manifestations in art, beginning with ancient painterly spaces. Since the twentieth century these ideas veer towards abstract art, harnessing their power to connect non-representational art to audiences. MO: Seascapes, a trio of wall-installations by emerging artist Dhavinder Singh, combines familiar shapes in a multi-dimensional space to create recognizable landscapes, successfully demonstrating the power of connecting cerebral notions in art creation.

Fresh from his well-received solo, MO: Formal(and)Scapes, Dhavinder continues a formalistic approach into the examinations of the visual and cerebral elements of ne art, using physical landscapes as the conceptual starting point. MO: Seascapes thematically progresses from these, adopting a more rened, painterly style. Trained as a painter, Dhavinder nds himself constantly questioning the parameters painting exists in, often working in non-paint mediums. While MO: Seascapes does include acrylic paint, the artists contradictory side emerges in its application. Rather than following a traditional route of painting onto canvas, we nd the artist has directly applied colour onto the wall. The key to understanding the rationale of this process lies in the denitions of installations as site specic, now the wall is encompassed as a major component of the wall installation. Now the space is justied, as without it the work would struggle to exist, dening that exact site as integral to its conception.

DHAVINDER SINGH

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Elements of humor in MO: Seascapes surprise viewers, in particular those familiar with Dhavinders often serious and thought provoking statements. A shark n emerges from the calm blue sea, shing rods point forward three-dimensionally, and in the distance, secluded islands are apparent. Audiences well-versed in Dhavinders previous works will be delighted at the glimpse of a new facet of the artists personality. Yet even this light-hearted charm is infused with staunch adherences to his practices formal aspects. The lines depicting rods and horizons actually create depth and perspective, expressing an interplay of two, three and perhaps even four-dimensions. In this way, all aspects of the objects are simultaneously presented, invoking the artists attempt to recreate reality without resorting to mimicry. Furthermore, as a minimal artist, each line, shape, colour and placement has to be strenuously edited, since nothing superuous can exist. The ease with which Dhavinder is able to communicate several thoughts with a carefully curated arsenal of tools, speaks highly of his handling of the mediums and concepts he chooses to work with.

On rst glance Dhavinders new works seem highly radical: he paints his art onto the wall, placing a question mark over its commercial position. A quick study of art history proves this is not the case, as wall murals and frescos are historically crucial to the development of ne art, visually and intellectually. Recalling ancient Roman murals in Pompeii or Leonardo Da Vincis Last Supper for example, attest to the position of direct wall paintings in progressing the tenants of spatial construction in art, and therefore the established position this technique occupies. Merging formalistic approaches with new ideas marks Dhavinder out as an artist who looks to broaden his audiences horizons in terms of art appreciation.

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Media : Custom acrylic case, blue pigment,cement, nylon thread and acrylic paint on wallSize : 105 cm x 203 cm x 7 cmPrice : RM 10, 000Year : 2014

MO : SEASCAPES # I by DHAVINDER SINGH

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Media : Custom acrylic case, sea sand ,saron , nylon thread and acrylic paint on wallSize : 110 cm x 176 cm x 8 cmPrice : RM 9, 000Year : 2014

MO : SEASCAPES # II by DHAVINDER SINGH

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Media : Custom acrylic case , red soil ,chalk , nylon thread and acrylic paint on wallSize : 142 cm x 160 cm x 8 cmPrice : RM 8, 000Year : 2014

MO : SEASCAPES # III by DHAVINDER SINGH

May 2014 ARTCUBEAll right reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permisson in writing from the published.

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