HOM Art Trans: Myst{EO}ry: Duo Exhibition by Fadilah Karim & Guinevere Decena

Myst{EO}ry: Duo Exhibition by Fadilah Karim & Guinevere Decena

Double Delight with Msyt{EO}ry

HOM ART TRANS brings together two talents from the Philippines and Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, May 2014 – HOM ART TRANS has made a name for itself as a conduit for regional collaborations and exchanges. The Ampang-based gallery hosts Southeast Asian residency programmes, tours Indonesia and Philippines with their young artists, and this month, adds to that list with an exhibition titled Myst{EO}ry.

A two-person exhibition featuring FadilahKarim and Guinevere Decena, Myst{EO}ry sees the two young talents showcasing their best in terms of figurative art, and the exhibition will run from May24–June7,2014.

Myst{EO}ry takes its cue from HOM ART TRANS’ other cross-country efforts, such as 2011’s Arouse featuring Utin Rini (Indonesia) and Chong Ai Lei (Malaysia), as well as Civilization by Ng Swee Keat (Malaysia) and Heri Cahyono (Indonesia). And, with two bodies of work on offer in Myst{EO}ry, audiences will have not only have variety on their hands, but a veritable chance to chart commonalities and contrasts between the works.

For KL-based Fadilah, the bearded male takes centre stage, indicating a departure from the artist’s long-time fascination with the female figure.

“My works mostly emphasize feelings and anxiety, and the emotions and moods are pictured through colours,” notes the artist, who adds that her move towards the male figure was inspired by her many male friends.

“To me, even though I have many male acquaintances, men are such mysteries that women find them incomprehensible, so with the background colours, I try to present the mood of my subjects and to emphasize on the body parts of the subjects to bring out the inner emotions,” adds the artist, who was also one of HOM ART TRANS’ Young Gun awards in 2013.

Guinevere, on the other hand, focuses on the fairer sex and has explored the theme of ‘Fragile’ this time around.

“The exhibit takes fragility as a source of our desire to be stronger. I see fragility as one of the purest, most honest states that we can encounter in our existence, and through this cradle, we change, we move, and strive the way we do.”

Interestingly, Guinevere is an alumnus of HOM ART TRANS’ SAGER (South East Asian Group Exchange) residency programme, and the artist completed the residency’s full tri-city cycle of KL, Jogjakarta, and Manila. Her works for Myst{EO}ry are dedicated to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda, which hit her region last November.

“Bringing these two talents together was an easy decision for us,” argues HOM ART TRANS’ director, Bayu Utomo Radjikin. “Both ladies have a strong approach to the human figure, and their inspiring works tap deep into human emotions, with themes that I believe everybody can relate to”.

Myst{EO}ry will be on display at HOM ART TRANS from May 24 – June 7, 2014. Entrance to the exhibition is free and all are welcome.

HOM ART TRANS

6A Jalan Cempaka 16, Taman Cempaka, 68000 Ampang, Selangor, Malaysia

+603 9286 7004 | homarttrans.blogspot.com

Adopted Residency (A-RES) is a six-month residency programme designed for young and emerging local artists to start creating their name and building their own career in the local art scene.

The programme emphasizes on committed studio practice that serves as guidance in art direction and technique for the resident artists, fully supervised by HOM Art Trans and guest artists. They will also be exposed to the reality of being a full time artists.

Towards the end of the programme, all the artworks that are produced during the residency will be exhibited for public viewing.

Southeast Asia Art Group Exchanged Residency (SAGER) is a regional residency programme organized by HOM Art Trans (Malaysia), SageJogja (Indonesia) and Projectspace Pilipinas (Philippines).

The exchanged residency takes in artists with at least five years of experience and SAGER enables Malaysian, Indonesian, and Filipino artists to foster and strengthen regional ties, as well as to network and establish a better understanding of their neighbours.

The residency entails 30-days each in Kuala Lumpur, Jogjakarta and Manila. During this time, artists-in-residences not only produce artworks for exhibitions in each city, but also partake in studio visits, gallery and art institution visits, as well as introductions to significant art collectors and art communities.

Aside from these physical dialogues, SAGER also fosters a visual dialogue, as artists from these three countries are encouraged to engage in cross-cultural meditations and to broach new visual languages in their works.

ARTRIANGLE is an exhibition showcasing the latest artworks from Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore. With the purpose of increasing the appreciation of art in this region through a more open network of exchange and to further inculcate closer working ties amongst our artists, it aspires to energies a 4-way art dialogue between these countries and inadvertently, adds more excitement to the art scene in Southeast Asia.

ARTIANGLE is also a fund-raising event. Benefits from the sales of the exhibition will be channelled to the MATAHATI Art Fund (MAF).

MAF is an effort that provides funds to support visual artists and help the art scene in general. It will go towards assisting in the welfare of those artists in need, which includes incidences involving natural disasters, accidents and health issues. MAF is also used as a grant for artists to initiate art projects and art activities.

Artaidartist is a social media platform that’s purpose and intention is to introduce and market fine artworks in a series of virtual exhibitions. This platform was initiated in efforts to support artists who have been affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic, and who have struggled to make ends meet during the continuous implementation of MCO.

Artists whose works are sold will be entitled to fifty percent of the sale of their works, while the remaining fifty percent will be donated to participating artists whose works were not purchased during the showcase. The distribution of profit will not only represent a community of artists coming together in solidarity towards those in financial need, but will also provide support to as many artists as possible..

Artaidartist is an open call that involves all Malaysian visual artists, comprising of young, emerging, and established. Featuring some of their best work, all artworks will be capped between RM500 to RM5000. This special offer which is below the market price, will allow the sale to be more accessible and affordable to a larger pool of art enthusiasts and young collectors.

MEA Award is a biennial competition that honours the most promising young artists in Malaysia. Its main goal is to recognize the country's top emerging talents and to give them the opportunity to break into the local and international art scenes.

The 5 artists with the highest number of votes from a panel of respected juries will receive cash prize, coucher for art materials, 10-day travel grant to a city in Southeast Asia and a showcase of their works.

MEA Award is joint-organized by HOM Art Trans and Galeri Chandan.