HOM Art Trans proudly presents the latest 3M Studio showcase, featuring the body of works of three emerging artists. Fresh from the 3M Studio programme, we have "Untitled" by Afiq Zainal, "Before We Remember" by Viko Ng Zhi June, and "After a Splendid Moment" by Yong Hui Lin.
Highlighting a diverse set of ideas and musings across their respective body of works, these body of works are the product of the artists' three-month involvement in the 3M Studio Programme. In conceiving works that best represent their distinctive interests and concerns, they have emerged from the programme with newfound discipline and confidence instilled within their creative practice.
From a psychological
perspective, emotion is the word used to describe the complex state of
instinctive or intuitive feeling. Our surroundings, circumstances, and
reasoning can create emotional waves that have influence over our thought and
behaviour. I visualize these waves of emotions as an infinite form; it is a
continuous cycle of circumstances, which translates to feelings, and then
actions.
In this series,
I intend to explore the emotions surrounding ego. While healthy doses of ego
have the potential to yield positive results such as developing resilience and
confidence, like everything in life, there is a need for balance. Unhealthy ego
can create toxic thinking patterns, poor decisions, and arrogance among other
negative qualities. As one of the most common, and potentially damaging traits
found within mankind, I explore the destructive results of unhealthy ego when
we fail to manage the emotions behind it, and balance them with humility.
Comprising of a
number of print works and drawings, Untitled illustrates a solid form meant to
represent external strength, with manipulation towards its form to express
emotional instability stemmed from ego. In some works, the subject matter can
be found being slowly crushed by the pressure of a rope tied tightly around it.
While my body of work aims to shine light towards the scars and the long-term,
negative effects of ego despite our perceived strength, it is merely an
observation and study of the consequences rather than a solution.
Untitled. No 1.
Untitled. No 13.
Over the last few years, Afiq has actively participated in several group exhibitions. Several to note, include Sacred Garden at ARTO Movement (2020), Cetak Cerita at AP Art Gallery (2020), Kuala Lumpur International Miniprint (2019), Ipoh International Art Festival in Ipoh, Perak (2019), among others.
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Before We Remember by Viko Zhijune
The series
"Before We Remember" comprises of an on-going journey where I explore
my personal emotions and memories through the of study of my relationship with
my surroundings. It can be observed that there has been a consistent presence
of landscapes within the composition of my paintings. What I have discovered
through much reflection, is that the personal significance of landscapes to me
lies in my need to capture the memory of it.
Playing with
dots, shapes, and colours, I attempt to create landscapes of nature that appear
dreamy and unclear. The intention is to portray our inability to remember the
details of every moment. In the time of modern technology, we take for granted
the ease of capturing an image or moment through our smart phones. However, I
have come to realise that while the memory of significant and impactful
emotions may be easier to recall, the visual preservation of every single
moment I have experienced are not as sharp. The experience of seeing a
landscape and recalling every detail is to me is parallel to my inability to
recall other moments I have lived in this life. Thus, our memories are but, an
incomplete sketch. While the general structure of an event experienced and
emotions felt may be present, over time, our hold of its accuracy becomes hazy.
Try as we might, we may not be able to commit every single detail our lives to memory. Yet the question remains, do we need to remember the details? Through the watery, unrefined, and blurry landscapes of "Before We Remember", I hope to convey these exact musings.
Before Monsoon
Monsoon
Silence Hill
Unknown I
Unknown II
Passengers
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Based in Kajang, Ng Zhi June, also known as "Viko", was born in 1993. Graduating from Dasein Academy of Art with a Diploma in Fine Art, she has a keen interest in exploring the influence of her surroundings to her "inner world" and her memories. With her consistent themes of nature and consideration towards their relationship towards space, she seeks to express her emotional responses visually through compositions of landscapes and nature.
Since
graduating, Viko has pursued her career as a fine artist through her regular
participation in competitions and local group exhibitions. Selected
participation in exhibitions include Drift at Suma Orientalis (2019), Small
World at Artemis Gallery (2019), RRRAWRRR!!! At Maybank Foundation (2018), Shenzhen
International Art Fair (2017).
After The Splendid Moment by Yong Hui Lin
Concerning the
gradual decline of traditional culture after a once glorious period, the series
“After The Splendid Moment” draws attention to the final glimmer of light to
the once respected and celebrated Chinese lanterns. Symbolic and significant to
the Chinese culture, the bright and vivid imagery of the lanterns are
essentially projections of good fortune, health, and other blessings for the
future. Brought to our country during the time of the Tang Dynasty, the art of
traditional lanterns was once a widely cherished and respected practice within
the Chinese and Peranakan communities. From the elaborate designs and shapes of
lanterns that have graced the homes and temples of the Chinese people, it is
unfortunate that the art of traditional lantern making is a dying craft in
Malaysia.
According to a
research conducted, it was discovered that there were only two traditional
lantern workshops left in our country at that time. However, the Penang lantern
master had sadly passed away in 2014, while the other who resides in Malacca is
over 80 years; neither of them had an apprentice to pass on their skill and
knowledge of the intricate craft of lantern making. It is my belief that the
lack of understanding, patience, and appreciation nurtured towards the art of traditional
lanterns has been a contributing factor to the practice's gradual decline.
Thus, I hope to cultivate and highlight the beauty of this lost craft, as well
as of the Chinese culture as a whole through this body of work. With close up
perspectives of the lantern, I included imagery which highlights aspects and
themes of the Chinese culture. To represent the passing of time, I have chosen
to complement the composition of each painting with irregular peels of paint
which were originally inspired by an aged wall from a street in town.
After the Splendid Moment – Door God l
After the Splendid Moment – Door God lI
After the Splendid Moment – Peony
After the Splendid Moment - Kirin
After the Splendid Moment - Goldfish
Born in 1989, Yong Hui Lin recently received her Diploma in Fine Arts from the Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA) in 2020. Her work concerns the gradual decline of the traditional culture in Malaysia, and the necessity of preservation of traditional crafts. Thus, through her creative practice, she hopes to draw attention to the traditions of her culture through contemporary portrayals and impressions. She hopes to further study and immerse herself within other local cultures and traditions in the development of future projects and series.
As an emerging
artist, she has been involved with several art projects and received a number
of awards for art competitions held in Malaysia, such as Art Against AIDS
Competition, Usaha Tegas Heritage Competitions, and Viva Homes Kolam design
competitions, among others. Participation in recent group exhibitions include
(Un)wrap Open Art Exhibition at Creative Art Hub, Sunway Putra Mall KL (2021),
Posi+ive Online Exhibition at Segaris Art Centre KL (2021), Art Against AIDS at
White Box @ Publika (2019), “Angel’s Hand” Women Art Exhibition at the Chinese
Assenmbly Hall (2019), and ArtEDecor at MATRADE Centre Kuala Lumpur, (2019).