An Airplane Disappear... AGAIN!

Malaysia really have some bad luck year for 2014. After 2 MH planes gone, another Malaysian plane was lost today morning. I ended up stuck in Qatar's Hamad International Airport due to security precaution. Thus, I have plenty of time blogging and thinking, luckily the wifi access is unlimited. 

I have a bad flight today from Milan to Qatar. I was annoyed by the lady sit next to me. She keep on talking to her phone when the flight is about to take off. When she saw the flight attended came near, she just put down her phone and then continue to talk non stop. While I try not to be judgmental, but I am still phobia about the effect of wireless communication during flight take off and landing as mentioned in my blog post in July this year: here

I know, many so-called "highly educated STEM people" will oppose my view and see me as being phobia. The thing is, sometimes when it is involve human souls, we have to be "kiasi". STEM cannot be 100% right. It is not 100%. That's why I still have minimum 0.1% reserved for God. 

I have joined a few online STEM community, which most of the people there are so ignorant. Yes, most of them argues and give reasons. They may win the argument, as a research engineer on designing protection equipment, I hold strong on the concept of even having slightest doubt, I don't do it. 

By the way, besides the phone incident, I also a bit annoyed by the mak cik next to me because she took away the blanket which is supposed to be returned after the flight. But I always ask myself not to be judgmental, because she looks like a kampung auntie who doesn't fly much. I'm just glad that she didn't open up the plane exit to get some "fresh air"...

At this moment... I really hope to get back to Malaysia as soon as possible and enjoy a bath and sleep like a pig for once. I do not have much holiday left to settle my stuff and get back to my busy working life.  

Success is all about Resilient

While the success story about young successful entrepreneurs are highly celebrated by western medias, Asian audiences prefer those success stories  about an person who walk through all the hardship and insults, able to find their resilient and gain the final success. There is a viral photo spreading among the Chinese people about Jack Ma. Although the story had been said its not true, I would like to share a REAL story about how great entrepreneurs rejected, and looked down by people before they became successful.

This is the realistic example which were recorded by a reality TV show. In year 2006, Rob Law brought his samples to the show, looking for an opportunity to gain some funding. However, it is clear that he failed to get the funding. Today, Trunki has grown into a successful products and it's brand value worth more that any of the Den's CV could imagine. What can I say? It's the power of finding self resilience after the painful insult and rejection.

Another real life recorded story, is something I just found out today while watching the 2013 Fashion Fund. I notice that Brett Heyman of Edie Parker appeared on the show, and she wasn't selected as one of the 10 finalists. I was puzzled and shock! When I try to google about the event, I found that Brett had been chosen as one of the 2014 Fashion Fund 10 finalists. She never won anything, but her products were already so popular, many celebrities were captured in photo carrying her bespoke clutches.

What's in my mind is, she's totally doing her thing with persistence and never easily gave up! It seems like a normal old fashioned clutches, a lot of them can be simply "Made in China". I can sense the process of success in the making. Link to Edie Parker

What is Art on the Street?

May be you just don't know why artists are doing things like street art. It's not always for the money. It rarely happen in Malaysia or Singapore. When there is an artistic activity on street, people tend to see it as begging for money or vandalizing.

Nothing describe art more than this video shared by Can Okuroğlu. One person may just perform his piece on street. And then a random stranger who share the same artistic sense will join. And the whole process is like a chemistry for creativity. It is an evolution, unpredictably fun.

So what do the street artists looking for? The best term to describe is "知音" in Chinese, it means somebody who knows about your art! To seek an audience who will bring you positive feedback about what you do. And the process is amazing... There are many people doing open source, and street art (visual or performance art... whatever it is...) is just an artistic form which is similar to that. 

Just Do It! To become an Artist!

The only art training I got was during my primary school year. After I failed to learn piano, my mom send me to an atelier to learn painting. The studio was a small messy place inside the Karamunsing building. I do not remember my mentor, all I remember is, there is a portrait of Malaysia's Prime Minister of that time (Mahathir Mohamad). It was the only unique piece since all his other paintings was on the floor, only that portrait is hanged on wall.

So I do have a dream that to become an artist. When I was in my teenage years, I draw manga and anime style illustration. I joined some exhibition and sold some prints. I didn't have much budget though. I face a lot of demoralization by my parents and myself. Things wasn't going so well, until I decided to "never draw again" and focus on STEM education.

Until that day when I plan my further education to Italy, I realized that there are many things I wish to do and it is an opportunity to do it! With time and budget constrain in my mind, I just want to break free and do the thing!

Art is a process... regardless of end product. I want to make it a process to gain a memorable experience to myself! Silly? Waste of time? Waste of money? As long as I'm not sitting at home playing candy crush!

To Have a Street Show

So I've put my art on the street of Via Po. Somewhere near a yogurt shop.

And then, just to get the pun of it, they are on opposite of Academia Belle Arti of Turin.

And then, I move to a "cafe". It's a McD near Piazza Castello. Not much crowd here.

And the all so luxurious Via Roma, the streets are extremely cold for me... I cannot stay at a place too long. I have to move and walk to keep myself warm.

When I went back to Via Po, my first painting was gone. I hope it wasn't removed by some janitors. Hope that it is taken away by some people who will appreciates it. Lets hope! I am so happy to see that.

And finally, this is the best spot! Imagine that my painting sit next to the famous Urbansolid piece! Above the wall, there's a piece by SPAM. This wall is the greatest spot for artists! Once I put the painting on, it attracts some people to look at it! It was a success! I have to move because the bus to my next destination had arrived. Will check tomorrow to see whether the painting is still there or not.

I am totally having fun doing it! The process is an artistic experience for me. I am not professional, I have no fame in the art scene. But I feel happy that I did something! The feeling of achievement. I still keep the triptych though... Plan to bring back to Malaysia and use that as CNY decoration. My parents will surely compliant about them. 

Pawel Kuczynski's ISIS [13 Dec 2014]

Here's the latest masterpiece of my favorite artlist: Pawel Kuczynski's ISIS, he published this piece on his facebook on 13 December 2014, which already stirs some debate among his Muslims fans in the Facebook realm.

Now, here's my point of view. He titled the piece as "ISIS", the extremist group which is the self-proclaimed as the Islamic State based in Iraq and Syria, where it controls territory. ISIS where well known for their be-heading activities. 

This piece of art, didn't resemble any ISIS related things in it. One might argue, that there's a man doing the worshiping of Allah, and the oil came out from the ground. Well, my Muslim friends might feel offended by this piece, but for me, it is a great piece. 

What do I think and why I think this is great? You will have to relate the current issue of oil slump! The oil price had already fall down below $60 (USD) per barrel on Friday (12/12/2014). Even though the mainstream media claimed that it is due to the Saudi Arabian refusal to control their production activities and bla bla bla... Well, on the view of that, why this piece is titled ISIS, in my POV, would have been a reminder for the ISIS group, which were mainly funded by oil profit. And now, because of the oil slump, they might have problem on gaining more profit to support their activities. May be the best way for them to do now, is to go back and sincerely worship Allah, confess their sins, so that they may still survive on the rich oil resources that Allah had gave them. 

Therefore, I see no insult or any offensive meaning in this piece. It is a peace message, that everyone should know, oil is not a fast renewable energy. It is a huge cost for the society to have it in lower price. Why? In my POV, we have to ask ourselves, why we develop alternative renewable energy? Because previously, oil is expensive! That's why we develop solar or wind energy. We make electric cars and etc... now, everything changed! Oil become cheap and it is cheaper than the cost of solar or wind energy, who else would want to drive an expensive electric car? This phenomena would have put a halt on all alternative energy development.That's why, it is a huge cost for the society.

No matter what it is, lets just pray, to Allah, Jesus, Yahweh, Buddha or whoever God you believe in, we will have a better world and PEACE to all! Amen.

If you are interested on Pawel's art, you may find him in his official website here.

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In My POV: Top 3 Paintings With Special Meaning

I love paintings with meanings, i will blog about the 3 most inspiring paintings and visual art piece that really inspire the artist side of me.

3. John Holcroft's Magnet

It's not a painting. It's a digital visual art. John Holcroft is my most favorite visual artist. His works are great, meaningful, expressive and satirical. It is always entertaining to just look at his work and trying to interpret the meaning within the piece. 

The Magnet is just one of his work which in my POV, telling a story of modern day career pattern. More and more people nowadays desire to work for the huge blue chip companies and less people willing to create their own path and start up their own business. However, all are just in my POV, different person might have different views when they look at this piece. For more, visit his site: John Holcroft

2. Pawel Kuczynski's Trouble

I'm not sure the title of this painting is "Trouble", since in Pawel's page, he never have a title shown. Pawel Kuczynski is my all time favorite illustrationist! His works are always infused with meaningful thoughts. 

The Trouble, in my POV, representing the power of wealth. Where in reality, most of the people who able to reach a destination of their target when they have the wealth in their pocket. This piece brought my mind to another meaning of it. That's the whole idea which makes me love Pawel's arts. It also hinted "trouble". If reaching to the other side is the goal of life, there will be many other ways for the smaller cars owners to do so... if they have the intelligence to do so. 

Pawel's art work always inspire my mind to think beyond, out of the frame. I really want to write about all his works and how his works inspires me in this blog someday when I'm free. For more of his works, visit his official page at: Pawel Kuczynski

1. Hans Holbein's The Ambassador

Finally, of course, the greatest master of all! Hans Holbein the Younger! His "The Ambassador" is a masterpiece of a genius. Every details of the painting blows my mind! I don't want to repeat again what the other articles had been written about the piece. This piece is so well known, that every details of it had been heavily discussed all over the world. You may read from Wikipedia about the details. 

Columba Livia

Columba Livia 

If you are interested about the painting, please visit my Etsy shop at:
Avichen's Atelier

They exist almost everywhere. Columba Livia, the scientific name for common pigeons, or better known as doves. It is one of the sign colour psychology which is playing in our mind.

It is normal that people tend to believe that black cats brought misfortunes. Some Chinese believes that black dogs able to see evil spirits. 

For the Columba Livia, they ended up with the similar fate. It represent endearment in the Bible, it is also a sign of Jonas, and it represent peace and also known as a form of Holy Spirit. They were loved for their ability to return home. Often they have the role in a fairy tale, which is sending letters from a prince to a faraway princess, or being the hero sending good news to the king about the victory of a war. 

Columba Livia in the modern world, are not seen to be as great as it used to be in the pass. For the Chinese, they were known as the animal which only comes to you when you offer them food (that’s the natural behavior of all animals). When somebody where called “Pigeon’s eyes” (白鸽眼), it means that this person discriminates people who does not give them any benefits. Furthermore, the pigeons were feared for its ability to carry diseases such as bird flu. No matter how much we hate them, we do love to eat them. 

This image came into my mind when I just started my LLM study in Turin in September 2014. When one of my classmate from Columbia (Mr Diego) express himself that he extremely dislike pigeons when one of the feral pigeons flock over him. In Malaysia, many people, especially Indians, loves to feed the pigeons. The incident triggers me to draw Columba Livia, the animal which is previously so loved, now hated by people. I hate them too! Especially when they poop on the streets.

I was inspired by Hans Holbein's "The Ambassador" and Pawel Kuczynski's artworks. They are so meaningful and expressive. The paintings screams for something. Some issues which is sensitive and might get you into troubles if you transform them into words. When I was painting this piece, I do have that something in my heart which is very offensive to others if I put it into words... Racism...