Rest In Peace: LKY

I finally found my album in Facebook to grab back the photos I've taken during Singapore Biennial 2013! One art installation that brought me to tears! Happy and Free by Boo JunFeng.

Let's just imagine Singapore never left Malaysia... I just unable to imagine it anymore. As a Malaysian, I remember that I was told that LKY "gila kuasa", "mangambil kesempatan"... etc.. After I grown up, my common sense started to play the major role. Such a small country, such a small land, lack of resources. Water is the most basic resources every human need. Cutting the tie with Malaysia is like cutting the water supply. Whatever historical text. May be it is just for the sake of graduating from school. But the truth will be there, the common sense will guide my mind to the truth.

And because common sense told me so, I respect LKY, he successfully turn Singapore from swamp to a city without the generous help of neighboring countries. I would say that it is still in the 2nd place, since I read about Doha changed from dessert to metropolitan in 30 years...

I totally feel the ideal utopia JunFeng is trying to express. A less stressful Singapore, with more resource, less metropolitan but more relaxed and happy. But the truth is not so "Happy and Free". There are tears... a tear so real that it came from a man who is suppose to be a strong leader.

Good bye LKY... RIP. 

The "Lu" Star and it's meaning? Is it Fertility? Or Status?

During the KLAB + Art for Grabs event, the topic which really strikes my interest is one of the visitor bought up a question regarding the "Lu" star (禄星), the source which inspire the Fertility painting in the Triptych. Well, it was a good discussion. I have to admit that I don't really know about the history and polytheistic believes of Chinese people.

After the event, I had done some Baidu research on the topic (to find the most accurate info related to Chinese, Google is not the choice of search engine), and found out that the original should have total Five deities representing different values. 福禄寿喜财. The five values stands for Fertility, Status, Longevity, Happiness, and Prosperity. It is confused enough since the Chinese folklore were documented in various versions and the Chinese language character alone, reflects various meaning. For example, "Fu" 福 , translated as Blessing, It also have the same pinyin as the word 富，which means rich and abundant. The original meaning of "Fu" should be the blessing of fertility. Where in the old days, Chinese people believed that being fertile is a blessing. However, today, we normally see "Fu" as prosperity. 

Thus, as a conclusion, the visitor is totally right! "Lu" (禄) represent status and authority. Although today, it could be the one hugging the baby. I also found out that Japanese also believe in these values, and they were represented by one deity. 

I have to declare that I believe in no deities! I see the values as important elements of living. Creating a deity to represent the values are such a confusing idea. Which deity should hug the baby? It  does not mean anything to me. As I believe all blessings, prosperity, fertility happiness, authority or statuses are given by one God who created me. That's why my paintings are just for a CNY decoration. They should not be seen as the deities at all. They represent the values and how to achieve them by hard work. If the paintings make anybody think that they are representing the deities, I shall burn them to ashes! 

So far, I really love this triptych because they brought up lots of discussion and thoughts.

My Exhibition @ Art For Grabs 2015

Finally have time to blog about the event! The overall experience is good, but a bit disappointed by the blocking of the path. The police denied the public entry into Dataran Merdeka area due to fear of protest! 

I am glad and happy that I finally done my first "joint exhibition"! Yes! Joint exhibition means there are other artists in the same event! Although I only have the triptych for show, it was a fun experience! I am so so so so so happy to see people laugh, smile, shocked and disgusted by my paintings! Yes, the details on the porcelain pots are the key to all the emotion and laughter. 

I have made some copies of this booklet to be given for free during the event. To share the ideas is my main objective of the show. I didn't really "sold" the triptych, it should be "given" to a private collector. An art work is like a child for the author, and I am happy that my "child" now is on the hand of a good owner. May be later when there's another art event in KL, I will be able to bring them out again for show!

The things I grabbed 2 pottery work of Caeman Loo. They look gorgeous! Very rustic and handmade feel! Unique in a way that it is different from the machine made items which we saw every day in the market. Yet, it is not a rough job. I bought the lamb just because it is cute. 

Siri Beg Kertas: Doodle dan Puisi

The other thing I grab is the zines from Doodle Malaysia's booth. The reason I love this zine is just because of the cover art! I have to admit that I'm lack of the Malay language skill to fully appreciates the poems in the zine, but for sure I'm able to appreciate the great art piece on the cover by Rizal. All the monsters burst from his head... Monsters are with different expressions, depicting different emotions and imaginations, and they were pictured in such a cute and cuddly way. The overall illustrates that the author was so nervous, no longer able to hold the monster from bursting our of his head. It is beautiful!

Other interesting activities in the event, would be the on the spot doodling. It is fun to see talented people gather around and express their artistic ability! 

Although I personally thinks that there are room for improvement. I surely join the next Art for Grabs! Wish to see more artists in the future.