WANTED: Someone to restore Arteri and give it 2nd life. Interested? Email: mail.sharonchin.com
Doesn’t kaka mean ‘poop’ in French? Enjoy some scenes from the 27 May 09 opening, and make sure you catch this cool shit show. Guess who was there, looming underfoot, and larger than life?
Rock Kaka: Fahmi Reza, Callen Tham, Fairuz Sulaiman, Saiful Razman and Vincent Leong
27 May – 13 June 2009
Valentine Willie Fine Art
1St Floor 17, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 12-8pm and Saturday 12-6pm
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays
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The press release:
Rock Kaka features four Malaysian artists who come from different creative scenes but share the same fervor for rock music. Participating artists include Fahmi Reza (filmmaker), Callen Tham + Fairuz Sulaiman (DJs), Saiful Razman (visual artist) and Vincent Leong (visual artist).
Rock has always been a genre of music that is characterised by the headstrong energy and impetuous attitude of its followers. Rock music, from the outset, is characterised by its rebelliousness against the norms of society, breaking boundaries as it bridges the gap between reality and a flight of imagination.
The exhibition hopes to capture the free spirit of rock and explore how the values expressed through rock music, adapts to or challenges our Malaysian society. Artists will ask these questions through installation, video art and sound manipulation, creating works that aim to tease and provoke viewers into thinking about history, society and culture through rock music.
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Najib’s Head Stolen from Billboard with link to YouTube – Fahmi Reza, 2009
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Ada Di Mana-Mana – Saiful Razman, 2009, found object, 61x61x61cm
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Nirvana: Nevermind – Vincent Leong, (1991), 2009, found T-Shirt, audio interview, discman
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Political science PhD student Yin Shao Loong, independent curator and writer Eva McGovern
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“We’ve got 70,000 sq ft at our new art space!!!” LabDNA’s Nani Kahar offering artist Roslisham Ismail a.k.a. Ise a new venue for his Parking Project
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Videographer Fairuz Sulaiman showing how to make movies with his home-made film projector
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Rumah Anak Teater’s Fared Ayam and Zahiril Adzim who just returned from Cannes Film Festival as the film Karaoke he starred in was screened there, with fan Adila Abdul Malik in the centre
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As Seen On YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGHgWU8fV0o
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“Yo KL! The party’s shifted to Valentine Willie’s!” Zouk’s DJs Lau Hoe Yin a.k.a DJ Blink, Alvin Teoh a.k.a DJ Goldfish and Terence Chong a.k.a. DJ Terence C
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Wannabe artist Dinesh Ramalingam with artists Saiful Razman and Aswad Ameir
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“He did it!” journalist Kean Wong seems to be saying that Ise tore up Najib’s head from the billboard.
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Freedom Film Fest organizer Elaine Foster with photographer Zaireen J. Redza and Box of Ideas wank controller Goh Sze Ying.
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FAN?!!! HAHAHAHHA you make me sound like a groupie, Alex yong.
Fairuz Sulaiman bukan DJ la.
Ha … tak ada pun diskusi kat sini?
Hi, apparently there’s been a very fierce complain about Fahmi Redza’s work. For some strange reason the visitor manage to read the Mongolian into the work, which doesn’t make any sense at all. Clearly, it’s about a very different subject altogether!
I have been told that the work is coming down this Saturday. The rest of the show stays. For those who wants to catch it before the gallery self-censors itself, make your way there before this Saturday!
Saya nak mencium-cium bibir besar dan meraba-raba misai halus si ketua kami ini.
Eh simon, why like that?
so najib’s face is gonna be thrown away just like that?
what a waste.
people see what they want to see.
i dont see no mongolian.
or do i? ho ho ho.
WHAT?!!!! that’s maximum stupidity!!!!!!!!! my friends and i were there and we found fahmi reza’s work both hilarious and suiting to the theme!
aren’t these works up for individual interpretation?! who is this ultra sensitive dungu who wants to sabotage the work? weii if cannot bring an open mind to the show, go sit home and watch animal planet la dol!
Rock Kaka’s gonna lose one of its best exhibits …thanks to the neanderthal one track pea brain.
VWFA, don’t take it down!!
I do think this is absolutely dungu too. We might just put an image of a dessert on the wall instead and call it Mongolian Special to replace the work.
Now alex, you gotta stop calling me “general” manager. :)
Maybe we should call the bluff and replace Najjers with a Rorschach and people can really read whatever the heck they want into it, eh?
1) art should just be about painting flower arrangements from now on.
2) It was nice having the head in our space.
3) I think there should be some sort of a commemoration on the empty wall for the fallen art work.
after china, the wall… of der galeri ;0
salute to vwfa for the najibs head
even tho for just a week
ur courage appreciated
bigger salute to fahmi reza
u r a funny man
i love the work
and the size of the work
I guess art censorship is alive and well in Bolehland! Bravo!
fahmi is an “an hero”..
so the youtube thing is legit? can someone tell me the back story. i seriously believe that it was a viral video with the decapitation all part of an elaborate VFX hoax..
SALAM SUPER
RHA RHA RHA SUPER MAXIMUM RESPECT ARTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
TTTTTTTTT
TTTTTTT
TTTTT
TTT
TT
T
So how does a film director change himself to an artists? Easy, first, get in touch with a renowned art gallery, in this case Valentine Willie’s in upmarket Bangsar. Second, band together a group of like minded ‘artists’, and put up some art-like structures. Third, be sure to make it look a lot like the previous exhibitions, complete with printed collaterals. Fourth (don’t forget!), make use of you tube, to give yourself a good excuse in case the artwork becomes controversial. And fifth, make sure you have a good subject to begin with (e.g The Prime Minister) in order to catapult yourself to stardom.
And the eventual result? Excuses like, a-political will always work especially if you are in the arts. In this case, a film director (supposed to be) turn artist that will no doubt make heads turn. In the absence of genuine artist in our not-so-arty-farty culture, pseudo artist like Fahmi Reza has managed to perform a coup-de-tat of the arts. Perhaps, the real question to ask if why are there no sculptures of soap bars and rear admiring former Ministers?
spot the Black Flag logo! (google it)
this fahmi reza dude must be a punk rocker…
his najib face reminds me of Sex Pistols’ god save the queen artwork by Jamie Reid
Allah Selamatkan Najib :)
When a friend showed me a picture of a huge piece of “art” work by Fahmi Reza depicting “Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak at a scene of a crime”, complete with a yellow police lines, I said to myself I better go and check it out. I thought it was crude for the owner to allow it!
True enough when I went over to Valentine Willie art gallery in Bangsar and I was agape and stunned. There in front of me in a room against the wall was a picture of Najib with his body drawn or fixed to the floor where you stepped on and was told the piece had nothing to do with the PM but rather the piece is about vandalism, so the sketchy explanation went on by one of the gallery’s staff.
Art expression is one thing but for a respectable gallery not respecting the present prime minister by exhibiting the smut disguised as an art piece is another ! Come on Valentine Willie you can do better than that!
I just hope the piece has been taken down because I really like that gallery!
Hi Pasquale,
The piece has been taken down. I hope you’re happy about it. Because I AM CLEARLY NOT. An artwork should not be taken down because of people like you who claims to like the gallery or even art for that matter and then wants it to play up to the tune of the establishment.
Interesting that you consider the explanation given by a staff member as sketchy because that was easily the most literal reading I got from the work. What’s so sketchy about the most direct meaning one can get from it? That it communicates vandalism as a form of social rebellion vis a vis rock music/theme?
Unless of course you are personally bringing on your personal prejudices and layering it to how you see the work, this kind of close reading is the most oppressive kind of policing that’s stifling expression in all forms. I’m more than disappointed hearing that you’re happy to see the work come down. That’s just the stupid middle class attitude that’s driving our country to the brink of collapse.
unfortunately, so-called ‘pasquale’ is actually rusdi mustapha, who really should be more forthcoming about his work for the new PM and his love of canadian beer… presumably, playing some praetorian guard function must have its rewards?
Finally, a respectable gallery has inccured the wrath of the khan’s little napolean – barking magpie indeed.
See the link by Barking Magpie aka Rusdi aka Pasquale,
http://barkingmagpie.blogspot.com/2009/06/valentine-willies-art-gallery-has.html
and by the above PJ Moothy,
http://malaysia-instinct.com/english/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8292:when-your-mind-is-made-up-for-you&catid=35:national-news&Itemid=82
I wonder if other gallerist would follow suit in the future to practice selfcensorship? Meanwhile the street-wise artists would just continue playsafe and stay away from any explicit form of social-political commentary – just make those convoluted pseudo-social-politic art.
Selfappointed cultural police and bloggers really wish to continue playing their role as opinion gatekeepers to the power that be. KL artists, you should befreind them, even the repectable gallerist has to kowtow now.
I would like to thank everyone who came to visit and support VWFA, the artist involved & ROCK KAKA. It was a great response – good or bad reviews, are welcomed.
The exhibition was about breaking boundaries and that is exactly what it did. Rock music is all about breaking the rules, whether it be grunge, metal, indie, post, punk and etc… Please – Elvis was a HUGE controversy when he sang “Hound Dog” live.
It is a shame that Expressionism does not live up to its full definition here in Malaysia. How are we to expand our horizons when we restrict, censor and condemn any form of art that may not conform to the majority’s morality? So, where does one draw the line? Nudity? Religion? Politics?
Therefore, art in Malaysia should practice all forms of ‘isms’ but we cannot touch the PM because he is larger than life (no pun intended). So – lets use the Padini billboard models instead, that’s ok. I fail to see the fuss in this whole Najib’s head issue. The exhibition was a response to punk rock. If you listen to the music you would know enough to understand the work installed.
The exhibition as a whole, was a success, as it got everyone on their feet and turned their attention towards where Malaysia’s art scene is heading into.
Saya yang menjalankan tugas,
Majulah pemikiran terbuka untuk arena seni kita.
not that hard to see why there’s a fuss about the aborted head – all manner of usage and mention of the great leader is now subject to censorship, as all those arrested for candle-lit vigils know very well… So when it’s even more than just a mention (eg, Lim Kit Siang at penanti, who’s being threatened with sedition charges), when it actually features his features, even the geniuses like pasquale/rusdi can get into the act.
but more pertinently, why are the other artists not withdrawing in solidarity with the censorship of fahmi? or is the prospect of fame in bn circles more important than integrity?
giler aku suka sculpture ni..
jap
ni panggil sculpture ker??
hahhaa
Rusdi / Pasquale squawking magpie.
You don’t like art, go toadie to Najib and get the fuck out of our faces.
Hidup Fahmi!
What was the process and the discussions behind this removal? I hear it was at the request of Valentine because Karim Raslan is launching a book on Monday and they didn’t want to offend Barisan friends. Is this accurate?
But the removal of work from a show is obviously the most extreme act an art gallery can carry out, with the exception of also destroying the work (something the Singapore Art Museum did some years ago). And it usually requires a negotiation and agreement of some sort with the artist involved. Everyone of us who has been in a similar situation realises how fraught and difficult these decisions are, but isn’t it essential to clearly tell the story so the community and artists can learn and move on?
So there are lots of unanswered questions for the historical record: Was there an agreement? Why did the artist acquiesce and remove the work? What was the leverage used? Is Valentine or the gallery recompensing the artist for the removal? Especially in light of the overtly political work, what would be the point of putting it up in the first place, if the artist then agrees to its removal? Was there a threat of civil suit or criminal prosecution? How are the other artists in the show handling the affair? As Mtrkr asked, did they consider an act of solidarity of removing their work from the show as well? If not, why not? Do they agree with the removal? And shouldn’t there be a public statement by Valentine or VWFA and the artist explaining the removal?
Without some public statement (or a symposium) there remains a fog around this act (like so many other more bizarre acts recently) and it could set an ominous precedent for the arts at the start of the Najib era, could it not?
First Petronas Gallery collapses and now a private gallery asks for the removal of the very art work it agreed to put up a few days before? And a group of politically tuned and progressive artists seems to have stepped back when faced by what… the real ‘face’ of power, wealth and status? Or by wind? Or angin?
fahmi turunkan najib punya gambar then gallery turunkan fahmi punya artwork. sigh!
Salams Ray,
Although in principle i agree with your questioning, of course i do. I also think the point has been made and i’m not sure collectively if the bigger fight should be fought now at this time? I would be curious to hear Fahmi’s opinion on this.
I LOVE Fahmi’s work. The brilliance of the video simulacra, the referencing to the Sex Pistol’s ‘God Save the Queen’ album cover. The audacity and confidence and intelligence and sheer spectacle of the work is downright entertaining and err youthful! Happily punk is alive and well and still kicking arse in these ere parts! I also salute VWFA and its team for displaying their integrity to the arts for allowing it to be shown on their premises.
There is a constant negotiation for space and voice in arts practices. Compromises are apart of the game, like it or not. My pragmatic self says some battles are worth fighting hardcore and some battles can be won by simply naming them, documenting them as some kind of marker on that big ol road map thingy. I think this is one of the latter?
Sloppy, lazy work from dear Vincent and Razman but otherwise a truly successful show! Congrats to Fahmi & VWFA.
well, i guess i have to make some sort of comment here since i’ve been so vocal on other people’s work. :)
first of all: thanks, i-lann for being honest and sincere. criticism accepted. i do agree that it was a sloppy work. i admit that i didn’t put enough effort into this show because i didn’t think too much of it when my inital idea was rejected by the staff of vwfa *a separate issue all together. (2) sorry, erna. but how could that have been more controversial than what was allowed with fahmi’s piece?
however, i take full responsibility of the final work because by the time i realised the potential of the work through more interviews i’ve got w about 10 other people, it was too late.
note: the audio in the discmans were not completed. i was late, but was hoping to present the completed interviews – at least for the final week – but the show came down.
either way, pls do not view this as my defense (and excuse). we don’t always make works we are proud of. most of the time we don’t, actually. but i would like to think we constantly try new things. learn from mistakes. and try again. its more exciting this way. treat the gallery/exhibition as a testing ground/laboratory, rather than a place to preserve precious relics.
as for the questions if “the other artists in the show consider an act of solidarity of removing their work from the show as well?” what do u think? if we are so upset over this matter which is obviously out of our hands, the most we can do is to not show with the gallery the next time. what else do you expect?
Not sure about matching the Queen(Royalty) and Najib(politic),dont see any strong link on it.
Maybe using Sultan to match to Queen is more accurate.
The Najib eye was cover by black tape,but the queen was cover by text.its a two differrent direction in visual vocabulary.
Provocative and opportunist.
Dear Vicent,
Pls dont let me install your ‘Lazy’ art work anymore.i’m bored,will more happy by just buy you a good coffee.
Simon, don’t be upset the work was taken down earlier than it’s scheduled. For me, I see this as another process of the artwork. You know, the installation was exhibited – stirring things up – some people complaint – the work was banned – it’s not in the gallery anymore but people still talking about it – and in fact they did raise many interesting issues that reflect the norm and the so-called ‘art world’.
If I were the artist (and also the curator), I wouldn’t care how long it was on the show. Instead, I’d be so happy that many people remember and still argue about it, though it was exhibited only for what… a week or two maybe. Not sure if it’s Fahmi’s intention, but I think the installation has accomplished its job. Perhaps it’s a bit too much to say this but i think it’s like the way Duchamp’s Fountain did.
And Fahmi, the work is brilliant (in many ways) – I like it!
i think everyone can see the connection lah… both artwork, the queen and this najib one are clearly a method of détournement (in the situationist sense) or a meme hack (in the adbuster sense).
both artists “reuses elements of well-known media to create a new work with a different message, often one opposed to the original” (from wikipedia entry for détournement)
in the queen artwork, the artist took an existing image of the queen from a postage stamp, enlarged it and subverted it by adding black bars with kidnapper’s ransom note type collage over the eyes and mouth.
in the najib’s work, the artist also took an existing image of najib from najib’s own billboard, kidnapped it and subverted it by adding black bars over the eyes and police ‘do not cross’ line over the mouth.
both artwork can also be seen as an act of ‘culture jamming’.
the queen artwork came out in 1977, the year the queen was celebrating her silver jubilee where the whole celebration was bombarded throughout the British media.
the najib artwork came out in 2009, the year najib celebrated his appointment as the big head of putrajaya and PM of Malaysia where he used the mainstream media to re-brand himself with his 1Malaysia thing over newspaper, tv, radio, blogs, youtube, twitter, flickr, facebook and also… on billboards!
both artwork are shocking and provocative, subversive and satirical, and manage to capture the spirit of youth and rebelliousness in punk rock that screams ‘fuck you’ to the establishment.
still don’t see the connection? maybe you should take off that black tape over your eyes. :)
ah Fei, got laaa…. Fahmi already used the Sultan using the God Save The Queen reference for his 10 Tahun Sebelum Merdeka film poster and blog header last time!
Click the link to see:
http://10tahun.blogspot.com/2008/01/10tahun-kopionite.html
Ah Fey didn’t catch the punk reference but why does Sid speak as though everyone were middle or upper class urban youths who had access to MTV and guitars during the rebellious stage of their youth?
Perhaps Vincent’s digital documentation of local musician’s relationship with the rock stars of Britain and America may explain why such connections are formed with people so far away and so long ago. Is it the power of art? Or was it the power of marketing and the cool T-shirts?
In the mean time…
The ant takes refuge under the leaf of a tree
in the pouring rain,
not knowing a flood is carrying a derooted forest
off to the sea.
Why panic or rejoice over the covering of one piece of picture,
when the video has already floated into cyberspace?
Now it sits alongside videos like Namawee’s Negarakuku & Vincent’s Anti-Corruption Avengers,
potentially working its powers long after the creators are dead.
I feel a revolution like no other is spinning right under my feet, yet most creatives to me seem to be drunk on pure nostaligia. How is this ‘contemporary’ art, I do not understand anymore. Can it be future art taime naow?
punk rock wasn’t on MTV daniel
What’s the point of being given freedom to express our self if one day it will be taken back? What’s the point of freedom of expression if we abuse it?
Freedom of expression is a God’s gift to us mankind. It’s a gift that we should utilize with care and responsibility. But what’s the point when we use that to fabricate lies and slander.
Many belief that freedom can’t be taken away from us. Yes, I agree but I also believe sanction and limitation can be imposed onto us. And this is what I dread as I can’t see myself living in a country where I live in fear.
Freedom of expression is currently being used as a provocation tool, all in the name of art. Today I see print out of political figure has been turned into floor and wall decoration where hatred and anger are vented.
I saw on the net how picture of the Prime Minister adorning the wall and floor of an art gallery. This is where I believe visitors are able to step and stomp the picture. What are they trying to prove? Are they trying to show disrespect?
I can’t see myself stoop so low in the name of art. What is the artist trying to suggest? Is he angry with the Prime Minister? If the artist is trying to express anger and dissatisfaction at the Prime Minister, there are millions other ways to do it. They’re creative, and they should be able to come out with something more creative than this.
Well, the artist is not the only person who’s angry with the Prime Minister and yet they choose other civilized manner to show their dissatisfaction. Najib can’t please everyone.
I think the artist should at least have some decency to respect the decision of the rakyat. I’m not trying to defend the Prime Minister, but at least give this guy a chance to prove his worth. If you don’t agree, work harder in the next general election.
What the artist has done is akin to hitting below the belt when he can’t find anything against the Prime Minister or nothing to bring him down.
How do Najib’s children felt seeing picture of their father being ‘vandalised’. And how does the artist felt when someone does the same thing to his father. Don’t cowardly hide behind ‘art’ to do demonize others.
If you accuse the government doing much worse than what you did, prove it. Find the evidence. Do the right thing. Don’t judge from the comfort of your arm chair.
How very interesting. Historians of the present, pay attention. Something interesting is happening in Malaysian metaphysics.
Somehow it has become possible for an image of the top-ranking civil servant in this country to have a special status or even special powers. Does dirt or injury to the image become dirt on or injury to the man? Has the image acquired the powers of a voodoo doll or fetish? How amazing if this is so.
Have visitors actually “stomped” on the image, or merely stepped upon it, since it is inconveniently large, and what of the humble roach, cicak, or rat that passes over? (Sorry if I am casting an unfair slur on the gallery’s hygiene).
If merely stepping foot on the image is cause for offence, then what, I wonder, are the outraged to do with all those thousands of campaign posters left over from the last election bearing our top civil servant’s image? What heedless fate has befallen them? Have they been cast upon piles of refuse, trodden upon by hurried pedestrians, zoomed over by rempits, exposed to the merciless forces of the elements, not to mention our ubiquitous roaches, cicaks, and rats that criss-cross our fair country.
Alas, how can we defenders of the leader’s image do honour to our outrage, to pursue the virtues of consistency, and seek to save all possible copies of His image?
It is fortunate that my conscience is not troubled by the possibility of shirk (idolatry), or else I might have to give pause to this noble ideal of saving His image from harm. But perhaps it is a little unhealthy to invest so much power and vulnerability in what is merely a picture. I do not want my great country to end up like China where a ‘cult of the leader’ surrounds Mao Tse Tung.
We are, after all, a democracy where we elect mere mortals into office to serve as public servants. And respect for an image of a man accrues in pace with respect for the man himself. And respect is gained by virtuous deeds, it is not a right by default of one’s office, unless one happens to be a Ruler. Hidup Malaysia!
‘Freedom of expression is a God’s gift to us mankind’
Nope. I see it as being part of human rights.
Article 10: Freedom of Expression
(1) Everyone has the right of freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without inference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.
(2) The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.
One of God’s rule from the Abrahamic tradition is the commanment:
4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,
I’m no religious expert here but I believe that strict following of this law technically leads to the prohibition of any kind of figurative image or sculpture whatsoever. For example, a child playing teatime with her doll or teen placing posters of his favorite singer can be construed as the worship of false idols.
In the case of Fahmi’s work, the dececration of the PM’s head seem to run afoul with many of the general criterias set in section 2 of article 10:
– in the interests of national security
(if Sid is correct, decapitation means anarchy)
– territorial integrity or public safety
(what if a kid copies what he saw on youtube and falls off the billboard tower?)
– for the prevention of disorder or crime
(what if it encourages more vandalism of legally paid public advertising?)
– for the protection of health or morals
(can we vandalize or disfigure anyone we disagree with?)
– for the protection of the reputation or rights of others
(heheh…Najib’s reputation er..)
So maybe it’s ‘god’ who is having a chuckle at Fahmi’s work and giving it the thumbs up :P
Sorry I-Lann. It’s Top of the Pops right?
All the god talk. Feels like I’m in Americaaaa.
This is a request.
To follow up of ray’s enqueries, can someone from Arteri conduct a full investigation into the REAL reasons behind the taking down of the Najib’s Head artwork and post a write-up about it?
Kalau Arteri tak boleh buat, saya akan terpaksa panggil Nas Ahmad dari rancangan Melodi @ TV3 untuk terjah VWFA! Zass!
Why panic or rejoice over the covering of one piece of picture,
when the video has already floated into cyberspace?
Yo D,
seriously though, why are we harping on the issue? Because they are two very different works and they operate within different contexts and that the contestation that happens in the context that we are addressing is equally important and interesting because it creates an aesthetic experience that is different from the sole video work online . not to say the video work online is unimportant, but it’s a whole different engagement la.
Yes, the video work is in cyberspace, but that’s not what our friends from the ministry are complaining about right? afterall, you can’t ‘walk’ over the video in cyberspace. What’s in cyberspace is tame la compared to the experience of the work in a physical space (which one can argue is not the same work anyway).
Minahcun, we’re working on it!
[**FLAGGED by editor: I.P. 118.100.91.83**]
I attended the Valentine Willie launching a dozen years ago when the Art gallery was first open in Bangsar and was impressed with the collections of art exhibited. I am a keen art enthusiast. While browsing the net for news and updates, i came across Valentine Willie on Barking Magpie blog that is in my blogroll.
Although i have not been to the Valentine Willie gallery for quite awhile, I have due respect to the owner whom continuously promote Arts that is still lacking compared to its acceptance in the western region. At a point, i too wanted to open an Art gallery.
When i saw @ barking magpie blog, Valentine Willie displaying the huge art by Fahmi Reza, I was stunned and shocked. Whilst i always kept the impression that Valentine Willie had gained such a reputation, the following display may just illustrate a ploy in desperation.
Although I am an art enthusiast, i do not appreciate and do not see any art in disrecpecting in such a manner our existing Prime Minister whatever the explanation given. I agree with Pasquale, there is a thin line between an expression of art and exhibiting the smut disguised as an art piece.
[**FLAGGED by editor: I.P. 118.100.91.83**]
In the name of art they said…
Fahmi Reza and Co., lower than dog shit you are.
[**FLAGGED by editor: I.P. 118.100.91.83**]
I agree with Daniel. its so obvious that the artist Fahmi Reza who was inspired to make this trash is kurang ajar and slanderous.
The Gallery owner who allowed such trash to be exhibited ought to be investigated by the Police and charged for sedition together with the artist.
Freedom of expression should not be misused as a licence for slandering anybody in this country.
Adoi, sorrylah Eddy, my heart is on the side of art and freedom of expressionlah. I’m just examining various angles of arguements.
ARTERI readers and comment leavers,
This is a moderation message. It is getting a little ugly on this thread.
This is to inform you that we are tracking the comments.
The comments from Eddy, Khai M. and Armin above are from the same I.P address: 118.100.91.83, which means they are possibly from the same person (note also the time of posting). Please be aware of this if you choose to respond to statements made by them/him/her.
We are leaving all the comments intact. But I have flagged those three from the same I.P.
Peace be,
SC
huahahahahaha!
Dua cara utk hantam kau kau orang yg kita benci.
Pertama- Hantam mereka dgn cara mereka tak sedar dan kadang jemput pula kita ke kenduri diapa ; )
Kedua, Hantam terus kat muka hinga berdarah dan kita jadi Hero. Tapi, tak dapatlah jemputan ke kenduri lagi : (
Betul juga kita boleh dapat kenduri dari tempat lain, tapi, tak bestlah, kan free makan kat orang kita benci tu lebih sedap ; ) Buat apa nak reject rendang sedap tu?
Tapi kalaulah itu terjadi, habis lah game, game ober.
Kalau nak main kau kau sama dia, biar kita pakai lesen kreatif kepunyaan artis dengan puas puas, hantam kau kau tapi biar diapa tak sedar.
Tapi Fahmi, kita ni keliru sikit, siapa target karya kau ni, VWFA, PM, penonton atau kau sendiri? atau main hantam aja? Tolong lah habak pada kita ni!
Kalau VWFA, biar lah aja, kan diapa tak pernah sidang rendang kat opening diapa!
Kalau PM, sayanglah, kenduri besar-besaran I dengar akan di hidang, lebih besar daripada yang di hidang kat rimba Kuang itu, KaKaKaKa (banyak orang yang pakai baju hitam pada hari 1black Malaysia tu pun pergi opening tu, protes-otak-tak-berhati. Apa nak buat, kan kenduri kat sana tu tahap tingggi, emm…siapa pulak yang bayar kenduri itu, RD, WWF atau potongan dari jualan karya artis? KaKaKaKa makanlah aja : )
Kalau penonton, memang kita lari kelam-kabut sana sini, taniah : )
Kalau kau sendiri, emmm…fetishKenaHantam : )
Kalau main hantam aja, sorry lah, saya ingat kau lebih kreatif daripada ini, kan u dah tunjuk kita kat film yg kau bikin tu.
Walau bagaimana pun, Fahmi, kau memang berbiji kau kau, I salute kau sebiji-biji.
Hi Sharon,
I think I’ve solved the mystery somewhat… the above comments were all posted in different blogs, if you follow the links attached to their moniker. It seems like our commentator was helping them express their views by transporting their views over here. I am not sure if he/she received permission to do so.
Cheers
Simon
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Yeah!!!!!!!
now we’re talking!
I guess new media has spawned little children on the internet. We can’t even have proper intellectual discourse without the harassment of anonymous individuals.
Sigh, grow up la kids..
Check out Buletin Popek’s coverage of Rock Kaka: http://popteevee.popfolio.net/default.aspx?e=89.
Sharon,
What is our policy of monitoring IP? Only fugly commentators? To be fair, should we track the ‘kudos/cool/nice one/good job/i likes’?
Simon,
‘What’s in cyberspace is tame la compared to the experience of the work in a physical space (which one can argue is not the same work anyway).’
Oh boy, it’s a ‘ceci n’est pas une pipe’ type argument we are having eh.
It’s not the same work but I see the video as more garangleh. Here’s why:
If one follows the logic that a physical object has more impact than its imitation, then holding a book or touching a guitar should technically be more satisfying/revolting than reading a story or listening to music.
Yes, Fahmi’s work has two important components and I think the stronger one is actually the video.
The poster is visually impressive but less interesting because it gives access to the few gallery visitors a sensational pleasure / displeasure of walking over it (If just the idea of touching a giant Najib poster turns some people off or on, I applaud their sense of imagination).
Besides being easily taken down, it could also be bought as a trophy. Either way, if a place isn’t found for it, it’ll gather dust.
So let the ministry guys glee over the censorship of the object. They won a little battle but the real war is happening in the world of abstracts/concepts/virtual/cyberspace…
I’ll really panic if the government took my Youtube away. I believe this happens in Thailand if you insult the King or in China where a giant firewall exists.
The video is like a rocket that has launched into space. The people on the ground can see it with a simple click. Maybe it is tame for you but Namawee’s Negarakuku and Vincent’s police bribary video has already generated thousands and thousands of hits on youtube and plenty of comments.
Just as Vincent’s bribery video, what troubles me though is that most people won’t know that the actions were faked.
According to a reliable source – no actual Najib poster was hacked from a billboard.
Was this clarified in the gallery wall display ?
The way the video was first launched viral style suggests that the person filming was a lucky bystander but that is not the truth either right?
If politically orientated artists want to set themselves against the government as a force of the ‘good & true’, then they should avoid strategies that involves ‘using lies to tell truths’ and examine ways which are more transparent and closer to the mass.
Using F/X, a fake giant poster,a fake ‘bystander’ edited video, a private gallery set in middle class bangsar, its referencing of punk which requires knowledge of Western subculture, ultimately weakens its position as a protest piece.
As a discussion generator, it is pure success.
DC
boss, if the video work is more garang, we wouldn’t have like 50 comments about the gallery work (please note that the gallery work includes the video work but is not ‘just’ the video work in cyberspace).
nuff said. life in cyberspace is not more authentic than the lived life here la, we all straddle both worlds anyway.
now, let me go tend my virtual farm.
Yes… we need more farmers, not artists…
anyway…i think its damn poetic, fahmi take down najib’s face, majib take down fahmi’s work… this is as arty as it gets
[…] Head Stolen from Billboard that needs defending, if not the controversiality of its content if the 54 comments it evoked is anything to go by. Sure the discussion gets a bit heated and emotions get riled, but […]
bookmarked, i will add your homepage to my toolbar
Thanks for the post! People are crazy for not using more Twitter.