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Samsudin Wahab, "Blood is the Best Sauce", 2009
Exhibition Review: TAKSU Gallery– Fab 4
Until 8 July
Yes, four artists are showing at the current TAKSU exhibition, but not all of them are ‘Fab’. Easily forgiven in a group show obviously, but in this case it is frustratingly the most notable of a number of mysteries. The show lacks creativity and a coherent theme, and is hung haphazardly – it is unfortunately evident that there was no curator involved. Moreover, the idea of the exhibition mostly came about, I was told, because each of the artists previously sold out their respective solo shows at the same space. That just does not quite cut it for those of us who are not well, Taksu staff. Yet, seemingly by sheer miracle, these works (all 2009) play off each other in perfect tonal harmony, and so the gallery gets away with it, putting on something vastly enjoyable. Visitors can feel as if they are amongst a private collection, enhanced by the beautiful residential-style space; a collection where everything is matchy-matchy, and there are strengths and weaknesses so you want to linger in some corners and immediately escape others. Grouping together Fauzul Yusri, Justin Lim, Samsudin Wahab and Wong Chee Meng, some paintings are so strong they carry the entire show, and sort of just bring the rest along for the ride.
Justin Lim, "The Revolution will not be Televised", 2009,
Justin Lim’s standout is Aeroplanes & Anatomy – Blue, but his The Revolution Will Not Be Televised and The Voyeur take centre stage. All reveal the hideous beauty of the contemporary mind with amazing clarity, and just enough painterly detachment from the little Tom & Jerrys and Roger Rabbits he includes. Lim doesn’t quite stand up to Fauzul Yusri, who is at his Twombly-esque best at the top of the stairs with Lantai, but he is exhilaratingly much closer than the others. Wahab seems speedily headed for intense maturity, already apparent in the sepia-saturated Blood Is The Best Sauce, and throughout is using a symmetry signature that is very tattoo art. As for Wong Chee Meng, there is not a big enough cm allowance here for the number of times I want to say the word ‘No’. But that’s just me.
Fauzulyusri, "Lantai", 2009
Wong Chee Meng, "One Language", 2009
There is blindingly no connection in Fab 4, and there is an attempted Beatles tie-in in the promotional material that’ll make you cringe. If one is being kind and these are “loosely” the Malaysian art-world’s Beatles just for this one show, I fail to see the shared deliberate outcome that is parallel to some kind of new, beautiful music. Obviously they were simply brought together in the name of Malaysian contemporary art, so why not admit it. It is the major drawback of the show that this link was bypassed for an attempt at something different or deeper or… what is the Beatles thing TAKSU? With artists of this caliber, unless you relate them to each other properly, the paintings speak for themselves, and fight each other to be heard. At Fab 4, each wall hosts a quality mini solo-show. It is simply a single-file hierarchy, like The Beatles across Abbey Road (wink, wink), but with Yusri the distant leader. And no, that does not make him John.
(SW)
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would be great to know what’s the fab 4 connection there! it completely escapes me.
‘As for Wong Chee Meng, there is not a big enough cm allowance here for the number of times I want to say the word ‘No’. But that’s just me.’
Suraya, can elaborate ah?
He seems to be the only one who stands out. Just looking at his use of pastel pallete will tell you that this artist is thinking different.
Furthermore, CM’s blend of vectored visuals and flat geometrical fragments is more in line with today’s graphical concerns.
The rest appears to be the typical brooding macho expressionist paintings not much different from your Jai’s and Matahati stuff. Between Yusri, Wahab, and Justin, I would place Justin last and Wahab first.
Wahab’s compositions are more complex and the figurations are more intense. The social political references are also a whole lot more sophisticated than the ones used by Justin.
Why is Shamsudin referred to by his father’s name?
oops. Samsudin.
Because Potter placed a mispelling spell on his name?
Hello People!
Very interesting read, entertaining I might add.
The artist and the gallery wouldn’t dream, or -dumb enough to claim themselves in par of the legendary Beatles (for those who got offended again and again about this)
but rather-
Through the marching artist image, FAB4 was to channel the spirit of youthful determination in freedom of expression in Relation to the era of when Abbey Road was released. The world was in chaos with anti-war demonstrations and we were grappling with our own May 13th racial divisions and lets not forget the New York’s Stonewall riots that marked the beginning of the modern gay rights. And in the midst of all this, all the youth really wanted was to express and unite, be it through music, sex, art and even drugs.
I have to admit, the palm trees at the back of the marching artists didn’t portray the same ‘urgency’. But each artist was genuinely determined to express their curiosity / love / views and that has to count for something.
plus- why should art be taken SO seriously all the time and that it has to be so claspingly purposeful? Being cynical brings out character but having our anus clutching all the time doesn’t really get us anywhere to really grow. –and the Malaysian art scene intensely needs plenty of expanding
Alot of people thought it was merely the ‘packaging of a show’ to create a hype and that the show was curated badly, but A Whole Lot of people turned up and supported the show when they’ve thoroughly understood the direction and intention of FAB4.
why should art be taken SO seriously all the time and that it has to be so claspingly purposeful? Being cynical brings out character but having our anus clutching all the time doesn’t really get us anywhere to really grow. –and the Malaysian art scene intensely needs plenty of expanding
Thank you FightMe! Aku s’tuju.
so the Fab4 is part of the same spirit as the Beatles. Do you think the artists support experimental/recreational drug use and gay rights then?
suppositories can help some people with anus clutching issues
Oh my..is this the kind of art-writing that Arteri promotes?
As a reader, it doesn’t sound like there was any research done for the article.(correct me if i’m wrong). Were there any interviews conducted between the writer and the artists? or the gallery? the writing is so amateur-ish.
I read Gina Fairley’s essay on the show on the gallery’s website and got more out of that and made me interested to view the show. Some works i liked and some i didn’t but that’s just my personal taste.(which should end up on a comments page and not a published article!)
Congratulations to Taksu and the fab4 on their efforts! saw that it was a sold out show!
Kritik, if you are unaware, please note that arteri is a voluntary effort. As such, I think it’s acceptable that articles of varying quality will be submitted and printed. The informal tone of writing is a good enough cue that one should not be expecting quotes and footnotes.
Gina is a veteran and is paid to say the best things she can say about the show.
I’m not entirely sure but the writer here sounds like a NKOTB but arteri is where she can sharpen her skills.
Through little pieces like these, arteri is laying the seeds for frank discussions you will rarely find during art openings or even live forums. Everyone just wants to smile and hear nice things.
Try picking up a serious sounding art magazine like Art Forum and observe how alomst 85% of would be made up of freaking ads,ads,ads,ads and more ads. How much honest criticism can you really expect from these professional publications?
I think Kritik you can be more constructive by actually voicing out your taste, how it was shaped, and by bringing in the ideas from Gina’s piece for a more stimulating discussion.
Or better yet, send donations to arteri and speciffically reward the writer whose articles are to your standards.
arterifan
The show was brilliant! i wish there are more shows like this in Singapore! Very mature paintings by some very young artists. Impressive to see such serious and thought provoking work.All the best!