This is a late notice. There will be a panel discussion on art collecting at National Art Gallery, 3pm tomorrow (Saturday 10 July). This will be the second panel, with Prof Dr Krishna Rampal, U-Wei Haji Saari & Anwar Jumabhoy. Unfortunately we missed out on posting about the first panel last week, which featured Pakhruddin Sulaiman, Bingley Iskandar and Datuk Rose Ganendra. Anyone who attended, please share your observations in the comments! If you were there and wish to write a summary or report of the discussion, email me: info AT arterimalaysia DOT com.

Below are some images from the Malaysian Art Friends exhibition. As someone recently quoted in the comments: ars longa, vita breivs (art is long, life short) – I have little time to write a proper review. As poor substitute I include here some quick observations in the hope that they may brought further in the panel discussion tomorrow.

– The exhibition features 3 works each from 15 different collections, or is it more accurate to say, collectors? Each group of 3 works is accompanied by short blurbs from the collectors in their own words. I presume it was the collectors who selected the works, yet this is never made explicitly clear, except in the case of Pakhruddin & Fatimah Sulaiman whose blurb begins with: ‘The three artists whose artworks I have selected…’. Is it right then to say that the exhibition is in fact curated by art collectors? How does this expand the idea of what it means to ‘curate’ a show? What is a curator? Is there a difference between curating or organizing, ‘putting together’ an exhibition?

– I found the blurbs in the collectors’ own voices about the individual artworks fascinating.  They range from deeply insightful to simply ‘I like it!’, providing an accessible entry point to understanding and appreciating the art. Malaysian art collectors have a lot of knowledge. Furthermore, this sort of personal, subjective reaction to art is refreshing and valuable. It makes me wonder what the barriers are for the general public to understand art in this way. Why must curators and critics write in a so-called ‘objective’ or distanced way (often resulting in the use of jargon) in order to seem authoritative? Does buying artwork give one the privilege, or shall we say freedom, to appreciate art in any way you like? Do curators (both working private galleries and public institutions) and art collectors in fact reinforce each other? What is the power-play at work here?

– The National Art Gallery (Balai Seni Lukis Negara, or BSLN) is a public institution maintained on public funds. It is hence accountable to the rakyat. Art collectors acquire their works through private galleries or dealers, which are commercial entities. As commodities, these privately held works of art may then be resold and bought. Since anything shown in BSLN can be deemed of national importance, how does this exhibition increase the monetary value of the works?

–  Expanding the above – this is the centerpiece quote of the exhibition (taking up an entire wall): “The burden of collecting is to share it and the onus of the collector is to free the collection from privileged possession and let it belong to the social life of things. After all, these are the ends of art.” – Patrick Flores, The End of Keeping from 30 Art Friends: Appreciating Southeast Asian Art. Although an endeavor may obviously be in the public interest, isn’t it also necessary to declare a private interest?

– People often donate their private collections to national institutions. Indeed BSLN began its existence with 4 donated artworks in 1958! Generally, donation of artwork is carefully considered by the museum, and when accepted, is considered a great honor (to the collection). What is the difference between making a ‘gift’, a ‘loan’ or ‘permanent loan’ to a museum? (Find out here). In terms of public interest, how does this exhibition stand in relation to the actions of bestowing a ‘gift’ or ‘permanent loan’?  Will this exhibition be a stepping stone to collectors eventually allowing their artworks to inhabit fully ‘the social life of things’ as in that Patrick Flores quote above? Or is this merely a temporary sojourn?

– Majority of the works shown are paintings. There are two sculptures and one installation. How far do market forces determine the production of art? What are the mitigating factors, past and present?

– Finally, I leave you with excerpts from Redza Piyadasa’s preface to the book ‘Masterpieces from the National Art Gallery of Malaysia’, published in 2002:

Whether we like it or not, we may be reminded that the moment an art work slips through the door of the art museum and is displayed in its spaces, or is collected by a national art museum, it immediately assumes an aura, a marvelousness and a distinctness that was not there when it was on the artist’s studio floor.

Whether art museums will ever become insignificant or stop fulfilling their legitimizing function in the construction of artistic traditions and myths can be speculated upon. It seems unlikely that art museums will ever become redundant. We may be reminded that even as there are today art critical position drawn in invalidating institutions like art museums, never in the history of mankind have museums been built with such frequentness and passion everywhere as is being witnessed today. And, in non-Western contexts, where secularistic art activity is still relatively new and all the necessary support systems are not yet fully in place, the role of the national art museum will continue to occupy a special position and it will continue to feature significantly. Art traditions and artists will need to gain respectability and be properly validated and a legitimizing institution such as the National Art Gallery of Malaysia public’s perception of artists and their significant contributions. To discount this significant fact is to shoot oneself in front!

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Tan Sri Azman Hashim:

I have long known about Georgette Chen’s fame as an artist and had the opportunity to acquire two of her works in 1985. I was much attracted to the two pieces – one was Malay Woman selected here.

I knew Ibrahim Hussein personally for many years, having first met him when he was the Resident Artist at University Malaya and staying on the campus in the 1960s, and even at that time, I acquired several works from him. – on Pink Rows

I like it! – on Azman

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Pakhruddin & Fatimah Sulaiman:

The three artists whose artworks I have selected have each in their own unique way forged and incorporated elements of the past (the old or traditional) to be carried over into the present (the new or modern):

In the case of Amron Omar, the traditional silat fight has been employed as a metaphor for jihad in its classical Islamic meaning, which is essentially a struggle against oneself to become a better Muslim.

In the case of Mad Anuar Ismail, the transformed hilt or handle of the traditional Malay kris has been employed as a metaphor for contemplation and meditation; and

In the case of Sharmiza Abu Hassan, her Hati Nyamuk has transcended the traditonal Malay craft of making bridal gifts where the magnifying glass, cleverly incorporated into the work, has been employed as a metaphor for re-looking, re-examining and re-interpreting, in a fresh light, old myths and allegories beyond their literal form.

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Dato’ Hamzah Mohd Salleh & Datin Nurlin:

I bought this piece at the artist’s solo exhibition in 2004 at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia… I do enjoy looking at and appreciating his marvellous and well-executed paintings. – on Ruang Rohani

I have never seen a more intense or aggressive image of the struggle before this. – on Pertarungan

It is simply amazing how, in the hands of Bayu, what appears on superficial viewing to be a portrait of a friend transforms into the image of a Malay warrior. – on Portrait No.7

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Tengku Ibrahim Petra & Nariza Hashim:

Ivan Rehearsing the Kantan is one of our most precious works, and of huge sentimental value to us. We were a young family when we bought it… I still recall our immense pride when it was hung up at home.

He only needs to concentrate on a single subject and it provokes such a mixture of emotions – you are stirred visually, mentally and spiritually. – on Daging 1

We understood the cultural aspects of [Jai’s] work but while in previous paintings they bordered within a safe, ‘comfort’ zone, in B anjing An the effect is total shock and awe.

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Bingley Iskandar & Ima Norbinsha:

The composition of the metal and the temperature of the casting process vary to achieve different textures and colours. Mat Ali would remind me that each piece of stone had been specially selected to suit the special characteristics of each sculpture. – on Di Hulu Berkawan, Di Hilir Bertawan I & II

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Works from the collection of U-Wei Haji Saari.

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In conjunction with the 30 Art Friends book launch and the exhibition Malaysian Art Friends: Highlights from 15 Private Collections, we are pleased to invite you to the following panel discussions on art collecting by some Malaysian Art Friends to be held on the following Saturdays:

PANEL I

Date: 3 July 2010 (Sat)
Venue: Gallery 2A, National Art Gallery
Time: 3.00 pm – 4.30 pm
Panelists: Pakhruddin Sulaiman, Bingley Iskandar, Datuk Rose Ganendra

PANEL II

Date: 10 July 2010 (Sat)
Venue: Gallery 2A, National Art Gallery
Time: 3.00pm – 4.30 pm
Panelists: Prof Dr Krishna Rampal, U-Wei Haji Saari, Anwar Jumabhoy

For more details:

National Art Gallery: +603-40267161
Rogue Art: +6012 3077 335