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Thursday July 27, 2006

Artworks to stimulate the mind

By CHOW HOW BAN

'Truth & Beyond' by Shia Yih Yiing.

ART enthusiasts who are looking to have their mind stimulated can head to the YCA (Young Contemporary Art) Show being held at Gallery 153 in Kuala Lumpur.

The art exhibition, which ends on Sunday, features contempor ary and mind-boggling works by the YCA group which comprises 14 local and foreign artists.

The artists are Chong Kim Chiew, Goh Chai Shaen, Lee Hui Ling, Lee Hui Lian, Lim Kok Yoong, Low Yi Chin, Nazim Esa, Ooi Kooi Hin, Phuan Thai Meng, Sharon Chin, Shia Yih Yiing, Yap Sau Bin, Dr Christopher Thompson Funkhouser and Amy Hufnagel.

One of the most eye-catching displays is the installation work entitled Support by Phuan, who erected wooden planks that reach the ceiling in the living room on the first floor of the bungalow-cum-gallery.

There, visitors can see – and accidentally step on if they do not watch their step – hundreds of sweets scattered all over the floor.

Lim's Nervous, Uncertainty and Beautiful, in the form of a performance as well as a digital image, elicits response from the audience to “an unexpected incident”. It is also to prompt the audience to think about life – in the past, present and future.

His work consists of a piece of granite stone laid on the floor, a fan placed at one corner, a digital print of a small piece of the stone that was blown up and a video projection of a short play by Lim himself.

In the play, the artist is carrying a stack of papers with different images of the stone printed on them. He trips over the stone on the floor and the papers are thrown into the air and blown all over the place by the fan.

Thirteen artists from the YCA group amid the confines of the 'Support' installation work created by Phuan
“This is exp ected to shock the audience who supposedly would react according to their perception of the things around,” Lim said. “Papers are supposed to be piled up and the stone used as a paperweight to stop the paper from being blown away.

“Each day, we see around us things – for example, granite stone – whose ‘life’ evidently extends beyond our own. The stone could have been in its particular place long before we came into being. In contrast to their eternal value, our existence is ephemeral because we are mortal. The transience is both beautiful and sorrowful.”

Chin, meanwhile, constructed an installation entitled Rules which is based on the movement principles of the pendulum. Instead of using metal balls, however, she used footballs suspended from the ceiling.

Dr Funkhouser combined both digital prints of places and poems about Batu Caves and Kuala Lumpur in what he described as The 13 States of Malaysia.

The group's mentor, Lee Kian Seng, said the exhibition was aimed at providing an opportunity and space for the artists to exchange visually stimulating ideas with each other as well as those from the art community.

Lee, a much respected contemporary artist, said: “I have been in the art scene for 40 years. I want to support and encourage this group which needs a new platform to exhibit their works and get across their ideas of what art is about. Their works are similar to what I had done and experienced in the past.”

He said he had experienced ups and downs throughout his career as an artist and he would like to share his experience with the group.

“I want to share with them and tell them they are not alone. I had nothing (when he started as a full-time artist about 40 years ago). People did not treat my work properly but I did not mind and that didn't stop me from believing that I could become an artist,” said the 58-year-old Lee.

He shared his experience and artistic ideas with participants at the Reflections, Insights and Inspirations dialogue held at the gallery on Wednesday.

The gallery is at 153 Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur (behind Nasi Kandar Pelita Restaurant) and opens from 11am to 5pm daily. Admission is free.

For more information, call Kim Chiew at 012-647 2829, Thai Meng at 012-213 9088 or Yi Chin at 012-252 9900).

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