'For my latest show, I explored how cracks in the earth, like veins of life, sustain ecosystems by channelling water and air. Yet, relentless industrial pursuits like logging and construction easily disrupt this delicate balance,' says Umi. Photo: The Star/Ong Soon Hin
For artist Umibaizurah Mahir Ismail, better known as Umi, her latest solo exhibition, Rekah, is a homecoming of sorts.
“My last show in Malaysia was in 2016 – a lot has happened since then,” says Umi, 49, in an interview at Sareng Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, where the exhibition is currently on display.
Dressed casually in denim overalls and light blue sneakers, perhaps the artist herself is as unconventional as her art.
Known for pushing the boundaries in her practice, the clay-based paintings featured in Rekah are made from a special mixture of wild clay, soil, sand, lacquer and decals, among others.
“I don’t want to only be known as a ceramic artist, so for me, painting is not just about colour on canvas – it’s a vital medium to highlight the intersection of different art forms,” says Umi.
“For this series, I used raw clay, a material that I have used since the beginning of my art career and one that is typically associated with sculpture, merging elements of sculpture and painting together to create a hybrid that defies traditional norms and blurs the boundaries between these disciplines,” she adds.
The result is a mix of cracked surfaces resembling drought-parched earth, adorned with custom ceramic shards and golden speckles inspired by Japanese maki-e (lacquer art). The muted, earthy tones come naturally from ceramic pigments.
A new mixed media work titled 'Batas Langit', which is featured in Umi’s exhibition 'Rekah'. Photo: Sareng Gallery
“As an artist, I feel that I should strive to convey something new in every show I do, so these works are a combination of techniques I’ve learned over the past few years.
“If you look at my previous works, everything was clean – smooth, shiny surfaces. But for Rekah, due to its context, my works are purposely filled with cracks using techniques that took me several years to perfect,” she says.
The ceramic sculptures in the series also exemplify the strides Umi has made in her practice – the glaze she uses to get a drippy, globular effect on the sculptures is created from her own formula, specifically developed for the series.
A delicate balance
The title for her sixth solo exhibition fittingly comes from the Malay word for “crack”, after the fragmented motif that is present physically in the surface of the clay, and in the earth from which Umi gets her materials.
“For me, it’s not only the aesthetic that is important, but also the message. Because art is one of the tools we can use to spread awareness,” says Umi.
Comprising 13 paintings and five ceramic sculptures, Rekah explores the juxtaposition between the natural and industrial realms – each piece highlights the unique characteristics of locally-sourced materials while reflecting on the impact of human processes on the environment, deriving inspiration from Umi’s past and present.
As a young girl growing up in Muar, Johor, Umi often accompanied her father to her family’s orchard.
“The orchard was my playground. I would go there and play with marbles on the ground or splash around in the river. Unfortunately, it no longer exists,” she reminisces.
Now based in Puncak Alam, Selangor, Umi has also observed the negative effects that rapid development has had on the surrounding area since she first moved there with her family in 2003.
One of Umi’s new sculptures titled 'Mega Putih' (ceramic, lacquer, steel rods and wood, 2024). Photo: Sareng Gallery
“Early on, there was no commercial area, so it was still heavily forested. It was a haven surrounded by nature. Then one day, these excavators came and it suddenly became a desert.
“Even the fireflies at Kampung Kuantan, which is about 40 minutes away, are not as plentiful as they used to be – they don’t come out anymore because it’s too bright from all the new buildings and the berembang trees that are their habitat have disappeared,” shares Umi.
One of the show’s highlights – or should we say two – is Langkau Alam I and II, which consist of layers and layers of ceramic bricks held together by steel rods.
The works are built from custom-made bricks crafted from local clay, slip-cast in hand-designed moulds, and fired without full glazing for a raw, industrial feel. Langkau Alam I uses warm tones, while Langkau Alam II explores cooler hues, both reflecting the natural clay colours. The bricks were assembled using a modular approach to highlight structural harmony.
“I intentionally incorporated bright colours into each drip accent to evoke the impact of industrial waste produced by humans, while also referencing the vibrant hues found in nature. Some areas of the bricks are finished with a crackle glaze, introducing texture and visual depth,” adds Umi.
Another new thing that she’s trying with this show is titling the pieces in Bahasa Malaysia.
“Coming up with the titles in Malay is difficult, to be honest. For the past three years, I’ve been writing in Malay – mainly it’s for myself, small things like poems – but I wanted to do it this time because it felt right.”
A global student
“I’m not what you would consider a ‘productive’ artist,” admits Umi modestly. “I like to challenge myself, so I’m always experimenting with different things.”
Last year, she won the bronze award for UOB Painting of the Year (Malaysia) under the established artist category. She also dedicates much of her time to honing her craft through overseas residencies, symposiums, and workshops, learning from international artists.
Umi's 'Lembah Dara' (wild clay, soil, sand, ceramic pigments, lacquer, decals, custom-made ceramic shards on canvas, 2024). Photo: Sareng Gallery
Over her 20-year career, she’s exhibited in Japan, Germany, Thailand, Portugal, South Korea, the Netherlands, and more. Last month, she participated in the trio show Remote in Singapore with her husband Ahmad Shukri Mohamed and Mohd Al-khuzairie Ali. Next month, she’ll be in Ankara, Turkiye for a three-week residency, with her works also featured at Art Jakarta in Indonesia from Oct 4-6.
“In Malaysia, we’re still lacking a strong art ecosystem, by which I mean a solid local network of art curators, art writers, art critics and art management. There’s a lot we can learn from our neighbours like Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand, though I do see some positive progress in recent years,” she says.
For Umi, art is also a science.
“If you go to my studio, it probably resembles a mad scientist’s laboratory, because it’s full of my personal formulas and recipes,” she says.
“Which is funny, because when I was in school, I didn’t really like science. Theory bored me; I only enjoyed the practical experiments we got to do. But I’ve since learned that as an artist, you also have to know the theory. Theory and practice go hand in hand.”
Early on in her career, Umi used to teach ceramics at university level, but decided to fully focus her efforts on her art practice in 2005.
Instead, she now nurtures young new talents through Patisatustudio, which she founded in 2007 in Puncak Alam with husband Ahmad Shukri, who is also a renowned artist.
“I enjoyed teaching, but I couldn’t teach and practise my art at the same time. Even after retiring from teaching, I still felt the need to contribute something and pass the knowledge I’ve gained to others, so I’m doing that with Patisatustudio, where my husband and I mentor emerging artists in various disciplines,” she shares.
Recalling how she got into ceramics in the first place, Umi tells us that it was a matter of fate.
“In 1996, during semester break, I went to the Singapore Art Museum. There were works on loan from the Guggenheim Museum on display, including ceramic vases by Picasso. When I saw them, I thought, ‘Oh, this is something new’.
“In university, I studied painting on canvas, on board and on paper, but they never showed me painting on ceramics. So when I returned for the new semester, I decided to switch my major to ceramic. That’s why I like to say that clay chose me,” she concludes.
Rekah is now showing at Sareng Gallery, Kuala Lumpur until Oct 12.
