A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Likewise, a richer and more fulfilling life begins not with the accumulation or desire of material goods or experiences - but in a state of better awareness and understanding of said goods and experiences.
In our lives, we will encounter a whole plethora of existences and experiences. People (including oneself) experience sadness, anger, anxiety, being burnt out, anguish, confusion, depression, feelings of being victimized etc. - Yet there exists on the same spectrum; Optimism, wealth and prosperity, contentment, melancholy, joy, excitement, hope etc. The feelings that exist in the world are broad, rich and expansive. This is what it means to be human, for the goal is to experience this life fully and wholeheartedly. At least, in my humble opinion, that is. We are here to express something. To feel something. To enjoy and experience what this world has to offer us. For some, this is a rough time. It's confusing. To them I say; This is your calling, your journey. It is your responsibility to transcend negative experiences. To see things for what they truly are. Things happen, yes. Some things we may feel 'good' about. Some 'bad'. I personally try not to label situations. I don't think there are such parallels in this narrative we call life. There are only things that happen, and we base how we feel about them, purely on our perceptions. Win or lose, they are parts of the games we play in life. Our reactions to the things that happen, matter. They are signposts to how we perceive the world and ourselves. The aim is to search within ourselves, the truth of the matter. Raising awareness, simply means to experience life more fully and richly. There are times when we make bad decisions. Times when we let our egos get the better of us. These are called blind spots. Times when we make ill informed, irrational and unconscious decisions. It is quite difficult to raise ones awareness without some form of habit, ritual, prayer or exercise that works to stop the mind from overthinking. Because when we think, or are thinking, we detach ourselves from who we truly are. And who are we? Conscious, aware beings in physical bodies. The more we think - the less we are connected to the Source, or Universe, or God. This is not to say, don't think. No. Of course we need to think, calculate, plan and execute. But the trick is to return to awareness. This fluctuation, this dance - is what I mean by being aware. Take accountability for your actions. Don't lose the plot. It will take practice. To change your life, you must make changes to your life. To get better at painting, paint more. To get better at writing, just write. To overcome fear, do the thing that scares you most. To be more aware, observe the thought as the one who observes. Reconnect with your consciousness. It is that simple and profound. It's that easy. Or difficult, if you think so. Create better habits. Raise your awareness and you'll raise your experience of life. When you can take delight in just watching a sunset, or shapes of clouds on a windy day, or the forms of foliage, or the play of light and shadows on trees - You are in full awareness of the moment. A state also called 'no-thought'. Sure, your mind will want some validation - Hey! Look at this! - But that's essentially what it was made to do anyway. To warn you about dangers. Predators. Potholes. Beyond these physical dangers, it doesn't serve much purpose. Observe your surroundings for what it really is. When we cease to negotiate, manipulate, cajole, obfuscate, associate, conquer, divide - what is left is peace. Also called joy, awe, wonder, love, fulfilment, oneness, stability, connection. I think that is the goal of it all. To truly express ourselves wholeheartedly. Passionately. I think that's the secret ingredient.
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What a year it's been huh? 3 murals in a year. That's how many public spaces I've been asked to paint and occupy over the past 300 days or so we've been rotating around the sun.
The first of these was in June of 2022. I was approached by an interior design and construction firm. They were asked to locate me by the client - a multi national corporation. The client had seen a mural I did at Pasar Seni MRT Entrance A. This led to discussions, pricing, sketches and finally landing the job at the client's office. It was a great experience for me and my team (which consisted of my student Calvin, Marisa and my assistant Aishu). We completed the mural in about 2 weeks. The second one took a bit longer. Details cannot be released at the moment of writing this. But I will update the blog when the official video and launch of the outlet happens. I can say this though; that everyday we were there, we had to go through police checkpoints, conveyor belt Xray contraptions and that we were surrounded by commercial airplanes. The third mural in this story is this. It is located at a law firm and the boss, Fahri, is a great chap and a very intelligent, purposefully driven person and lawyer. Done at a public walkway, it is open to the public to view. It's a very forward thinking piece, pushing boundaries of what's known and trying to give sensibility and accountability to things that are unknown. A generous act of beautifying the wall in front of the office, this project has led to many great (and sometimes funny) discussions and revelations and has accrued interest from passersby in the Mutiara Damansara community. I believe that art (no matter what category or genre) - serves to unite people, foster honest conversations and are pieces where people can connect; if only just for a brief few moments. Art has the ability to stop a person in his/her tracks, to draw and cajole a person out of themselves. Being able to draw or paint well of course, is a prerequisite for this. But upon deeper introspection and understanding of how the world works, in no small feat does wishful thinking make things happen. Sure, we'd all like to be hired all the time doing what we love, but in reality, there are more parts to this. First of all, I believe in people. In everything that we set out to do, whether in business, sales, advertising, the arts, music, finance - It's about people. Ultimately, you'll be working with people most of the time. So it's best to study and understand people skills : The art of presentation, public speaking, listening, conceptualising, being humble, approachable, being grounded and truly knowing yourself both in and out. In general, we all have the same biological makeup, and psychological nuances. We all have our flaws and good points. To know oneself, is to know others. Secondly, it pays to be patient, honest, deliberate, dedicated, researched and open to new ideas, techniques and methods of executing your craft. Read more. Study. Spend time alone. Put in the work. It doesn't pay to be close minded, selfish or egotistical. Or to approach things from a place of lack or scarcity. The latter does not bode well in the larger scheme of things. It's beneath us. In my formative years working for people I've heard this axiom many times - That one should protect one's ideas. Safeguard them like they are the families jewels or gold. I've always had the feeling that there's something a bit wrong about that. Why so protective? Sure, some people may steal it, but isn't plagiarism the best form of flattery? It is only in my later years (after studying myself and the world) I've come to realize that people who say things like that are coming from a place of scarcity and lack. Ideas are bulletproof. An idea doesn't come from you. It comes from the Creative Source or the Universe. Nobody can take it away from you, because in the first place - it wasn't yours to begin with. We are all conduits. Nobody can take an idea or subtract it from you, because and idea only wants to grow (in the real sense of the word) bigger. I believe that if we over protect and try to claim the idea for ourselves - We are inherently killing and destroying the idea and negating it's original Source. I believe that by sharing the idea forward without fear nor favour is to accept graciously that we are connected and blessed to have been tuned into the frequency of the universe. The goal of life is to expand, experience and express oneself truly. In withholding things; we are being anti-life. Having tested this theory in my own life, I can with full confidence, reasoning and belief express that operating from abundance and gratitude - to trust the process - is the way of life. It arises in the way children play, share toys and exude enthusiastic energy while playing. It is evident in the dance. It appears when we are in the zone, when we are in the flow state of things. Sometimes, we have just lost our way, over time, growing up. 'Every child is an artist. The problem is staying an artist when we grow up' - Pablo Picasso Imagine a world where everyone shared their knowledge, resources and supported each other. Where everyone is full, optimal, knowledgeable and supportive. We'd have long solved a lot of problems in the world, or at least have better understanding of ourselves and our communities. Thinking this way inadvertently begets the question : But where will the darkness reside? Well, that is a good question. Chaos will always find a way. It is the counter balance to the light. To structure. Maybe it will manifest in perceived threats of violence, in injustice, and where tension resides. That is the counterbalance. Always trust the light and find a way. In my experience, a lot of young people (and sometimes, older people too, very questionably) struggle with this concept of Doing what you like vs. Doing things you hate, or dislike. So, we may think that doing things we like (which is pleasurable, no doubt) is one of life's goals and something to look forward to, isn't it? It's that surge of endorphins, serotonin or whatever feel good chemicals that arise in your brain and physical body when you do things that are pleasurable. But the paradox of this is that in reality, to do the things that you like; you first have to do what you dislike.
What we like and dislike are very personal issues. What you may like doing that gives you pleasure in the act of doing it - May differ from the next person's feelings about the same act. And vice versa. We are very specialized creatures of habit, psychology and nuance. Physiologically too. What works for me, may not work for you. But the distinction and fact is, that there are things that you and I do that gives us pleasure over stress. Things that bring about joy, or difficulty. Yes? And there are things that we may find difficult to attempt at first, but after a while, it may become a habit, or something that we have allowed ourselves to commit to daily practice. Things like this could include washing the dishes. Or cleaning our rooms. Or helping others. Or public speaking. The list goes on. Very concrete analogies and examples above. Now I will go a little abstract here, if you may. Doing what you dislike builds resilience and discipline. It is uncomfortable but necessary. Because you find it difficult, it means that you are not used to it. That it is something that you do not have access to (yet) and that may be important in your life. What you dislike to do is the buffer between your perceived ego (what you perceive as You) and the external world. The external world is something that I would describe as : situations, people and/or environments that are outside our physical body. I'm trying to keep this topic very simple here. So after a while of doing what you dislike, you begin to build a reputation of a trustable, dependable, hard working person or character. When people begin to associate you with being dependable, people will trust your eye and judgement. They will begin to put their money or trust in you. This is how you bridge both the internal and external worlds together. This is the reason we pull our socks up and do the things that are required of us. Even though we dislike it at first. Perfection is lots of little things done well. Nobody likes to work so hard to gain a six pack or a fit body. Nobody likes to wake up at 6 in the morning, exercise, meditate, shower and get to work early. Nobody likes to work so hard daily only to receive remuneration which they think is below what they should receive. But the premise is this : That with repetition, daily toil and honest, hard work, that by being fully immersed in this thing called life, we begin to open up and bloom like a flower. We begin to realize deeply, and we begin to manifest in the physical world the changes that are required for us to receive those things which we want and need. When you attempt doing things you dislike, it becomes easier to do what you do like. Here's the caveat : There will always be rules, boundaries and limits in any event, game, system or methodology. While life can be chaotic, Life also has it's own rules. So while the title of this piece is Doing What You Like - most of the time you will have to abide by some kind of rule, or rules of the game. This is the thing you'll have to realize and accept. That in any game or system, there are bound to be rules. It is paradoxical. And this is what makes it fun, if you understand the deeper meaning of it all. So, for the young and the uninitiated, you'll have to humble yourself and start at the bottom of the ladder. A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. You'll have to begin with the most basic fundamentals. Which is : Find a way to do what you dislike or hate doing. If you can manage this, you will have transcended the game of labels. Of ego. Of narcissism. Of excuses. Of blame. Of mediocrity. And then you can eventually do what you like. This is about one's perception. It's about looking at the issue from another point of view. To fully understand what is Left, you must first know what is Right. To fully understand Freedom, you must first know Rigidity, Structure and Discipline. To fully know the Light, you must have walked in the Dark. That is the most sustainable way. It is the full experience of it. So to reiterate, do what you dislike first. Put aside your inflated ego. Expectations. Mindless feedback. Chatter. Gossip. The inner critique. Just do what you dislike in order to fully enjoy doing what you do like. There will come a time when you have come to a realization that the two extremes are actually in fact, the same thing. But that's a story for another piece. 'The Discussion (BFF)'
Limited edition of 12, 20x20 inches Woodcut print on 300gsm Canson Montval watercolor paper, 2022 Made from a rare 90's image of Anwar (DSAI) and Mahathir (Dr.M), the image shows a more lighthearted time of a friendship-alliance-struggle that has played out over a span of 30 years. Or more, in a political context. The players in the old school political arena have always fascinated me. In Malaysia, it's generally dramatised (dihebohkan) and Malaysians are generally patriotic about our nation's health and wellbeing. I cut this woodblock around 2013, during a surge in the Reformasi movement and at a time when Anwar was briefly released from prison. The woodblock remained untouched in my studio, in storage. Biding its time. Recent developments in the General Elections has allowed this piece to resurface in the form of 12 handprinted woodblock prints. Each piece is unique. There exists subtle differences in each of them. There are textural qualities to the prints that arose from the use of a printing ink imported from the UK. It's nice to touch. All prints are signed and numbered with a Conte 3B pencil (also imported, from France). Only (update) 8 copies are left. Enquiries are welcome and appreciated. Fortune favours the brave, the resilient, the patient ones. It's my hope that everyone owns their own slice of history. Make a mark in your space and time. Those who fight for their rights and dreams without fear or favour, succeed. Send me a message to order a print here if you'd like. Somewhere behind Central Market leading up to Dayabumi. Shot in 2018 I grew up in a relatively small section of Petaling Jaya in the late 70's and 80's. Back then, there wasn't much in the way of highways or tall buildings. My first experiences with skyscrapers was the IBM Tower in TTDI, and while visiting relatives in Pekeliling Flats in KL, during my youth. My dad was always working to earn a living for the family, my mom, a housewife. In my teenage years I was able to experience personally, the large, immense city that we call Kuala Lumpur. It was then that I began clubbing, dancing, partying and gallivanting the streets and clubs at night till the wee hours of the morning. In the daytime, street, rap and skate culture led me to places like Lot 10 and Sungei Wang in Bukit Bintang. This was in the mid 90's. I began to realize that metropolitan cities like this were found everywhere else in the world. They provide a function of industrialisation; they are working and living spaces for millions of people. People travel and relocate to large cities, primarily for work. To earn better livelihoods and to make worthwhile, an education that was paid for by sweat and tears by parents, families and student loans. A better quality of life. That's the main idea is, isn't it? Cities nourish and prop up the capitalist ideal : to provide spaces that house the best variety in entertainment, finance, food and beverages, hotels, nightlife, stores, movie theatres, grocers and a multitude ways to spend your hard earned cash that would never exist in a kampung. So why do millions of people that live, commute and work in the city feel lonely and alienated? Why do they feel depressed? A disconnection happens when an individual is cut off from his/her family. Humans are social creatures. This is evident in our shared communal history. Essentially, we are all just very advanced animals / mammals that can wilfully create and believe in fictional, abstract ideas. Isn't the idea of money, law, countries and borders, entertainment, trends, social media - merely products of our imaginations? Aren't our combined and shared beliefs, the wellspring that make these things real and tangible? It exists in our minds. It resides there, conscripted to us from infancy. Why are people disconnected and lonely in big cities? Its been demonstrated that the ideologies of capitalism do not benefit our natural state of being. Cities are antithetical to the social animals that we are. When we hit crises in our lives, who do we turn to for support? Our families and friends - Echoing what The Beatles wrote in '67 : 'We get by with a little help from our friends'. I walk around the streets of Kuala Lumpur and I see elderly shopkeepers holding the fort in their businesses. Flower shops, mini markets and grocers, foodstall hawkers etc. - They have been living and working the city almost all their lives. They've been doing the same thing for 20, at times, 30-40 years. Exuberant as they may be, they are ruthless too. They don't take shit from anyone. It's a cutthroat world out there. And there's no time to dawdle. The natural instinct to survive and thrive in the city amazes me. I find this trait and skill admirable, brutally honest and noble. KL is very much like any big city in the world. There's your KFC, McDonalds, Uniqlo, H&M, Fridays, Starbucks, Samsung, Apple store - being in one mega mall is like being in any other mall in the world. The juxtaposition lies in the remnants of the past, embedded in the city's architecture. Abandoned buildings and skyscrapers still tower among us, deserted and neglected. Back alleys co-exist in the dark. They are dingy, broken and remedied streets. Dark alleys await us in the nocturnal light, anticipating the possibility of a passerby. This macabre juncture between the new and the old fascinates me. As a visual artist and human being, it is unavoidable. It's all there for us to look at, like a bad traffic accident. Desolate places where people who fall in between the cracks of life, live, rest and find respite. The streets mimic life ensconced. The ghosts of present and past are laid bare for all to see. Being an artist, this fissure attracts my attention. Old tiles from the 60's, old stairways leading nowhere, rickety plumbing and haphazard electrical wiring - these are spirits of the past; planners and doers contributed to these contraptions. They are now debauched. Uncared for. Put aside and set asunder. Filed away for an unknown future. This is the real KL - the real city we live in. It's the soul of the megacity. It's what swallows us whole, if we let it. For a lot of city dwellers, these are truths of their lives. It humbles me to think about the squalid affairs of things. But let's get real. It is important. And it matters. A homeless man sitting by the roadside at Jalan Walter Grenier. Shot in 2018 Many do not have families to go back to at the end of the working day. They are separated from their kin. There is no other option, sad as it may be. We are a civilised culture, or so we think. Countless wars, revolutions, civil unrest has befallen us throughout history and will continue to do so. In the face of adversity ('Tirar Para Arriba', meaning 'to toss upwards' but most often translated as 'to overcome adversity') - people do what they can and will. There are great, beautiful things that happen on a daily / hourly basis which we will never see in a shopping mall. It is in the giving of food to the less fortunately and homeless (soup kitchens). It is in the giving of money or alms to the needy when they never ask for it. It is in the strength of a community that rallies around to help others in times of need and disaster (earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, fires, COVID). It is in the good samaritan who holds the door open for the elderly. Or in the act of holding the lift doors open for others to enter. It is in the generosity of companies and corporations that appropriate yearly funds and resources to feed, clothe, buy school bags and books, toys, playthings, soccer balls, dolls - for the orphans in the outskirts of the city (through CSR programmes) and it is in the sending of money back home to siblings, families, elderly parents, aunties and uncles and ailing families and communities. This is not heroic. These are not superhuman feats. They are basic values, a common decency and natural for us as human beings - as natural as the sun rises and sets. As natural as breathing. 'Rubicon', 48x48 inches, Oil on canvas, 2022 The new Cityscapes embody this story of humanity, hope, responsibility, love and resilience. Never forget your roots. We live on this pale blue dot and in a yellow submarine. For as much hurt and suffering we may inflict upon ourselves and others, we also have an enormous capacity to heal, to take care of, and to believe in the impossible. We can realize our dreams and desires if we want to, no matter who or where we may be. Care for others. Listen. Be still and accountable. Embrace your humanity.
'Ex Nihilo', 48x48 inches Oil on canvas, 2021 (Sold) Ex Nihilo is a latin phrase that means 'out of nothing' or 'from nothing'. This alludes to the concept of creation : That from nothing, something is crafted and created out of thin air. The monotone cityscape 'Ex Nihilo' pays homage to the powers of the imagination. In art and most other creative acts (music, writing, dance etc.) the composer always begins with a blank slate or a blank canvas. From nothing, the artists applies the first stroke of paint and as the work progresses, the infinite number of possible images that could be made, decreases. Until the work is complete. The work beckons to be made, just like the unknown beckons to be made known. It is this parable, that this work arises from. 'Azzure', 48x48 inches
Oil on canvas, 2021 (Sold) 'Azzure' is my take on the busy and prosperous Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL where ArtWeMe Contemporary Gallery is located. The facade of Pavilion KL is depicted in all it's glory on the right of the painting. Like the city, 'Azzure' is a hotpot of hard vs. soft edges, stark lines juxtapose softer washes of oil paint in turpentine. There is a sense of balance and harmony, like a wet and rainy evening, where the lights bleed down the road - Illuminating the vibrant street scene. In the distance, the horizon line is fixed in the center of the work, shows a conglomerate of lights, shapes, people & cars receding in the distance. 2 primary oil pigments were used throughout this minimal and guttural painting; Mars Black and Titanium White. 'Azzure' is a play on the word 'Azure', which means a very bright blue like a sunny sky, or sapphire. This is an excerpt from a Q&A that was done in 2021 that was intended for Sembilan Art Residency's new website.
1. Rewinding back in time - How did you get started in Art? I've always been drawing since I was a kid. I remember drawing on very large mahjong papers as a kid- one who was hyperactive, could not stay still, and so these papers were given to me as a way to keep me occupied. Growing up, in school as well, I was always drawing. Anatomy, comic book art, calligraphy and learnt the fine art of sketching and watercolors as a teenager. Growing up, I was trained in classical piano and the organ. Naturally, I gravitated towards art and creative endeavours. As a young adult, I learnt photography, music/audio production & engineering, computers. In my working years, I was exposed to graphic design, Photoshop, 3D, videography, performing as a DJ, events and marketing. It was only 2010 that I began painting again, making use of the skills and knowledge (I studied literature & the social sciences in college) that I accumulated, learned and experienced over the years. In a way, coming back to the beginning, but with new eyes and disposition. 2. What led you to Sembilan - Where were you in your art career at the time? An old buddy, James Yip (one of the co-founders of Sembilan) asked me out for dim sum one day with an idea for an artist residency that he, his wife Xin Yi and Lee (co-founder) were setting up. I agreed to join Sembilan as their first season artist, alongside Jael Estrella. At the time, I was already a few years into my art practice. This was in 2014. After some consideration, I jumped at the opportunity, wanting to further my art practice and thought processes. I had been doing a few group shows as well as solo shows in the Klang Valley too, and wanted to take this opportunity to learn new things about my craft: making bigger works, making use of the studio space and getting to know Seremban town - where the first residency was held. I had been extensively travelling and documenting Malaysia's cities, towns and islands at the time. 3. What were your expectations prior to joining and were they met? I didn't have much expectations, to be honest. Of course, the basics - A studio space to work in, a place to stay at, and to have enough money to pay my bills and expenditures. The Sembilan team fulfilled all my expectations. I had a great time. It was an eye opener for me; having dedicated use of a professional artist studio then. This experience informed my choice to subsequently open my own studio/atelier shortly thereafter. And I've run my own studio ever since. It's amazing what one can achieve in a designated workplace, away from home. It gives the artist freedom, a physical and mental space to make their best works, at any given time. 4. Would you join (or have you joined) any other art residencies since? In 2014, near the end of our Sembilan residency, we (Jael and I) we were sent to Penang for Wei Ling Gallery's mentorship programme. I was mentored under Hamidi Hadi, a great abstract artist and academic. We are still friends till this day and it was a great learning experience. In 2018, I joined Rimbun Dahan for a 3 months as their South East Asian Artist in Residence. There, I created a body of work which went on to show at a two-man show at the National Art Gallery of KL, organized and represented by the infamous Pelita Hati Gallery of Art. It's rather strange writing about this now, that some of the smaller female portraiture paintings from my Rimbun Dahan residency - recently got sold at an art fair at Seoul, Korea this year in 2021 through the Korean Gallery LVS. Artist residencies are great for the formation of (new) ideas and processes for an artist. It pushes the artist beyond what they normally do in their own studios. 5. What would your advice be to an artist who is considering to join an art residency program? I'd tell the artist to go for it. Make the sacrifice. Go beyond your comfort zone - it's where great things happen for you, where growth truly begins. I've had the privilege of both talking to art interns, students and writing letters of recommendations for artists who are trying to get into art residency programs. I've had to review works from national artists in national art competitions too. The common singularity is this - A curious mind, someone who wants to explore their craft further, pushing the boundaries of what we know as human beings, and making the effort to make their dreams a reality. The art world is tough, it's risky; but you know innately if art making is for you. Whether you are meant to do it. We don't regret the things we did. We regret the things we failed to do. 6. In relation to the art ecosystem, are residencies important, and why? Yes, they are. The are breeding grounds for ideas and experimentation. Artist residencies are pillars of the ecosystem. Alongside writers, critics, galleries, museums, art schools, artists et al. At a residency you are guided, given space to work. It's akin to a blank slate for you as an artist to make known, what is unknown or unrealized. It's a kind of academic institution, but for a limited time only. So make your best works there, enjoy your time during the residency and make connections and networks that you may not have had the opportunity to do so; if you were working alone in your studio. Enjoy the process, be gratuitous and be graceful in your daily undertaking. 7. Finally, where are you at with your art career at the moment, and what's next from you? That's the eventual question isn't it? I'm super busy at the moment haha. Having employed an assistant and running my studio, this takes up my waking and working hours. I work on paintings and document the process. Everyday I'm reading, meditating, writing, attending shows, participating in group and solo shows and generally speaking and engaging people from the lens of an artist. This means, the topics generally revolve around photography, videography, composition, elements of design or framing works, ordering supplies and making adjustments to my works: readying them for shows, clients or galleries and having enough time and mental clarity daily for exercise, family, loved ones, a cup of coffee, regular meals and a good nights sleep. When you get to a phase or a level in your work as an artist, you'll need to begin sacrificing some things which people take for granted. It may mean declining a visit to a party, or having to work alone, removing staples, carrying heavy things or reorganizing and dealing with storage space in the studio. Or buying and investing in expensive artist grade materials. If it's required of you, go do it. Be serious about where you are going in your career, plan your path and shoulder that responsibility. Take pride in your work and enjoy the small victories when and where you can get it. The art market is a beast. So be humble, graceful and be thankful for where you are in the ecosystem. Respect the past, learn the trade and when and after you master it, don't be afraid to break the rules or to question the status quo. But always in the spirit of respect, tradition and evolution. Be confident, expressive, have no fear and put in the work. Oh, I haven't answered the question of what's next for me? haha. The usual. Get better at my work from working at it. Joining upcoming art fairs that my galleries will be participating in, solo shows or group shows. Pushing forward, putting my hypothesis to the test, failing, succeeding. All part and parcel of an artists' trajectory. But most importantly, I look for ways to help others. 'As you grow older, you will discover you have two hands, one for helping ourselves, the other for helping others.' - Audrey Hepburn 'Usurp', 36x36 inches
Oil on canvas, 2021 (Sold, but available as a print) I've been painting Cityscapes over the course of 7 years. There has been a constant refining to the techniques, palette and narrative - seeking to unify all disciplines in my creative endeavours; from harmony to mood. Emotion to objectivity. Composition to performance. Style and design to relevance. In essence, the works are meant to capture the monumental buildings and towers that are rife in any busy metropolitan city across the world. They are a reminder that even in these overcrowded steel skylines, there is beauty and energy in everything. Most details are done away with in place of mood and the paintings are generally completed in a few sittings. The paintings are a way to extend the romantic appreciation of architecture. A nostalgic nod to the city, its space and the concept of decay. It’s not my intention to paint scenes with lots of details, but in a more reasonable way of painting the mood of the city and it’s nocturnal energy. 'Turpentine', 48x48 inches, Oil on aluminium, 2022 (Sold) As I make these works I can't help but think about light, particles and the way consciousness affects these things on a molecular and atomic level. The 'Double Slit Experiment' has shown us that light behaves and changes its nature from particles to waves - depending on whether we observe them or not. From recent global experiments with plants, it has also been observed that our frequencies, intent, sound waves and thoughts affect the behaviour of living things. That is to say, in my own personal practice; my consciousness affects the work. For example, the type of music I play in the studio : Influences my moods, which in turn, influences the work, and how the oil and mineral spirits - in the beginning - inert substances, wait patiently for an energy source, a murmur, which will determine its course in nature and the unfolding of its purpose. In life too we are inert beings. Awaiting a cause and mobility towards a reason, a purpose and upon a resolution, we return to a state of awaiting. A cycle that repeats and replenishes itself, fulfilling its optimum state of being. Like a dance, a performance. A dream. So the question is, why fight it? This state of flow and being. This thing called life. The work aims to realize and actuate these important states of being, as well as thought processes which exist in nature and in the observable universe. Allowing the materials to become as they wish. Consequences of letting go fully and accepting that what it needs to become, it will so be. For me as an artist, it is a difficult thing to do. I like to work on things. Constantly tinkering. Why is that so? The work aims to discuss this, to ponder this reaction in myself and in all of us. 'Supernova', 48x48 inches, Oil on aluminium, 2022 (Sold) I began making aluminium works at the end of 2019. Constantly evolving the work through experimentation, the results intrigued me. With ‘Particles’, I have let go of the need to have things opaque and allowed the mediums transparency to show through. I wanted to highlight the reflective quality of the aluminium panels, finding a balance between form and suggestion. Instead of working on the floor (like before), for this body of work I made all the works at waist height : 30 inches. At this elevation, I found more control over the striations and in the medium. The balance between momentum and deliberacy are the elements that define the work, yet this mathematical and scientific process (to me), also sums up life and its myriad of choices. As an artist and as a student in the university of life, I am passionate and curious about these topics. With knowledge and understanding, we are able to cultivate and curate our own existences. We have access to a lot of knowledge which isn't taught in schools or in higher learning establishments. The unseen laws and philosophies which have worked for a millennia is available to all who seek it and to test in their own lives through practice, training, faith and belief. For example, earths gravity is such, that an apple falls down instead of up. Consequently, trillions of bacteria and cells work in unison and in harmony to create the human body as we see it. We are the shells in which consciousness resides in.
It's those unseen, immovable yet crucial forces in the universe that informs my work. I hope you enjoy the works and what meaning(s) they bring to your psyche - That we are all moving parts in a larger framework. '88 Bulls', 48x48 inches, Mixed media on canvas, 2021 (Sold) '88 Bulls' is a painting from the One Series. It embodies the theme of repetition and finding order and beauty in chaos. A central figure is omnipresent, creating tension and a counterpoint to the smaller characters embedded within the painting. Objectively, the works arose from my studies and paintings of animal figures which are used as a reference point to expand and express themes and values in society.
Animals present me with an opportunity to speak about the subjects of behaviour, equality, greed, harmony, interconnectivity, nature and our role in the tree and pyramid of life. About our roles in it and about being responsible, appreciative and mindful that we possess the power to influence every living thing on earth. Bulls are a representation of strength and sheer indomitable force. These bulky yet graceful creatures have been symbols in human history for a millennia and embodies great cultural and spiritual significance. From the Spanish bullfights to Hindu beliefs to Zodiac symbolism to agriculture - bulls have been part of human history for a long time. Technically, '88 Bulls' is similar to the other works in the One Series. Works that draw on the power of repetition and modulation, they are painstakingly rendered one character at a time, numbered (in this case, the number 88 signifies prosperity and includes twin infinity symbols), and drawn in my usual drawing style. A style that I've developed as far back as a teenager in my graphic novel days. '88 Bulls' builds on this experience with a new influence. A new medium - Bitumen; a petroleum based medium also known as tar. I've used bitumen in this work as a shading and tonal medium. The warm, umber hues are built up of bitumen washes, glazing and glossing over until it gives the work a textural and chemical resonance. It is my hope that the viewer and collector receives the raw and indefatigable power that the bull animal represents; a galloping, unstoppable force that pushes and plows forward which makes progress and beautiful things possible. |
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