Art: Bites of Malaysian life

Aref Omar, NST

Malaysian culture gets framed in New York and Datin Shalini Ganendra shares with AREF OMAR her thoughts on the ongoing art exhibition.

THREE Malaysian artists are currently having their artworks showcased in Glimpses Of The East, an art exhibition in New York featuring the works of three photographers — S.C. Shekar, Bob Teoh and Nirmala Karuppiah. The exhibition is organised by Shalini Ganendra Fine Art (SGFA), in conjunction with Contemporary Art Week and Asia Week in New York. It is part of a continuing effort to familiarise international audiences with international-level local talent.

Datin Shalini Ganendra, who is the exhibition’s curator and head of SGFA, has been organising shows in New York during the Asia Week event for the last five years. Guest-of-honour Datuk Hamidon Ali, Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the UN, officially opened Glimpses of the East on March 4. The exhibition will run till April 30. The following are some of her thoughts on the exhibition, which is being held at the English Speaking Union HQ (144 East 39th Street and Lexington, New York). Comments on the works The exhibition consists of black and white photography, with a focus on art documentary, featuring stylised works that also portray a lifestyle or tradition.

From the way the light spills onto a face and the alluring yet mysterious silhouette, to the elegant wave of the hands and the subtleties of a reflection in the mirror, moods and textures accompany and define the works. Nirmala Karuppiah’s Odissi series, her most important work to date, is featured in the exhibition. Shot with an analogue camera, the artworks are displayed through silver gelatine prints. Last year, she received a Freeman Fellowship from the Vermont Studio Centre and spent two months in Vermont exploring other dance-linked themes. Her new works will be featured in a Museum show there later this year.

S.C. Shekar’s pieces, features arresting scenes of East Malaysia with clarity and impact, while veteran journalist Bob Teoh presents exceptional documentary works from studies on Bario, Sarawak that are both sensitive and beautiful. The images by Shekar and Teoh were shot on a digital camera and developed on digital prints. The artists have an exhibit of eight to 10 pieces each. Criteria for selection SGFA’s New York exhibitions include works of artists whom SGFA has collaborated with in Malaysia, ensuring that the artists are established and have good track records. Those who have strong CVs, especially when they include international awards, garner more attention.

In 2008 and 2009, the NY exhibitions featured Yeoh Kean Thai, a 2009 Commonwealth Art Award winner, Philip Morris Art Award Winner (Malaysia) and Freeman Fellow. One of the images from Eric Peris’ Tin Mine Landscapes was featured in the International Herald Tribune’s lead article on Asia Week. Past exhibitions have been featured in the Financial Times and numerous international publications, which help to build awareness, familiarity and appeal. Reasons for exhibiting overseas SGFA has a strong group of artists who are actively represented through exhibitions, talks and workshops. The gallery introduces them to fellowships and award or research programmes to nurture experience, exposure and depth. The aim is to make these artists global because they have the talent, the intellectual ability and professional commitment, which makes exhibiting them overseas just a part of this effort.

SGFA background SGFA began as The Private Gallery in 1998, with the aim to make high quality art more approachable and understandable by presenting it in a residential environment. Emphasising Living With Art as a concept, belief and practice, SGFA strives to bring good, thought provoking and well executed works of art and design to audiences at reasonable prices. Drawing from a broad expertise in the fine arts, SGFA also offers a full range of services, including valuation, auction representation and advisory.

Specialising in Asian contemporary art and design in a variety of media, SGFA is committed to building an artistic community and international exchange. SGFA supports artist-led efforts to engage in, discuss, document and promote cross cultural art discourse through a variety of projects, including the Vision Culture Lectures, which was started this year, with Unesco and the Goethe Institute. See www.shaliniganendra.com.