New Sabah Times On Sunday - by Irene Obon January 22, 2012The study of the past shows that human beings have always had the need to express themselves and to communicate. One of these channels for communication is art. From cave paintings of the past to avant-garde works of modern times, artists from all cultures and backgrounds have left us a legacy that allows us to have some knowledge of the past or present lifestyle, through their art. Art therefore also acts something like a time capsule.
Art is very much the personal and subjective view of the artist, his perceptions and feelings about the wotld around him, which he communicates to the beholder through the various media options and styles available in their day. Since cave-art days to now, a great variety of styles have emerged. Many definitions and interpretations have been applied to these styles but, regardless of the time or place of its creation, art has always been produced because the artist has wanted to say something and chooses to do so in a particular way, through art.
maryjames art gallery, a private art gallery and art consultancy was established in January 2010. Its main focus is to collect, to conserve, to exhibit, to promote, to cultivate awareness and the appreciation of art among all levels of society particularly in Kota Kinabalu. In the earlier stage of its existence when it did not have its own premises, the art collection was exhibited in the shopping complex podium and public areas.
It was however discovered that many people, especially children would be curious enough to want to touch the paintings, sometimes with ice-cream sticky fingers. There are also those who showed their appreciation by posing in front of the paintings and with their friend's camera clicking away,lacking the understanding that flashbulbs can affect art exhibits.
maryjames art gallery is named after its Director, Ellie Hwong's parents, James and Mary. The art gallery was opened with 160 pieces of art in her own personal collection. As a young Art Gallery, the emphasis is on the promotion of contemporary artists with potential in the art world but lack the space and opportunity to showcase their works.
Apart from organizing special exhibitions on a regular basis at the gallery, maryjames art gallery also acquires its own collection of art pieces through purchasing as well as consignments from artists. In this way they have access to a wide array of works in various media like watercolor, oil, acrylic, pastel, prints as well as mixed media. They also have batik and ceramic works and sculptures, to suite the taste and needs of the various art collectors abroad and at home.
Opportunities for local artist to extend their economic boundaries in art have improved in modern times. Increased transport services, tourism and particularly through communication media and communication tools, the planet earth has now become maryjames art gallery's market place.
Lo Li Ming, the gallery's manager and curator explained that due to limited space, they are only able to display about 35 pieces of works at a time on rotation. The display is changed every 2-3 months.
Ellie Hwong is the person who picks and chooses the works that come under the roof of maryjames art gallery. "Our Director, has a god eye for paintings and art, taking after her father," Li Ming tells me. "She collects painting which by her assessment are of international standard and appeal. So far we have three local artist who by her assessment posses such qualities in their paintings."
Muhammad Amin Bin Muhidin, 37, is a batik painter who does not remove the wax from his painting and hails from Sandakan, has almost a thousand creations to his name. His subjects are the beauty of nature, flowers and underwater and local instruments. he possesses unique batik painting skills with a passion for local legends of Borneo warriors.He has won several awards for his art since 2002 such as the Sabah Annual Selections at the Art Festival in Labuan. He has been painting in batik since 1996. In his Sabah Eye work he has introduced the various ecotourism icons of Sabah, along with local motif and nature, making his art a complex masterpiece that enthrall the senses.
Muhammad Amin is also one who refuses to make copies of his art. According to Li Ming, when Ellie requested that he made a second piece of the painting of his original work, Mother and Child, he went along with the concept and idea using the various elements of the original but created and rendered an original version in layout, which does not make for any duplicate, rather an original art work is being produced.
The rendering of skills in layout is something that Sia Yek Chung, a local artist from Kota Kinabalu, various much in an artist. He has a painting measuring 60"x60" called The Wolves which is consignment at maryjames art gallery. Impressive not only for its size, it is a masterpiece executed with both passion and sensitivity. priced at RM150,000 it is a symbol of the wild in the northern hemisphere.Sia painted The Wolves because it represents honour, wealth and the desire to posses both for eternity. In a written statement about his art, Sia wrote, " I awlays used to like the watercolor transparency, rendering of skills in layout, the technical idea and concept. The wolves have given me the inspiration to use different styles and skills with unique colour brushes to complete the acrylic painting.
He described the work expended this big piece of art. "In order to show the cold ice and snow, olive as well as deep khaki were used for the wolves and i smeared light violet. As with the cold light sprinkled on the white smoke colour, white and blue have been added. Deep slate blue has been used to tick the flow of the entire screen colour changes, giving the overall colour structure a rich background colour."
Sia is also known for his painting of Mt. Kinabalu and Borneo Nepenthes. He also conducts weekly at classes for both children and adults.
The other artist who has come under the roof of maryjames art gallery is Awang Fadilah, 40. He's forte is still life and stylized figures. He is adept in monochromatic, spot colouring as well as full colour renditions of objects in his paintings, adding visual variety to them.He shares with the viewer his passion and ideas of nature, musical instruments that are part of local living. A monochromic approach that perhaps suggests the slow easy pace of country living with its simplicity and neither uncluttered nor affected much by the pace, vibrancy and colour of the modern world.
maryjames art gallery features the art of Borneo as well, displaying works by artists from neighboring countries. For more information and viewing you may arrange with the curator through email-mjartgallery@gmail.com or fax (6)088-265785
Irene Obon visited on 4 January 2012
