For most of us here in Brunei, art is merely a nice painting that looks pretty in the lobby of a hotel or as a backdrop of a meeting in an otherwise stark conference room. However, for the minority of appreciative individuals, exposed to the rich culture of the arts, it is the expression of creative skill and imagination made simply to be appreciated for its beauty or emotional power.
Faizal Hamdan believes that everyone will have a different interpretation in translating his work. His semi-abstract art, for instance, depicts his newfound paternal pride as he immortalises his unborn son on canvas.
“My art is the collision with identity, time and space,” he described.
“It is my personal interpretation of the theme, it’s actually about my life and things that are true to it,” he said, as he proudly speaks of his Japanese wife and the son he can’t wait to meet.
Faizal, who has had exhibitions in Australia, Shanghai, Malaysia and here in Brunei, does not limit himself to painting on canvas but expresses himself through installations and sculptures as well.
The theme he refers to is ‘Home and Away’, selected by three local artists and an Englishwoman, for their first major group exhibition showcasing 50 of their best pieces that will open this weekend at the Holiday Lodge Hotel.
For Atiqah Abdullah, her art conveys her nostalgia for life. A young artist of 24, she is inspired by Patrick Caulfield and Michael Craig-Martin, and produces still life paintings in flat monochrome style.
Her first show in Brunei after graduating with a Fine Arts Degree in the United Kingdom, the objective of her work is to record her daily routine, which eventually portrays memories of her life in the UK and her life now in Brunei.
Her cold monochrome palette creates a dramatic and solid visual that she ascribes to the simplicity and mundanity of parts of her life.
“I do this for myself,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if people don’t like it or don’t get it. It’s really about how I feel and see my work.”
Pushing the boundaries of imagination, Alwie Salleh, a young artist who is actively involved in the Brunei local visual art scene, describes his art as accenting the ambiguity between reality and imagination.
“I sometimes feel that my imagination feels more like home to me,” he said.
“The other day I was on my scooter and another driver annoyed me. I couldn’t do anything about it then so I poured it into my painting,” he recounted, referring to one of his paintings – ‘Welcome to my World’.
Most of his work is influenced by Dali and Gary Basement, which he was exposed to from his alma mater Stafford College in the UK, deals with unfinished business in his life through surrealism.
“My work is emotional and personal to me and when people see my art they don’t get it. It just looks so alien to them,” admitted the art teacher.
Meanwhile, the digital montages of Katy Hick, English art teacher at a local school, portrays a semblance of hope in an otherwise bleak world plagued by environmental issues.
“My work is connected with a range of ideas that I’ve had over the last 10 years and one of the concerns of it relates to the environment and rarity and ideas to do with treasures,” described the expatriate.
“The subject I am exploring is the Rainforest and wildlife of Borneo, especially here in Brunei… and hope that what I do here will help to educate and interest people further in the environmental issues which are of importance to us all.”
A veteran in the art scene, much of her work for this exhibition will feature the Borneo elephant and the jungle.
“Their rarity and elusive quality make them a subject of fascination to me. Although I visited the elephants in Lahat Datu, I failed to catch a glimpse of them, I only saw footprints and droppings. So, I’ve used the only elephant in Brunei as a model.”
“In this work I hope to celebrate the wonderful natural environment of Brunei and its place in the Heart of Borneo.”
All four artists and art educators will showcase their artwork for the public from March 21 to March 30 at the Holiday Lodge Hotel.
Latest by Narissa Noor:
- Dy Minister Upholds Gender Equity
- Women Have Power To Change For The Better
- Rig arrives as Block M drilling to get under way
- Cleaner Brunei with Sg Paku
- US keen on UBD research programmes
