Art everywhere, but who cares?

THERE is no lack of wall murals and public sculptures in almost every nook and corner, and from this display of artistic prolificacy, public knowledge on the Malaysian art scene should not be a matter of contention.

Sadly, the reverse is true.

“I am embarrassed to admit it, but I have no idea who the artist is,” answers one building manager when queried on a metre-long mosaic art piece in a landmark building.

Money matters: A mural depicting the world of ringgit and sen in the lobby of Bank Negara done by Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal in 1971. The artist, now in his 80s, was honoured as a National Artist in 1995. Ahmad earned his place in Bank Negara’s prestigious art collection after his entry won the National Bank of Malaysia Mural Competition in 1970.

Shockingly, representatives of another establishment even revealed that they were going to chuck the sculpture flanking the entrance of the building into storage because it was gathering too much dust and becoming a bother to clean. Others merely shrugged their shoulders and appeared content with their ignorance.

“This is a typical characteristic of develop­ing nations, where art is not considered important,” said Majid Amir, 38, a curator at the National Art Gallery.

For this curator who thinks nothing of waiting a whole day for stencil artist Albert Rat (he is notorious for keeping an elusive distance from the public and press) to show up, this sense of apathy towards public art work is disappointing.

“The field of public art is not for the ‘small guys’. This is because the structures that go on display in public usually take on a larger-than-life scale. This means that the work has to ‘interact’ with the public. It may be climbed on or subjected to all sorts of weather conditions. Crucially, it has to be sturdy and be able to withstand the elements.

“This requires the artist to have experience in architecture, engineering and a thorough knowledge of building materials, not to mention the talent to achieve an aesthetic form that will appeal to the eye. Ultimately, it will not be something that an untrained individual can handle. All the more, such pieces deserve recognition,” said Majid.

Hanging sculpture: A hanging sculpture by an unknown artist right above the stage in the centre court of the Putra World Trade Centre outlining the Minangkabau roof of the building. The beauty of this piece lies in its ability to present itself in a different form when seen from different angles.

Speaking from experience is sculptor Ramlan Abdullah, 49, who is best known for the giant keris in front of the Bukit Jalil Stadium and whose works have been displayed in KLCC and Sheraton Perdana Hotel in Langkawi.

“It is dangerous to think that art is insignificant because a country’s artistic heritage is a mark of its identity. Take, for example, how the Statue of Liberty is synonymous with New York. The presence of art gives one a sense of place, and for a nation, it is also a reflection of its technological advancement,” said Ramlan, who has 22 years of experience in the field with a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from Pratt Institute, Brooklyn.

Installing a piece of public art is no cheap affair. Majid revealed that starting prices began at no less than RM100,000 but this was still subject to the materials, detailing and size. In answer to cynics who opine that such installations might be better replaced with more useful facilities, Majid argued that it was important to think about how art could contribute to a civilisation.

“Art is about using the left brain, the part which enables creative thinking. Nurturing this part helps society to achieve a balance between creative and logical thought which can sometimes be too rigid. The absence of art will leave a vacuum in civilisation,” Majid insisted.

Bond between man and beast: Illustrative details from the Selangor Turf Club Horse sculptures depicting the relationship between horse and mankind in the building of kingdoms, industries and chronicle their presence in the making of history.

So, where does an aspiring artist begin when it comes to entering the field of public art?

“Everything begins with a proposal,” Ramlan stated matter of factly.

The other thing is to take a bold step by submitting one’s sketches for competitions, a platform which has helped Ramlan gain recognition. Incidentally, Ramlan’s work bagged top prizes in Japan and the Philippines. The next step is to approach the architecture firms and he cited Hijjas Kasturi Associates as an example of a positive force in encouraging public art.

“Another useful tip is to do a bit of homework on who is behind a building project and to submit one’s work directly to this individual. Once this person takes a liking to your work, the deal is more or less set,” Ramlan said.

Published in The Star, Nov 17, 2009.