East-coast native : A Group Exhibition

Khalil Ibrahim. Fishermen East Coast Series, 1982

The six artists in this exhibition all have a unique relationship with the Malaysian East Coast and the works they feature in this exhibition is a celebration of this unique part of the country, as well as a visual stamp of the artists’ identity and memories.

Three of the artists, Khalil Ibrahim, Mokhtar Ishak, and Ismail Mat Hussin were born in Kelantan, a state on the eastern-side of the peninsular, which is heavily characterized by its seaside, fishing industry, and rural landscapes. The identity of the artists’ state has forged their individual identities and the type of works they produce is a strong reflection of this.

What they have depicted in this exhibition are the people, landscapes and traditions that characterize this part of Malaysia. Khalil – already known for his rich body of work on this theme – showcases a number of works dating from the 1980s to the second half of the 2000s, and there is a diverse mix encompassing figurative works, landscapes, and even images of quotidian life on the coast such as his compositions that focus on fishing (works from the artist’s East Coast Series are good examples).

Altogether, Khalil’s works are characteristic of the artist’s style and reaffirms his ability to fluidly maneuver across a diverse choice of mediums; there are studies in charcoal, such as Nude Portrait of an Australian Lady (1994), an ink work titled Nude Sketch (2001), and not least watercolours, which form the backbone of the artist’s works today and that also evidence his enigmatic application and expressive handling of this medium.

Mokhtar Ishak. Village in Tumpat, 2001

Mokhtar Ishak showcases a similar diversity. However, his landscapes are more complex. Trees, animals, and sky fill up compositions like Village in Tumpat (2010), whilst a more recent work titled Coastal Breeze (2011) illustrates a typical kampung (village) house, complete with a clothesline dotted with a colourful batch of laundry.

Such works are a peek into quintessential scenes from the East Coast and the artist has depicted its inhabitants in various ways. Farmers toil the paddy fields with the aid of buffalos (Sowing), fisherman angle for a catch (Fishermen at Pantai Malawi), and one pastel work – Kelantanese Girl from 1988 – is a portrait of a young girl, where the artist has used colours to vibrantly bring her to life, illustrating both the beauty and spirit of the East Coast with a flair that seems to pay homage to the works of Mohd Hoessein Enas.

Knitting Fishing Nets, 2008 SOLD

Ismail Mat Hussin’s works also proffer similar scenes of everyday life on the East Coast, although the artist works in an altogether different medium, batik. And using this traditional medium – which is still typically found in Malaysia –is poignant, as it echoes the rural charm of the subject matter he depicts.
The artist, who has been a practicing since the late sixties, maintains a sense of realism in his depictions, whether it is of a group of individuals preparing their fishing nets in Knitting Fishing Nets (2008) or women pounding rice or weaving mats in the kampung (Pounding Rice and Weaving respectively, both 2010). And alongside these, one tranquil blue landscape (The Boat, 2010) conjures the idyllic calm of a quiet, cool morning by the sea.

These themes reverberate in the works of Chang Fee Ming. Born in the quiet coastal town of Dungun, Terengganu, Chang’s depictions of the East Coast have been inscribed in the annals of Malaysian art as some of the most memorable and important, whether it is through one of the artist’s still life works (Still Life, 2010) or a page from the artist’s trusty sketchbook (No. 308, 2010). Chang’s expertise at capturing detail – and subsequently the spirit of the East Coast – is one of his key traits and this is visible in preparatory sketches, such as the ink and paper works Nap on a Wakaf (2005) and Coconut Tree in Redang (2000).

Like Chang, the late M. Zain also paid tribute to his homeland Terengganu in watercolour. Fishermen by the Beach (1979) illustrates this artistic lineage (Chang was close friends with M. Zain in the last decade of his life) and the classic landscape in watercolour depicts a small group of fishermen by their boat, which succinctly captures the spirit and mood of the East Coast.

No. 308, 2010

The works by these five East Coast-born artists offer a romantic view of Malaysia’s East Coast, where life is often simply about the relationship between man and nature. Thus, Nik Rafin’s works are different, as they challenge this illusion. The artist doesn’t hail from the East Coast, but instead, the Selangor native traces his roots back to these parts of the land vis-à-vis his parents. Much of the artist’s childhood was spent here and the works he presents show that despite his slightly different background, he still shares a strong affinity and love for the East Coast like the other artists in this show.

Like the other five artists, the artist offers us glimpses of agrarian ways of life in his works. He suggests the East Coast’s peace and quiet in how he’s expressed  the stillness of traditional fishing boats docked at pier in Harmony in Pantai Cahaya Bulan Kelantan (2011) or Serenity (2011), but what’s noticeably different is that Nik has a more refined stroke, offering images that are more detailed and precise. And, what’s crucially different in this artist’s fare is his juxtaposition of East Coast landscapes with scenes from Kuala Lumpur. This causes us to think about the different landscapes of Malaysia and his contrasting images of urban and rural landscapes are a reminder of Malaysia’s multifaceted identity, as well as the looming change that threatens to alter the intrinsic face of the East Coast.

The delicate nature of these paper works intensifies this argument and they’re also perfect for the subject matter they contain, as the medium can be seen as a symbol of the fragility of these landscapes. Sturdy brick-and-concrete buildings are progressively replacing traditional kampung houses, and the roar of development and urbanization increasingly threatens the charm and tranquility of East Coast landscapes.

Serenity, 2011

Will these landscapes cease to be? And, are artworks like these going to be our only glimpse of this world? Titles like Imaginary Landscape (2000s) by Mokhtar reinforces this argument, that these landscapes may soon cease to be and that only a lucky few will be able to draw it out from memory.
Aside from addressing these questions, this exhibition fits perfectly with KL Lifestyle Art Space’s Annexe room, a space that’s dedicated to works of a more delicate nature and the intimacy that’s afforded by this room mirrors the experience of flipping through an artist’s sketchbook; each artwork functions like a page in a sketchbook and visitors move from one artwork to the next as a reader would turn each page to reveal a private sketch, a moment or place captured swiftly, or a fragment of the artist’s thoughts and experience.

And undoubtedly, what will be of interest to viewers are the different styles of the six artists despite the similarity in their subject matter. There is something for every inclination and it is a highly personal and private view of the East Coast through these six artists’ eyes.