An aveNew for young artists

(From left) Yong, Koo, Yasmeen and Jasmine.

THERE is no shortage of young talent in the Malaysian art scene and the proof is apparent at the ongoing exhibition aveNew at Artemis Art.

Held until Oct 18, the exhibition features the works of five recent graduates from Dasein Academy of Art’s Fine Arts programme who are showcasing their paintings in a variety of figurative styles.

Chok Yue Zan, Jasmine Cheong, Koo Yean Ni, Yasmeen Cheong and Yong Kang Yun make up the collective known as contiNew and aveNew is their first group exhibition, signifying a new start for them, post-academia, as they strive to make a name for themselves in the Malaysian art scene.

Jasmine, an art teacher, focuses on faces to capture the emotion and for this exhibition, she showcases happiness.

Using shapes, lines, dots and patterns to accentuate her artwork, her subjects are based on a friend who has a childlike smile and some of her students.

Koo's artwork 'floating Over The Sea' incorporates local elements including batik abd songket to showcase Malaysia's history and culture.

“Children show their true emotions.

“My students were very surprised when they found out that I used them as my subjects.

“Their parents knew beforehand though as I had sought their permission,” she said.

Koo, who also teaches art to children, was inspired by her students.

She uses vivid colours and a variety of drawing styles such as native art and includes local elements such as batik, songket and coconut trees to showcase the history and culture of Malaysia.

“Growing up in Kelantan, the kampung life, boats and farm tools became part of my subconscious and I incorporate these elements into my paintings,” she said.

The detail is fascinating – look closer and you can see different patterns and even different languages, including hieroglyph-like characters and even her own made-up language.

Yasmeen’s artwork, on the other hand, was inspired by senior citizens she talked to at an old folks’ home.

Both “Ah Shun” and “Fuk Bak” came to Kuala Lumpur in search of jobs. Now in their twilight years, they are in an old folks’ home, without a family or home.

Yong's paintings  serve as a reminder for people to stop using execuses.The vines coming out of the subjects' mouths symbolises how people trap themselves with their own excuses.

“Some of them (at the home) told me that they were just waiting to die.

“I want to tell people about their plight, they need care and love.

“They are so happy just to have people listen to their stories,” she said.

She uses charcoal as a medium because she feels that it conveys the subjects’ emotions best.

“My initial work were oil paintings but after I discovered charcoal, that became my chosen medium.

“Maybe in future I will mix other mediums with charcoal,” she said.

Yong’s paintings serve as a reminder for people to stop using excuses.

Jasmine based her paintings 'Comma'.

The vines coming out of the subjects’ mouths symbolises how people trap themselves with their own excuses.

“I want to show the restrictions in life.

“We often trap ourselves in excuses, preferring to stay in our comfort zone instead of challenging boundaries,” she said.

Basic colours of red, yellow and blue are used in each painting.

She uses metaphorical elements, giving her paintings a whimsical touch.

“I did not want to draw sharp lines, so I use circles instead.

“Curves give a smooth and comfortable feel,” she said.

Meanwhile, Chok’s works Are They Important depict dreamy memories of nature as he remembers it from his hometown of Tawau, Sabah, which is fast disappearing because of development, not unlike many other places across the country.

Artemis Art is located at Lot 21 & 22, Level G4 Publika@Dutamas, Block C5, Solaris Dutamas, No 1, Jalan Dutamas 1, Kuala Lumpur.

Opening hours are from 11am to 7pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays) and noon to 6pm (Sundays and public holidays).

For details, call the gallery at 03-6211 1891 or visit www.artemisartgallery.com