Malaysian artist Paul Nickson Atia has an 'Obsession' with prayer & repetition

Malaysian artist Paul Nickson Atia takes his Chinese ink works into the abstract margins, studying the nature of obsession and prayer.

Sarawak-born visual artist Paul Nickson Atia has a strange obsession with the idea of prayer.

It first appeared in his debut solo last year called Jari Berlari at Galeri Rumah Lukis in KL. One body of work, in particular from that series, called Obsesi, was the beginning of what appears to be a study of prayer and how it involves cycles of repetition.

When the 27-year-old Kuching-born, KL-based artist was practising architecture, recalled how he used repetition “excessively and obsessively”.

“In an architecture design studio, things are process-oriented exercise. You work in a very non-linear manner – back and forth, over and over again.

“You draw and redraw, trace and retrace – same process, repeatedly and perpetually. There is an energy that I found intriguingly beautiful in the process, ” says Paul (who prefers to be known by his first name) in a recent interview.

In the past one year, this Universiti Malaya architecture graduate, who has his own studio in Petaling Jaya, has been working on his Obsession series, which has now culminated in his latest solo exhibition called Form(s) Of Prayer(s).

'Obsession: Cerebration (II)' (Chinese ink on canvas, 2019).

The exhibition, happening at new gallery Rissim Contemporary in Bangsar, KL till Jan 9, features 10 large-scale paintings, comprising thousands of miniature squares on canvas. There is a mathematical order in Paul’s artworks, the mosaic-like grids arranged meticulously with rigid precision.

“The series is perhaps my attempt in finding order, assurance and certainty from all the uncertainties that I have gone through, ” says Paul, who is of Bidayuh heritage.

The Form(s) Of Prayer(s) exhibition is co-curated by gallery owner Hanif Idris and contemporary artist Saiful Razman.

Paul’s art is informed by abstract and minimalist studies. He paints with Chinese ink, and captures his thoughts in canvas with brushes or tree twigs. His usage of miniature squares as his central motif seems almost like a device to keep count of prayers recited.

It’s almost like a record of his conversations with a higher being.

'Obsession: Affirmation' (Chinese ink on canvas, 2019).

“The first question people would ask when I first started with the series is ‘Are you looking for God?’ The answer is no, ” says Paul, noting that he does not consider himself a religious person.

“I do acknowledge the idea of religions and the importance of religions. But my main pursuit has always been, from the very beginning, on finding the spiritual side of being a human, regardless of what religion you are devoted to.”

'The series is perhaps my attempt in finding order, assurance and certainty from all the uncertainties that I have gone through, ' says Paul Nickson Atia about his new solo exhibition in KL. Photos: Paul Nickson Atia

“I am interested in the histories and context of religion, ” says Paul, who was part of group exhibitions Mihrab and Awan Dan Tanah this year.

One work that fully embodies his exploration of prayer and obsession is called Obsession: O, Perpetual. The work, the largest one in this new series (152cm by 426cm) is executed in a triptych format.

“The artwork has a very deep connection with me because it is very much reflecting the nature of my work and how I work. The work embodies the idea of submission, but also being active and reactive about it; the entire series contextually, ” he explains.

“The nature of my training as an architect is that you are required to ask critical questions. And most importantly, being really critical about yourself and your work. So Obsession; O, Perpetual is very much the epitome of myself as an artist.”

Form(s) Of Prayer(s) is on at Rissim Contemporary, Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar in KL till Jan 9. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday (11am-5pm). Closed on public holidays. Email: [e-mail].