Gomes sits in front of his artwork 'No Strings On Me' (2024). Written on the face of the cake are the words 'Cosmic Indifference,' which describes his feelings towards the comforting lie people tell themselves that a higher power is responsible for their (bad) fate. Photo: The Star/William Gary
It's been a few years since contemporary artist Joshua Kane Gomes has shown a full series of his works in Malaysia. His first solo show These Things We Do in Kuala Lumpur in 2019 was a glimpse of how he evokes moods and melancholy atmospheres through his installations.
The days of bear traps and hysterical neon mirrors have given way to a more poignant art exhibition, as seen in Gomes' new show Violent Delights, which is having its closing weekend at Temu House in Petaling Jaya.
The exhibition marks a significant milestone for the Selangor-born artist, one laden with reflection, growth, and maturity. His sense of humour is also very much intact in most of the installation works.
“Turning 30 is a big milestone, especially among Millennials and Gen Zs. We feel like we’re at that point of going over the hill of adulthood,” says Gomes at the gallery.
“But as an artist, 30 is still basically an age for artistic growth. There’s a whole world for you to explore. You’re still figuring out your craft. And you still can get ‘Young Artists’ grants since some requirements are 35 and below,” he added with a laugh.
A close-up of one of Gomes' sculptures from his series 'All That Glitters Isn’t Gold'. The unicorn is a throwback to his first piece that was sold, which he describes as a 'symbol of loss innocence'. Photo: The Star/William Gary
Gomes, a graduate of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore, has been actively exhibiting – in recent times – in the island state and other countries, working closely with the regional Richard Koh Fine Art gallery.
Last year, he was given a placement in the Khazanah Nasional Associate Artist Residency Programme (KAAR) 2023 – under the Khazanah Residency Programme (KRP) initiative.
Gomes embarked on a three-month arts residency at Acme Studios in London, from January to March 2023.
The exposure and training abroad, and his personal growth as an artist has given Violent Delights an interesting dynamic, where introspection, resilience, and newfound wisdom can be observed.
However, a new stage of life without fun is also not something the artist is aiming for.
A work titled 'The Weight Of Your Silver Linings', reflecting on family and the ageing process. Photo: The Star/William Gary
At Temu House, Gomes also thought it would be devilish fun to make the space look like a birthday party with whimsical uses of the colour pink that we associate with candles and cake. At the same time, his steel installations are black with jagged edges and sharp points protruding.
The knife that cuts open the sculpture is 3D printed, and like a pinata, the creature bleeds resin and unleashes a stack of real candy.
"Besides wanting the audience to participate (you can take the candy), I also wanted to depict the cost of the creative process. Written on the knife is an old Latin word that means 'jester or clown', because I think we play the role of an entertainer in the gallery setting," says Gomes.
Installations are a big part of Gomes' exhibition titled 'Violent Delights' at Temu House. Photo: The Star/William Gary
His works - a mixture of steel, PE foam, polymer clay, fabric, polyester fibre fill, acrylic paint and modelling paste - are not all centred around his thoughts and feelings.
In reminiscing the times of having breakfast with his family, his piece The Weight Of Your Silver Linings features a cup of Milo and a cup of coffee conjoined by the handles, with the words "just a little" on one cup, and "bit longer" on the other.
"The helplessness of watching your parents get older right in front of you is also part of growing up. I wanted the wording to apply to parents because they'd want their children to stay children (a little longer).
"Seeing the subtle signs of them slowly ageing, one of them being hair turning grey, I felt it was now my turn to shoulder that responsibility," says Gomes.
Violet Delights is showing at Temu House in Petaling Jaya until till March 24. Open: 10am-5pm. Free admission. The show supported by the Khazanah Nasional Associate Artist Residency.
