Centrepiece: (From right) Raja Shahriman talking about his sculpture with Muhammad Bakhtiar and Lee at the Hin Bus Depot. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: His work pushes the boundaries of what is possible with metal. With skilled craftsmanship and innovative techniques, he creates a series of sculptures inspired by the “keris”.
Each piece is a testament to his skill and dedication, as well as to the rich cultural heritage of South-East Asia.
Now, after three years of being impacted by the pandemic, master sculptor Raja Shahriman Raja Aziddin is making a comeback with his first exhibition in Penang.
“It is good to be back after all this time,” he said.
The show (with free entrance) from now until June 4 is called Lokgam, a portmanteau of the words “lok” and “logam” (metal).
“The meaning of ‘Lok’ in Bahasa Malaysia is the wavy blade of the keris, and that blade, to me, represents the tests that we have to experience in our lives,” he said at the launch of his show on Sunday.
The 56-year-old sculptor said his last show before the pandemic was at the National Art Gallery from December 2019 to April 2020.
“For my comeback show after three years, a total of 17 of my iron sculptures will be exhibited at the O Sculpture Studio at the Hin Bus Depot in Jalan Gurdwara here in Penang.
“It will feature keris-inspired iron sculptures, which each took me up to a month or more to complete at my studio in Kuala Kangsar, Perak,” he said.
In 1994, Raja Shahriman left his position as a lecturer at the Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA) to pursue his passion for iron sculpture.
He was introduced to the art during his studies at the MARA Institute of Technology (now UiTM) in Shah Alam, Selangor.
He then learnt carpentry and keris forging from a teacher in Kuala Kangsar for three years before developing his talent.
Apart from being a full-time iron sculptor, Raja Shahriman also actively shares his knowledge and experience with those interested in this art form.
He believes that this is a way to preserve this traditional Malay art form. He often invites graduates to his house to learn the skills without charging a fee.
Raja Shahriman said he hopes to revive the knowledge and skills of traditional iron processing and forging among the Malay community, especially in weapon making, an art form that has been practised since the 1300s.
His works have attracted interest from collectors from countries such as Japan, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Singapore.
Raja Shahriman has also been invited to represent Malaysia at overseas exhibitions.
His show Lokgam was launched recently by MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd chairman Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, who was also the former deputy minister of tourism, arts and culture.
MyCreative Ventures is a government investment arm launched in September 2012 to spur Malaysia’s creative industry via strategic and innovative funding through debt or equity investments in Malaysian creative companies.
Also present were Penang State Art Gallery (PSAG) board chairman Lee Khai, Penang Museum and Art Gallery director Haryany Mohamad and cartoonist Reggie Lee.
