Potret Diri by Syahnan Anuar

The Backroom KL presents a solo exhibition titled "Potret Diri" (Self Portrait) by Kelantan artist, Syahnan Anuar, from the 19th to the 27th of August.

Syahnan is best known as the founder of Bogus Merchandise, a company specialising in grapic arts and silkscreening services. For this exhibition, the artist selected works representing some of his artistic output since 2018. After participating in numerous collective shows, Potret Diri is Syahnan's first solo exhibition. Included are works from several series of silkscreen prints and one original painting.

Artwork ©  Syahnan Anuar  | Image courtesy of The Backroom KL, 2023

According to the gallery, Syahnan's works reflect upon several identities of the artist "as a son, the 7th child in a family of 10, as the head of a company, a Malay Muslim man, and as a young person living in a Malaysia built in the shadow of Mahathir’s Vision 2020. Featuring the artist’s own parents and national authority forces as subjects, the showcase reflects the intractability of the personal from the political in the artist’s lived experience." 

Always conscious of social and political unease as any tuned-in young Malaysian should be, these personal works are both witty and whimsical with subtle bite and neo-surreal underpinnings. Their contemporary forward palette actually softens the threat of being overt protests, and the works seem to be too much fun to feel controversial. Concerns about the potential of heavy-handed authority and political strife are well delivered. It's an astute position taken by many young artists such as Syahnan Anuar who straddle the line by remaining cognizant and compassionate about the nation's current state while refusing to allow matters they can't control to overwhelm them.

Artwork ©  Syahnan Anuar  | Images by AF @ Opening

For more information about the artist or the exhibition, please direct queries to The Backroom Gallery KL.