Core Gallery goes Yellow

A group exhibition titled “Yellow” recently opened at Core Contemporary Art Gallery in Metro KL featuring a strong contingent of regional artists working primarily in 3D mixed-media objects. The witty fusion of seemingly incongruent materials, recognizable global themes, and polished finishes found throughout this show compare favorably to cutting-edge mainstays on the international art fair circuit, including recent regional events in Hong Kong (Basel) and Singapore (Art SG). Offering works for this fresh and thought-provoking event are Atiqah Khairul Anuar, Haafiz Shahimi, Husin Othman, Izzuddin Basiron, Mohd Fairuz Paisan (PoOi), Nor Tijan Firdaus, Suhaimi Fadzir and Syafiq Hariz.

Yellow is open for viewing until July 8th at Core’s Subang Jaya location. The gallery’s normal opening hours apply.

Core Design Gallery has been a leading force in the Malaysian contemporary art and design fields for over thirteen years. To augment its stellar annual programming of edgy local exhibitions and regional fair participation, the gallery publishes dozens of books and catalogues that chronologically document not only its own perceptions and revelations through time but also the contributions made by seemingly hundreds of luminaries in the field with whom the gallery has worked closely to help build illustrious careers.

According to gallery manager Hawa Basery and director Scarlette Lee, Core has recently assumed a more pronounced focus on artists who delve into decidedly globalized trends, themes, and visions as a noteworthy compliment to their representation of established Malaysian artists who’ve been central to many local movements through the years.

In short, Yellow is a fine attempt to cut through many preconceptions about what art is and what it can be. That’s not to say that Malaysian artists should take all of their cues from international art markets going forward. Far from it. In fact, the opposite is true. I’d like to see even more examples of how Malaysians can contribute to themes and concepts that we all share rather than restrict themselves to what they already dominate on home turf. The globalization of visual art transcends boundaries while offering inclusive and tolerant communication free from the restraints of languages, tribalism and xenophobia. While Malaysia has long been home to many excellent artists, one of the most interesting aspects of any regional or national art scene is discovering the roles those artists play in the larger contemporary picture, in other words, where is Malaysia’s visual art situated beyond the leading artists’ comfort zone? Are they contributing on the expanded stage or are they content with what they’ve accomplished at home?

Yellow is also a strong example of what’s possible when artists are no longer exclusively tethered to one market’s expectations. It is a clear acknowledgement by the gallery of the give-and-take required to develop an obligatory two-way conduit to and from global markets. It is precisely at that nexus where dialogue begins, ideas can be re-envisioned, and new quandaries are solved through tolerance and teamwork. This process can spawn exponential growth both inside and out for all stakehoiders in the visual arts.

The interplay between aesthetic theories being explored simultaneously at distant corners of the world is compelling in its own right largely because the art itself is not bound to any specific culture or preexisitng relevance/value rubric. With open discovery the goal, Yellow offers a glimpse of how several artists approach the duality of being true to oneself while acknowledging their roles as cogs in something much grander. In this condition, the immenseness of the art world should not be seen as overwhelming, rather it represents nothing but untapped opportunity.

Every “local” art market tends to support its own, first and foremost. It's a natural tendency, plus it's critically important for the survival of national arts and traditions. Once a market's maturation process has taken place, it’s equally important to avoid the perpetuation of insular markets that may eventually suffer from stagnation while failing to prepare artists for the following stages of success beyond their homeland. The easiest method to do so is to open bilateral doors so that global ideas can enter and exit freely while the most deserving local artists are being prepared to succeed internationally. Without prior engagement with global markets, that task becomes far more difficult. To that end, Core's Yellow exhibition is a positive and forward-leaning initiative.

For more information about Yellow, Core Gallery and their ground-setting program, please visit the gallery website.