Arcawan @ HOM
A six-sculptor group show titled “Arcawan” opened on the 14th of June at HOM Art Trans Gallery and runs until the 28th of June at the second-floor salon on Jalan Cempak in Taman Cempak, Ampang.
“Arcawan” can loosely be translated to English as “one who sculpts professionally.” In this show, the definition can be broadened somewhat to include assemblage and construction as forms of sculpture. However we label these objects, the end results are intriguing artworks created from an eclectic selection of materials, found objects and techniques, including the gas-welded steel sculptures of Dr.Zainuddin Abindinhazir; Idrus Rani’s constructions made from combinations of wood, cut acrylic sheets and readymade objects; the swirling metal pieces of Saharuddin Supar; Hilal B Mazlan’s unique machine-like working sculptures made primarily of wood and aluminum featuring electric moving appendages; the bold foam and wire mesh wall-hangings on steel frames by Jamil Zakaria; and the larger-than-life fish made from resin, polymer and glass by Hijaz Mohammad. Each artist contributed a few pieces to the show, and there isn’t a single weak entry among them.
I’ve always felt a close affinity to artist-run galleries and ateliers, especially those like HOM Art Trans who not only use their combined resources to advance their own individual careers but also offer support and opportunities to other emerging artists. Indeed, HOM’s platform combines aspiring artists places to work, to exhibit, to learn from esteemed colleagues, and to interact with similar-minded artists throughout the region. The multi-tiered approach also includes residency and funding programs as well as curated awards to help artists build their careers.
Perhaps the appreciation stems from my own upbringing after being mentored for years by professional architects, journalists, and established artists, including several family members and friends who followed similar paths. It also comes from many years spent in the southern cone of South America where co-op studios directed by prior generations of artists willing to pass their expertise to newcomers has always been the norm rather than the exception. Indeed, rarely does an Argentine or Uruguayan artist’s portfolio not include at least one or more references to valuable years spent in some sort of collective entity operated at least in part by artists and/or their mentors. Learning by doing through shared experiences has always been prevalent in the region, as it appears to be in Malaysia.
There’s another simple yet important reason why I enjoy artist-run endeavors, and this was in ample display at the opening of ARCAWAN.
For context, HOM is situated a short distance east of the glitz and glamour of downtown KL in a quiet suburb block surrounded by friendly restaurants, small neighborhood shops and a laundromat. Its unassuming stairway to the second floor fails to prepare you for the pleasure and warmth you will soon experience within.
So what’s the allure? For me, it’s the energy, the buzz, the collective pride and camaraderie that is not alway evident in large sterile collectives featuring disconnected artists hailing from diverse corners of a region. Sure, it’s logical to feel like an outsider-looking-in during tightly-knit events such as this; after all, these are celebrations in large part designed to recognize the accomplishments of members of their own brethren. That uneasiness only lasts until the first smile or the moment when you ask your first question to any of the principles or the bystanders, all of whom are more than interested in engaging at length in discussion about a favorite artist or work. Any potential awkwardness is immediately overcome after witnessing the talent on display. Admiration escalates when you realize how genuinely proud each participant seems to be for the success of their colleagues and the group as a collective. This mutual respect is readily absorbed by the gathered visitors regardless of how tethered they may or may not be to the exhibit’s lead contributors.
If you are in the area this month, Arcawan @ HOM Art Trans is well worth the visit. For more information and an e-catalogue, please contact the participants through the HOM website.
All Works © the repsective artists as noted, Photographhs taken by Artfronts