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Saturday 14 July 2012

The Pioneering Era : The Birth of Modern Malaysia Art

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Three main factors influenced the early development of modern Malaysian Art, namely English colonization, the immigration of foreigners, and education. As for modern art, it is defined as works that differ from any traditional artistic convention. It emphasizes individualistic characteristics over the manifestation of the collective cultural values of a society.
     The birth of modern Malaysian art is linked to the national modernization process. Indeed, modernization represents one of the major issues in the discussion of the cultural development of Malaysian, including visual art, cartoon art, and literature. Modernization is also often seen as a westernizing process, both from the perspective of from and of meaning of cultural objects and human behavior. This chapter intends to give a general view of the early factors that influenced the stylistic development of modern Malaysian art and relate them to the phenomenon of modernization or westernization.

Syed Ahmad Jamal (1929-2011): Father of Modern Malay Art Gallery Malaysia



Syed Ahmad Jamal is explaining painting techniques.



Syed Ahmad Jamal was born on 19 September 1929 in the city of Johor Empress. He received his early education at Berth Primary School from 1936 to 1938. She completed her schooling at the High School in 1939 Mooring; Ngee Heng English School, 1940; Hill Zahra English School and English College, Johor Bahru to the year 1949.
He was Sultan Ibrahim scholarship and the scholarship he continued his studies at the Birmingham School of Architecture in 1950. In the years 1951 to 1955, he furthered his studies at the Chelsea School of Art, London. A year later he was studying at the Institute of Education, London University. While at Chelsea School of Art, he won several prizes in competitions in painting.

After returning from England, he became a teacher in High School, Batu Pahat, Johor from 1956 to 1957. In 1957, he became a lecturer at Teachers College Times, Kuala Lumpur. Between 1958 to 1959, he became a lecturer at the Malayan Teachers' College, Kirby, Lancs, United Kingdom and returned to Teachers College Times, Kuala Lumpur in 1960. In the years 1951 to 1963, he served as Head of Art Education at Teachers' Training College, Cheras.
Syed Ahmad Jamal is a name that is synonymous with Malaysian art. He was the founder of abstract expressionism movement in this country. Syed Ahmad Jamal is a figure in the most successful art gallery in the country. He has leadership qualities in the following areas as a painter, writer, designer, educator and arts leaders.

Multidisciplinary capabilities possessed make her a source of ideas and the development of local art generates. Scholarly knowledge in art and philosophy and aesthetics Malays held, making him the point of reference for students, academics, and activist art (artists, curators, galleries and collectors) in Malaysia. Among the country artists, Syed Ahmad Jamal was considered a pioneer of abstract art who pitched the archipelago began in the years 1960's and 1970's.

He led the Wednesday Art Group and Art Council Malaysia in the early 1960's. He was also a guest lecturer at the University of Malaya from 1975 to 1979, the integrity and leadership unfolded where he was appointed Director of Cultural Center of the University of Malaya from 1979 to 1983 first with the founding to the establishment of Asian Art Museum at the University of Malaya before the lead as Director of Art National Gallery in 1983 and 1991. Leadership and integrity of Syed Ahmad Jamal in the field of art is established. He was in the trust and respect for the Board of Directors, Advisory Board Member and Chairman of the organizations and government agencies associated with this visual arts.

As a humanist who has a way of view and philosophy of the Malay art of fine, he translated this experience through his book "Appearance and Soul 'issue Prentice Hall when I was living professionals and researchers in DBP in 1991-1992, he was drawing up observation of the elements artistic elements and values ​​of Malay culture. He also tried to Incorporating the look and design aspects of an element to this Malay art mixed with the experience of a universal language of art through form, style, movement and pattern.

Syed Ahmad Jamal evident talent, he was an artist who is famous and acclaimed arts community locally and abroad. Among his ability is to draw by using the knowledge and experience-based thinking and the philosophy of Malay values. He was also involved in making 'The policies and thinking' about the program and the administration to the public. Apart from that she is also involved in art criticism and wrote many papers, exhibition catalogs, magazines and mass media.

Touching on his visual, as in London and ekspressinisme abstract ekspressionis flow is sweeping across England. Last movement is very new for him and really his way of attracting creative works. He is a bit ekspressionisme because they realize a new platform for the purpose of determining the direction and art direction by individuals or individuals who are a little different with the traditional art of working in groups.

To find an artist or artists development is incomplete if it does not look penerokaanya early touches to around the 1950's. Paintings look distorted and abstract elements anchored country cuba produced while still studying there. Early changes in the method of seeing the success of the first successfully produced major works in the early career of 'Sea Bathing'("Mandi Laut") (1957). This paper is a starting point for Syed Ahmad Jamal to face a more glorious history in the field of art with his first solo exhibition at the British Council, Kuala Lumpur in 1960.
1960 saw the phenomenon of the decade's most dominant ekspresionistik abstract. His works began to show abstract images in cultural background. Work 'Starry Night' (1961), 'Relationship' (1964), 'Lost' (1965) .19 .9.65 '(1965) shows an abstract energy blast ekspressionistik the agile, resilient, strong in its aggressive brush strokes of colors expressive showcase of visual impact. Colors and images used in a number of works in 1960's disturbing psychological ketenteramana as if he was struggling with himself.

1970s featuring creative works and shows the transformation in work such as freedom of expression 'Conference of the Soul "(1970) depart from the poem' My Spirit '("Sidang Roh") works of poet Kassim Ahmad who has been a polimik world literature at that time. This paper is produced after the tragedy of 1969 with respect to the meaning of the truth that is constantly changing according to current needs and tastes.

In his career as an artist series 'Mount Ledang name Syed Ahmad Jamal culminates in the production of great works of our national treasures such as the' spirit Ledang. At this stage of his paintings are so powerful that symbolizes excellence didokongnya methods and thinking over the years. Series Mount Ledang 'mystical story of the world unite Puteri Gunung Ledang found in text-faced Malay History narrative aspects of the concept of the local to the west of the painting format.

Although Western education in the field of fine art by artists Syed Ahmad Jamal, but still impressed with the roots of traditional Malay culture to participate in each pengkaryaanya. In about 1980 an then give birth "Series Songket"("Siri Songket") the image of woven straw mat handicrafts began to be created such as 'Energy Mat' (1980), 'Terengganu' (1986), 'Series Ledang Mountain'("Siri Gunung Ledang") (1987) in portraying the beauty of traditional Malay textile weaving inherited from other generations.

Triangular shape as dominant in this era, it can be said of the triangle is the motif of bamboo shoots in the design of many traditional Malay society. It is regarded as a symbol of fertility, a statement that in accordance with the statement on the Mount Ledang. He further stated that the triangular motif similar to the tree of life and flowers as a manifestation of the spirit of nature that is closest to the Southeast Asia region.

Early years of the 1990s, Syed Ahmad Jamal retired from public service. This gave him so much time to continue to move full-time active in painting in the middle of his career. The involvement of hard work for sixty year career in art has enabled him to contribute towards the construction and development of modern art in Malaysia. Based on his significant contribution that the government awarded him the National Art Award in 1995 that Malaysia's highest arts award which carries the title of National Artist. This era also saw a different approach to the works of Syed Ahmad Jamal before. His works are very friendly touches social issues and world politics at the end of the 1990s.

After that he continued to sprinkle the charity to national arts and sacrifices appreciated when awarded the National Service Paglima which carries the title Datuk in 1996. In 2005 he received recognition as a doctor (Hons) in Art Education by the University Sultan Idris (UPSI). Visual Syed Ahmad Jamal began directional to the manifestation of divinity in the late career. Major arts institutions of national honor for the retrospective exhibition of his works are exhibited for a period of sixty-year career, titled "Syed Ahmad Jamal: Painters' was the largest solo exhibition and his last in 2009 at the National Visual Art.

Two years later on July 31, 2011 Artists-General Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal to leave the world at the age of 82 years. His contributions and his leadership qualities in the development of art throughout the ages Malaysia will be remembered by generations of visual arts in the future. May his soul be placed among those selected. Amin.

Awards Syed Ahmad Jamal :

1950 'Sultan Ibrahim Scholarship'
1962 "Indian Council for Cultural Relations'
1963-1964 'United State Department Award
1969 Member of the National Mangku
1970 'Alliance Francaise Medallion'
1973 'East-West Center Award
1983 PRESS RELEASES
1984 'Australian Cultural Award
1987 'Cultural Award (Visual Art)'
1995 National Arts Awards
1996 Chief of the National Service
2005 Doctor (Hons) in Art Education, University of Education Sultan Idris (UPSI)
2008-2009 Guest Artist, Visual Art, Kuala Lumpur






1 comment:

  1. bego kenapa satu?? banyak2 lah kita discuss! sila salahkan unisel

    ReplyDelete