emmagem.com , met up with the Penny Yuen recently and over a cup of coffee ,got to know this talented graphic designer and “eco- warrior alter ego”. Well, Penny would not be your ideal image of a “warrior , because she is very petite. But whoever said that heroism is measured by one’s physical size obviously forget, that it is the fighting spirit that counts!

Known for her alter ego eco warrior ,Pokok ,a soft toy, http://www.ecowarriorpokok.blogspot.com/, Penny takes on the role of story teller, talking and educating people about Pokok’s cause in saving the environment.

Pokok, Sherlock Holmes of a teddy bear , started his “career” by investigating  the harm done to turtles due to pollution and use of plastic bags after hearing about their plight from Mr Loh, Director of Malaysian Nature’s Society. The first investigation into the turtle family’s desctruction was told with the unfinished turtles’ bodies in various states of  decomposition at The Recylist’s “No Plastic Concert” in July 2008. Penny told of Pokok’s anger againts humans and his criminal investigation into their  role in the destruction of the environment! She told the story with Pokok at the makeshift graveyard for the turtles with polystyrene lunch boxes as coffins!!(see pix above). Her funniest moment was when ‘the green family ” knelt  to pay their respects . (more…)

WHO AM I? WHY AM I HERE? DOES GOD EXIST? Just some questions commonly asked and will be explored by the man+God exhibition a project by Art4Soul!

Fabian Tan’s version of Man+God

Penny Yuen’s version of Man+God

Man+God 8th International Visual
Feast exhibition in Beijing, where 54 artists and more explore their relationship with God! Organised jointly by art4soul www.3nitydesign.com in Beijing 19th October to 2nd November 2008 (will get the full collection of artworks tomorrow, stay tuned

Go to this link to see all works:-)

What is the effect when you put two bright and talented 30somethings together…well I think it is safe to say …blinding brilliance.
Diminutive in size but power packed with their conviction about conserving Planet Earth , these two young artists,already accomplished in their own chosen fields; one is a celebrated architect (read all about her in our feature article, Lisa Foo-MultiFaceted Designer) and the other is an Agriculture graduate turned landscape designer , are both adamant protectors of Mother Earth!

School mates who re-united after 11 years of separation, find themselves coursing the same path in conservation through artistic pursuit ; teams up to illuminate the world and enlighten everyone on simple ways one can recycle and do their part in reducing their footprint of destruction on this earth. They are so committed about sustainability that they will not hesistate to question should they think something is not aligned in the name of conservation. They would rather support and comfort each other, blisters and all, rather than use any form of electrical or mechanisation in their efforts to cut up any of their bottles in their artworks all because they are wiling to take the first step to show us the path towards conservation.

Their fashion style:
On Su Sim, knitted top, printed floral cotton skirt, striped polyster carry bag and shoes all from Bangkok .
On Lisa - green dress and bangles from Bangkok , handbag made from recycle material from the USA, green glass earrings made from recycled wine bottle from Australia, platforms from Vincci.

Yesterday , I attended the launch of an art exhibition that featured 8 artists who take the matter of recycling very seriously. It is jointly organised by Pavillion KL , The Star Newspaper and Balai Seni Negara. KL city malls have taken up the recycling issue with gusto this year in various manners, some by issuing alternative material shopping bags, others by organising art exhibitions related to the subject matter , starting with Starhill and now Pavillion KL; this is also in line with efforts seen around the region like in Bangkok and Singapore.

According to Pavillion’s General Manager of Marketing, Miss Kung Suan Ai, the mall culture is very much alive and where best to start looking at recycling since people do a lot of buying and selling from the mall. It is also Pavillion’s way of giving a platform for the artists to showcase their talents.

To cut to the chase (conserve electricity), I chit-chatted with a few artists present as to how they come about doing their art pieces and how they embody recycling in their daily lives.

Lisa Foo and Su Sim- architect and landscape designer (check out their website)- with their artworks recycled plastic bottles installation. This two petite lasses have been collecting and producing functional art pieces using plastic drinking bottles since end of last year. This time around their collaboration comes under the theme of “Sea Creature and Organic Forms” .

Both create artpieces that are tranformational light installations for home or offices. These artworks are painstakingly cut with scissors and stapled together , glued or tied together with “regular domestic skills and utensils” . The whole idea according isn’t just to show how these bottles that are everywhere can be recycled but in the interest of sustainability in terms of recycling, how easily it can be done with just simple household utensils. It is also to encourage lay people to reproduce similar works at home with their own collection of bottles. The whole intention for their works is really to take a first step in showing people how recycling can be done through art .Together through blisters and handiplastered fingers these two ladies cut up almost 15,000 pieces of plastic bottles between them to make their point about recycling. Every piece was lovingly cut and installed at each girls living room which is also in line with their theme on regular domestic application.The result is luminous and surrealistic lighting pieces. (more…)

Re-creation : Art and Sustainability”

Visit the art installation at Pavilion from 8-14th Oct 2008 at Bintang Circle, which focuses on the environmental issues. There are 9 other artists displaying their works and the art works using recycle materials are for sale. Furthermore, 60% of the sale proceeds will be contributed to organisation working on environmental protection, NGOs like Jaringan Orang Asal & Malaysian Nature Society. Do spread the word to everyone and also corporate companies. If they do puchase the works, will get tax exemption

Appeared on Sunday Star, Lisa Foo with Su Sim to promote the festival along with their recycled plastic sea creatures sculptures.

Okay, I watched them in 2006 and I was mightily impressed , imagine watching in slow motion two guys in a boxing ring, one falling down with such impact his body flailing on stage not once but several times and one triumphant, exactly like the final fight in a scene from Rocky (the movie) ! But this is not a movie and the slow motion isn’t caused by the film reels but strong muscular control and even stronger imagination and eye for detail. That is how good these guys are!

Gamarjobat is the masterpiece combination of two internationally acclaimed and award winning mime artists who have taken the comedy world by storm with their mime comedy. They are easily identified by their mohawk hairdos, bright red mohawk would be Ketch! and Hiro-pon would has a yellow mohawk and both wear strangely fitted black suits. This year they won BBC’s sitcom-meets -talent show competition, The Slammer! (more…)

On 19th September, emmagem went to the launch of a new range of furniture and home accessories entitled Rediscover Past Treasures by Tridi Sdn. Bhd. The launch showcased their inaugural products entitled Cloud 9 and Spring. This collection shows a series of art boxes , chairs, rugs , mirrors and trays with drawings of clouds from the Cirebon batik tradition. And true to their rejoicing of the tapestry and diversity of Asian cultures , you will find that the batik prints on the lampshades are printed in Malaysia but the surface for the tray and chairs are made from the traditional Vietnamese craftsmanship of silkscreen lacquer. Being designers as well as architects, there were cute pieces of lampshades attached to a mirror for easier illumination for instance and also lampshades fixed on a wooden stick for a more natural look , one presumes. The end results are beautifully designed and exquisite pieces but yet functional at the same time.

(more…)

Recently back from France after a five year French language government scholarship, Lins, as he is fondly known among his friends, is currently lecturing French at a local institution. emmagem.com caught up with him to see how this francophile is coping with his transition into his Malaysian-ism.

Lins, an old friend  was emmagem’s French “correspondent’ for  a brief while . A multi talented man, he is also a self taught artist who was prolific in the late 1990’s and early 2000s, albeit part-time.  His main theme then was Chinese tradition which saw him doing collages from incense paper  amongst others and his very popular series was the chinese blue and white rice bowl in acryllic. This gentleman is also quite the culinary expert, cooking up a storm for friends at his then studio whenever possible, a place which he had to give up when he went abroad. (more…)

His cheeky dimpled grin belies the seriousness of this young architect and newly discovered artist. His corner art was discovered by curator, Zabas, of the current exhibition at Petronas Gallery “working title – by 12 emerging artists” . And would you believe it, he was discovered at the previous Art for Grabs event which was held sometime in the month of May this year.

I caught up with Fabian, because I seriously like his work and of course emmagem.com loves to promote all things and especially talents that are Malaysian. I first saw his works at the Art For Grabs event and bought a piece for myself entitled ROT-ATE.
So when I got wind that he would be among twelve exhibiting emerging artists, I inveigled an invitation to attend the opening to celebrate with him and his girlfriend, his “emergence”. (more…)

The Petronas Gallery launched an art exhibition that features twelve emerging artists on Friday, the 29th August 2008. The artists are Ahmad Zuraimi Abdul Rahim, Elias Yamani Ismail, Fabian Tan, Kamal Mustafa, Khairul Azril Ismail , Maslin Md. Ramly, Mohd Afifee Ibrahim, Mohd. Fuad Md Arif, Mohd. Saharuddin Supar, Nadhirah Anuar, Safrizal Shahir and Tan Sei Hon. Some of my personal favorites are Ahmad Zuraimi Abdul Rahim’s works, Fabian Tan’s corner art , Nadhirah Anuar’s scroll art and Tan Sei Hon’s mandalas.

The artist and the artworks selected were due to their innovation in using fresh and unique approaches in the making of their art. They are also in the forefront of new media including reinventing the classical art practices like painting, print making and sculpture. This show is about the process of creativity and how and why an artist make his or her works. The exhibition is entitled thus because the curator wants to show that art is a process that continues to evolve. It is an exhibition that delves into the thoughts and perceptions of of an artist’s mind and it is meant to spur greater interest and forms of creativity among emerging artists , art fraternity and especially among the young so that Malaysia would produce more creative citizens. (more…)

ART FOR GRABS

Art Bazaar Plus Plus

Sat 30 & Sun 31 Aug 2008, 12pm to 8pm

Presented by Central Market and The Annexe Gallery

Admission Free

You can’t get cooler t-shirts, artworks & knick-knacks at cooler prices! Forty arty stalls including those by witty artist Munkao, poet-illustrator Shahril Nizam, blogger Saharil, artist-musician Fathullah Luqman, intrepid journalist Jacqueline Ann Surin launching The Nut Graph, photojournalist Danny Lim, photographer Erna Dyanty, found-object sculptor Lisa Foo, the ever wonderful Gerai Orang Asli, some young NGOs and many more. Let’s see what Cenderahati Merdeka they’ve come up with for the masses! All items for sale are under RM100 each! (more…)