VCS265
Contemporary Arts and Design In Malaysia
Anthony Lau
PREPARED FOR:
MDM. MARIAM BINTI MARIAM
LECTURER
DEPARTMENT OF LIBERAL STUDY
PREPARED BY:
MUHAMMAD ASHFAN MAZLAN
2014209874
MUHAMAD IHSAN BIN ZULKIFLI
2014292284
MOHAMAD TAUFIQ BIN AHMAD RODZI
2014644326
DATE OF SUBMISSION:
26 AUGUST 2015
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
In performing our assignment, we had to take the help and guideline of some respected persons, who deserve our greatest gratitude. The completion of this assignment gives us much pleasure. We would like to show our gratitude to Madam Mariam Binti Idris, VCS128, Universiti Teknologi MARA, for giving us a good guideline for assignment throughout numerous consultations. We would also like to expand our deepest gratitude to all those who have directly and indirectly guided us in writing this assignment.
Many people, especially our coursemates and team members itself, have made valuable comment suggestions on this proposal which gave us an inspiration to improve our assignment. We thank all the people for their help, directly and indirectly, to complete our assignment.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research is to figure about the Malaysian Contemporary Art. The main idea of this research is to know more about Contemporary Art in Malaysia by researching a Malaysian artist. Contemporary art in Malaysia is diversed and also beautiful. There are things that is useful to search and learn for. The artist that we researched on is Anthony Lau, a Malaysian sculpture artist. There are a few webpages and also books that we used in the research of the artist. There are also a few paperworks and also pictures to support this research. We learned that Contemporary Art in Malaysia is interesting and fun. We also learned many good values on how to do a good research. Thank you.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. HISTORY OF MODERN MALAYSIAN SCULPTURE
Malaysian modern sculpture had started to increase around 1960’s but it was considered as a minor art compared to painting. Unlike painting, the development of modern sculpture is rarely studied and written about. This may explain why sculpture was not a very popular field, whether at the beginning of modern Malaysian art or in the early stages of the development of modern art in the world. Yet in the context of contemporary art today, sculpture has carved a place for itself.
There are a few factors that delayed the development of modern sculpture in Malaysia. Globally, it has rarely been discussed and written. Usually in terms of art history, normally it focus on the aspect of painting. The styles, aesthetic values and criteria of modern art normally been referred to painting, but not sculpture. The art patrons are more interested in painting. In Malaysia, the understanding of sculpture in relation to the belief and religion often creates a contradict interpretations. It has often relates to the idol and worship. Religious background can be one of the reasons of delay.
ARTIST PROFILE
PERSONAL BACKGROUND OF ARTIST
“ANTHONY LAU”
The name given for this 82 year-old man is Anthony Lau. He’s a well-known Malaysian Sculpture Artist. He was born in 1933, in Johor Bharu. He got his arts education at Brighton College of Art, Sussex, England in 1957. He then went to Indiana University in Bloomington, USA in 1968. He was one of the pioneers that affected the minds of young artist and also art teachers around Malaysia (late 1950s) in developing a new style and concept of art. He is well-known by his way of art, that is sculpture making. He is a Malaysian sculpture artist. He was also one of the artist in Friday Art Group, in the line with Syed Ahmad Jamal and also Jolly Koh. His determination in making sculptures is one of the cause led him to become a famous sculpture artist in Malaysia. He only makes sculptures, no paintings.
ARTWORKS
“Rimba”
1967
Medium: Iron
Theme: Forest – Nature Elements
Style: Flakes of iron bars in different sizes that creates an image/view of a barren forest. The position of iron bars that are high and low, rarely and solid, creates a translucent effect and also variety of generations of lines.
Value: Shows the beauty of nature, focused on the characteristics of the relationship between branches, stems and twigs of plants. Highlights the importance of preserving the environment.
“Hasil Laut”
1968
Medium: Metal
Theme: A sculpture that shows a concrete marine product which have descriptive attributes
Style: Bold and powerful form of revenue, producing internal and external space that is clear. Strip and braided detour that creates the “full impact” look.
Value: The representation of marine life as well as understanding and skills to process materials.
“Spirit of Fire”
1959
Medium: Wood carving mounted on plastic base.
Theme: Mythological representation – Fire element
Style: Flames carving on head piece with angry/vicious looking face. Finished of with a block of wood.
Value: The work’s elongated, vertical thrust imitates the upward flickering movement of flames. In this case, the flame has been personified in the form of a masculine entity with a fierce looking face. The slant of the eyes and eye brows, the grain of the wood and chisel lines all contribute towards the upward movement of the flame-like form, which splices dramatically through space.
CONCLUSION 