1993 APT1 Conference : Identity, tradition and change

the whole country should have a common identity, a common language, common wish which in this case was Malay language, Malay culture and Malay roots so in a sense this set a movement off among the Malay painters to look back. Most of the painters I am showing trained in England or locally went to art schools but there was a terrific introspection back going back ......................... and who passed away last years is one of the painters who started this movement but sees how Western abstraction at each painting or even pop elements are brought together now to answer the need for identifying the Malay reality. Most of the artists here, almost are Malay artists I will just show you what happened from 71, 72, it is still going on. They went back using sort of motif things taken from the traditional culture, assemblages, everything you can think of. This is using weaving techniques ... and how this influenced. These two pieces have been produced by a computer by another artist. They are very small A4 size but you can see the kind of sensibilities that are coming out from this whole movement. This work this artist is in the Gallery, you can have a look at it but again this terrific ..... for decorating and for the essence of the Malay mosque. One also sees sometimes a kind of synchronisation happening when Malay artists adopt the idea of the Chinese or Japanese screen to project their statement. In the sculpture especially there is a turning back to traditional wood carving and the sensibilities found therein and I think one of the most important things that has happened recently is the international Islamic resurgence. Because Malay is, the official religion of Malaysia is Islam there has been a resurgence of Islamic artists who are quite blatantly decided to reject what has been depicted in the early part of the monarch, modernism and post-modernism. They do not even want to look at it any more. You know it is all sort of European history so the rejection in some quarters o f .........considerations eurocentric............... of the avant garde, the radical attitudes of Islam have replaced it. This artist is also in the exhibition. Here is an example of the kind of works that have come out from the whole Islam sort of dialogue. There is a tendency to fuse Malay craft and also Islamic geometry. One would describe this as sort of sentimental, romantic but in the context of the global Islamic revivalism. I do not