Analysis of Five Artworks From 1950s-1980’s Through Postcolonial Theory Framework.

     1.   Introduction

      1.1  Malaysian Modern Art

“ If a broad review of critical and historical Malaysian writings were conducted, the inevitable discovery would be gathering of shards, fragments of writings confined principally to catalogues, articles and reviews and expressed in a vocabulary largely anecdotal and rooted in collection. And even within these, there is really little attempt at locating the making, production and staging Malaysian artworks in a critical and historical perspective.”

Lamentation by Eddin Khoo indicated that due to lack of art writing and art criticism in Malaysian Modern Art has caused the limitation of sources in attempt to understand the development of Malaysian Modern Art. To name a few of art historians that have provided their view on Modern Malaysian Art such as Dr. Muliyadi Mahamood, T. K Sabapathy, Krishnen Jit, the late Redza Piyadasa, Jolly Koh and contemporary art academician- Dr. Sarena Abdullah and Safrizal Shahir, there is a requirement for an alternative perspective in looking at Modern Malaysian Art to enrich the understanding of its development and epistemology.

            What, why and how the beginning of Malaysian Modern Art development basically been explained in historical perspective. However, the relation between Malaysian Modern Art and the effect of post-colonization is rarely discussed. I believe that it is important to fill the loop hole by looking at this relation because as a Third World country, there are inevitable impacts on Malaysia psychologically, politically, culturally, economically and socially. These impacts may have influence artists thought and their artmaking. Having said that, this study is an attempt to analyse five selected Malaysian Modern artworks from 1950’s until 1980’s by using Postcolonial Theory perspective. The artworks are ‘Bait’(1959) by Syed Ahmad Jamal, ‘Love Me In My Batik’ (1968), ‘Alif Ba Ta’ (1971) by Ahmad Khalid Yusuf, ‘Empty Bird Cage after release of bird at 2.45 pm on Monday 10th June 1974’, (1974) by Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa and ‘The Detribalisation Of Tam Bt Che Lat’(1983) by Ismail Zain.

           

      1.2  Postcolonial theory framework.

Postcolonial Theory is derived from Critical Theory. This theory is “..particularly effective at helping us to see connections among all the domains of our experience- the psychological, ideological, social, political, intellectual and aesthetic- in ways that show us just how inseparable these categories are in our lived experience of ourselves and our world. It seeks to understand the operations of colonialist and anti-colonialist ideologies.”- Lois Tyson.

“Eurocentrism, as a concept that behold the superiority of the European (colonizer) and the inferiority of the East (colonized), injected in the mind of colonized people. Thus, ex- colonials often were left with a psychological “inheritance” of the negative self-image and alienation from their own indigenous cultures, which had been forbidden or devalued for so long that much pre-colonial culture has been lost. Many of these individuals tried to imitate the colonizers, as much as possible, in dress, speech, behaviour, and lifestyle, a phenomenon postcolonial critics refer to as mimicry.”- Lois Tyson.

Postcolonial theorists often describe the colonial subject as having a double consciousness or double vision, in other words, a consciousness or a way of perceiving the world that is divided between two antagonistic cultures: that of colonizer and that of indigenous community. The feeling of being caught between cultures, of belonging to neither rather than both, of finding oneself arrested in psychological limbo that result not merely from some individual psychological disorder but from the trauma of the cultural displacement within which one lives, is referred by Homi Bhabba and others as unhomeliness. Being “unhomed” is not the same as being homeless. To be unhomed is to feel not at home even in your own house because you are not at home in yourself: your cultural identity crisis has made you a psychological refugee, so to speak.

Double consciousness and unhomeliness persist in de-colonized nations. So, among the tasks formerly colonized peoples is the rejection of colonialist ideology, which define them as inferior, and the reclamation of their pre-colonial past.

These concepts- mimicry, double consciousness, unhomeliness and the reclamation of self-identity are going to be used as a window in analysing the five selected Malaysian Modern artworks that produced in different year from the early independence of Malaysia as a nation state until 1980’s. The selection made is based on the similarity that relate all five artworks that understood by using Postcolonial perspective. Hopefully, this analysis will contribute in the sake of epistemology that will enrich the understanding of Malaysian Modern Art development. As stated by Arnold Hauser in Sociology of Art,

“The work of art has been compared to the opening of a window upon the world. Now, a window can claim the whole of our attention or none. One may, it is said, contemplate the view without concerning oneself in the very least with the quality, structure, or colour of the window pane. By this analogy, the work of art can be described as a mere vehicle for experiences, a transparent window pane, or a sort of eyeglasses not noticed by the wearer and employed simply as means to an end. But just as one can concentrate one’s attention upon the window pane and the structure of its glass without taking note of the view beyond, so it is said, one can treat the work of art as an independent, “opaque” formal structure, complete in itself and in isolation, as it were, from anything external to it. No doubt one can stare at the window pane as long as one likes: still, a window is made to look out of.”

   2.      ‘Bait’ (1959) Syed Ahmad Jamal.

 

 

‘Bait’

Syed Ahmad Jamal

1959

Oil on Board

        Calligraphic element can be seen from this abstract Expressionistic mode of painting. Apparently the colourful oil painted brushstrokes fill most of the board surface. Syed Ahmad Jamal was known as the ‘Father of Malaysian Abstract Expressionist Painter’ and became an important figure in Malaysian Art world ever since the early Independence Era. A graduate from Chelsea School of Art in London, Syed Ahmad Jamal brought back the influence of Abstract Expressionist to his homeland and produced numerous painting.

            “Abstract Expressionist was originated in Euromerica. Willem De Kooning, Paul Klee, Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko were among the prolific Abstract Expressionist painters. Most of the artists associated with Abstract Expressionism matured in the 1930s. They were influenced by the era's leftist politics, and came to value an art grounded in personal experience.”- Museum Of Modern Art.  Few would maintain their earlier radical political views, but many continued to adopt the posture of outspoken avant-gardists protesting from the margins. Having matured as artists at a time when America suffered economically and felt culturally isolated and provincial, the Abstract Expressionists were later welcomed as the first authentically American avant-garde. Their art was championed for being emphatically American in spirit - monumental in scale, romantic in mood, and expressive of a rugged individual freedom. Political instability in Europe in the 1930s brought several leading Surrealists to New York, and many of the Abstract Expressionists were profoundly influenced by the style and by its focus on the unconscious. It encouraged their interest in myth and archetypal symbols and it shaped their understanding of painting itself as a struggle between self-expression and the chaos of the unconscious.

            Referring to the brief events occurred in Europe and America, unlikely in Malaya in 1950’s, none of the events similar as Euromerica has happened. Malaya fought for independent from the British colonization and there was no relation with political ideology instead of the claim of Abstract Expressionist as a mark of independence. Syed Ahmad Jamal also remarked in his essay ‘Seni Lukis Malaysia 25 Tahun’ about his particular painting entitled ‘Umpan’:

“..catan alegori ini yang dilukis di England dengan sapuan berus yang tegas adalah sambungan dari bentuk Arab dengan aplikasi satah ruang.”

There is no relation between Arabic words or Jawi with Abstract Expressionism. Abstract Expressionism that was originated in the West had nothing to do with regional nor spiritual elements. 

  “In Malaysia, Abstract Expressionist is applied loosely to describe the kind of work that moves towards abstraction or non-representational art. The forms and colours employed are used to communicate or arousing spiritual state or about certain issues or themes and subject matters experienced by the artists. The themes and subject matter from the crux of this localization.”- Sarena Abdullah.

What can be seen here is an attempt to localization the painting and also the attachment of identity, in this context- a Malay Muslim identity. Having said that, abstract Expressionism in Syed Ahmad Jamal’s painting was merely a conflict in its approach. The conflict, I believe could be seen as mimicry and double consciousness. It’s the style of Abstract Expressionist that was admired (mimicry) by the late Syed Ahmad Jamal as he was only influenced by the style while studying art in London. He did not believe in the philosophical aspect of Abstract Expressionism.

“Many of the artists working on the abstract mode have never given a thought to the roots of the movement, to the writings of Hans Hoffman and Clement Greenberg. They have absorbed the technique without an understanding of the philosophy that underpines it all.”- Wong Hoy Cheong.

The struggle in Syed Ahmad Jamal approach to his painting can be traced by analysing the two different elements in his oil on board artwork. It’s the struggle of identity (double consciousness) between the Western and his own Malay Muslim identity. He admired the superiority of the Modern Art in the west but at the same time he was trying to uphold the locality of Malaya which based on his Malay Muslim identity.

    3.      ‘Love Me in My Batik’, (1963), Joseph Tan

 

 

‘Love Me in My Batik’

Joseph Tan

1968

Mixed Media

“Batek is on the move groove with a splash of colour and a dash of patriotism.”

The headline on The Sunday Mail 1968 was ‘stolen’ by Joseph Tan and signified by his own intention and juxtaposed with the image of Venus, one of the goddess in Roman myth which symbolised encompassed love, beauty, desire, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory. The depiction of Venus wearing Batik, a Malaysian traditional clothes in such a seductive manner is contrast in term of norms, values and the philosophy of Batik itself yet commanded to “love me in my Batik”. By reading all these connected images, it seems that Joseph Tan did not interpret Batik in its philosophical context but rather in political and social context. During 1960’s, Batik began to be wore as a symbol of unity among Malay, Chinese, Indian and other races ordered by Malaysian government and it was highly promoted as a sign of patriotism. Assimilation among other races into Malay race and culture (as Malay was the majority citizen in Malaysia) believed could enhance a better development of a nation state. Even in Malaysian art scene, Batik was used as an approach by several fine artists as a symbol of Malaysian-ness. Chuah Tean Teng, Tay Mo Leong and Khalil Ibrahim were among the pioneer artists that approached Batik in a modern way. Joseph Tan, in the other hand, question this paradigm.

 As remarked by Benedict Anderson in his book ‘Imagined Community’, the idea of nation state is about locating and grouping together diverse cultures. However, the conflict in attaining culture assimilation between races in Malaysia was disturbed by the West culture intervention as Malaysia was colonized by British government for quite a long period. The British cultural intervention had been adopted by Malaysian citizen (especially Peninsular Malaysia) in politics such as democracy and capitalism in its economy. In developing a nation state (which is also based on the invention by the West), a singular identity is required. One national identity, one vision and one mission in moving towards an independent country however is not an easy task for Malaysia as it consist diverse races and cultures.

It was also a dilemma to lean on the majority traditional culture of the past (Malay) as the other races also cannot neglect their own. So, Malaysian was caught between the West culture and their own diverse indigenous culture. As well as in art, how modern approach was tried to be wrapped with the local images only hover around external presentation. Personally, I’m a little bit sceptical on ‘unity in uniformity’ but I tend to put my believe on ‘unity in diversity’. Hence, this searching for a national identity can be viewed as an ongoing process. It was a stage of ‘unhomeliness’, searching for an identity in art.

       4.      ‘Alif Ba Ta’ (1971), Ahmad Khalid Yusof.

 

 

‘Alif Ba Ta’

1971

Ahmad Khalid Yusof

Silk Screen

“The architechtonic, taut, square framing of Ahmad Khalid’s work reinforces the resoluteness of his canvas’s appearance and format. The flatness of colour and the controlled handling of tonalities create tension on the surface structure. Such a strategy reflects an approach towards art-making which takes from both Islamic and contemporary aesthetic concepts. The structured pictorial surface yields gentle rhythms, reminding viewers of the doctrine, discipline, civility, brilliance and legacy of Islamic culture.”- Syed Ahmad Jamal.

Syed Ahmad Jamal’s description on Ahmad Khalid’s ‘Alif Ba Ta’ in his writing ‘Islamic Art’ indicated that the silk screen artwork is based on the Islamic point of view. The jawi, flatness surface, discipline in making were among the characteristic of Islamic Art, formally. What can be considered as something ‘new’ during that time is the way Ahmad Khalid approached this particular artwork by using modern technique (silk screen) instead of traditional technique such as calligraphy ink on paper.

Jawi could be percept as a symbol of Malay Muslim identity. It was used in a way to communicate through newspaper, as a medium in teaching and learning at Malay schools and ‘madrasah’ (Islamic teaching school) and can be seen on grocery packaging at grocery shops. Tracing back to the history of the spreading of Islam in Malay Sultanate era, Jawi was borrowed from the alphabet in Holy Book Al-Quran, a main reference for Muslims. As a Muslim majority country, Malaysia regards Islam as the religion of Federation:

“The Federal Constitution of Malaysia states that Islam is the religion of the Federation. This provision in Article 3 (1), inserted in 1957 when the constitution was framed. Malaysia guarantees freedom of religion and Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Sikhism, and indigenous religions are all practices freely although there are many ways in which Islam is privileged and there is some discrimination practiced.” Joseph M. Fernando.

However, Jawi eventually became less used by Malay Muslim in their everyday life. This transition occurred because of the implementation of Western education and administration during British colonization.

The manifestation of Islamic view by Ahmad Khalid through his work could be assumed as the remembrance or reflection of himself as a Malay Muslim. This remembrance might be caused by psychological consequences of the Western ideology and identity that spreading in Malaysia during his time.

This caught feeling between the Western and Malay Muslim triggered an awareness to reclaim indigenous self- identity.  However, the difficulty to deny the influence of Modern (Western) in his art indicate the intertwine of both Malay Muslim art and Modern Art in Malaysia is inevitable as a consequences of British colonization created an alienation to the indigenous art.

     5.      “Empty Bird Cage after release of bird at 2.45 pm on Monday 10th June 1974,”                    

Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa.

 

“Empty Bird Cage after release of bird at 2.45 pm on Monday 10th June 1974.”

Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa.

1974.

“WE ARE HOWEVER ATTEMPTING TO WORK OUTSIDE THE WESTERN CENTRIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS FORM. WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO SOW THE SEEDS FOR A THINKING PROCESS WHICH MIGHT SOMEDAY LIBERATE MALAYSIAN ARTISTS FROM THEIR DEPENDENCE ON WESTERN INFLUENCES.”- Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa.

            Above is among the statement made by Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa from their exhibition catalogue ‘Mystical Reality’. One of their exhibited work was entitled “Empty Bird Cage after release of bird at 2.45 pm on Monday 10th June 1974.” This phenomenal and controversial art exhibition derived from their reflection  that Malaysian artists mostly influenced solely by the Western centric approach, which is based only on empirical and external observation. Both Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa believed that Malaysian artists must have their own stance in their artmaking. They insisted artist to look back at the Asian tradition such as Zen and Daoism as these traditions intrinsic the value of internal experience. As they said that their works should not be look at, but look through, by means it was not the art object that matter, but the meaning consist behind the object.

The empty bird cage was an everyday object, taken and put inside the gallery and be made as an artwork. The artwork denied the notion of talent and artist handmade elements instead of it proposed an intellectual paradigm which referred to idea. However, this approach was not new in term of art internationally. The proposition made by both artists could be understood as derived from the influence of Postmodern Art in Europe. Looking at Marcel Duchamp’s porcelain urinal which was signed ‘R. Mutt’ in 1917 entitled ‘Fountain’, this readymade object opposed the modern tradition in art. This iconic artwork later was considered as one of the entry point for the born of Conceptual Art. The other iconic Conceptual artists were Joseph Kosuth, Lawrence Weiner, Donald Judd and Sol Le Witt.

Hence, the propose made by both Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa was influenced by the Postmodern approach not from the Asian tradition. Because there were some criticism by Salleh Bin Joned and Siti Zainon about the exhibition manifesto, saying that the artworks that brought to the exhibition were not even in Asian tradition. Salleh Bin Joned in his letter to Redza Piyadasa stated;

 “There are a number of things in your manifesto which are relevant to our situation, though I can’t really say there is anything in it which is truly new. I support in particular your appeal to our artists and writers that they should be more aware of the rich cultural and philosophical traditions of Asia and their relevance to the perennial needs of man. (It is ironical that this Asia-centric business was got going by Westerners; and there is a danger that it will become a mere fad, if it hasn’t already become one, as it has in the West.)”

From Postcolonial theory perspective, the struggle in Non- European artists (in this context Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa) in searching for identity was based on the East vs West ideological. They tried to go against the Modern (West) approach and find the root in Asian tradition (East) but nevertheless circling around the Western centric. Even their works were influenced by Postmodern which react to Modern understanding, in the local context (Malaysia) is not as similar as how the European Postmodern (France, Germany) react. The factors that cause the reactions should be taken into account. Having said that, Redza Piyadasa and Sulaiman Esa’s works could be understood as a reaction of indigenous artists to the colonizer ideology which have rooted in Malaysia. Claiming back identity after a long colonization is not an easy task after a long period of colonization. Even European and America have become the ruler of the world as agents in the rise of capitalism and popular culture in Malaysia during 1970’s have made it difficult for Malaysian in search of identity. The problem of racial identity in developing a nation is yet to be cleared. Yet, the question of identity remained unanswered.   

           

           

       6.      The Detribalization Of Tam Bt Che Lat (1983), Ismail Zain.

The Detribalization Of Tam Bt Che Lat

 1983

Ismail Zain

Acrylic on canvas

There are four separated planes can be viewed on The Detribalization of Tam Bt Che Lat (DOT). Each panel creates a narrative by using a house interior with figurative images. The work juxtaposes an image of old Malay woman from the kampung in the foreground against the images of modern, urbanised, middle-class home environment from the grill gate to rattan chair, a sensual belly dancer, a tennis player, interior plants and flowers, to weekend readings of Mingguan Malaysia on a rattan rocking chair. It can be suggested that the work implies that old Malay woman and the older generation more generally are out of place in the new Malaysian reality characterized by the urbanized middle-class privacy.

The late Ismail Zain approach towards his works was ambivalence including DOT. As his interest in reading Marshall McLuhan, Claude Levi-Strauss, Roland Barthes and John Berger, Ismail develop his thoughts mostly on Semiotic, Socio- Cultural and Anthropology. His approach towards DOT was a critical reflection about socio-cultural on his time, where there was a rapid development that created gap between the older and new generation, between kampung and urbanised city, between traditional and modern and the rise of popular culture and mass communication.

Rapid development after New Economy Policy (NEP) 1971 right after Racial Riot 1969 has caused a rapid change in lifestyle of Malaysian citizens. Many advantage policy for the Malay and Bumiputera were given such as education, bank loan, property and job opportunity to overcome the problem of poverty among them. Industrialization became a main mission in government agenda and many young generation move to urban area looking for job opportunity. Television became a new entertainment media with the shows from the Western country and it acted as cultural agent for the West. Open market policy that generated the rise of capitalism triggered businesses in the city.

This transition somehow need a price to pay for. It is the loss of tradition culture, from Wayang Kulit to television, from Gasing ground to tennis court, from Tarian Inang to sensual belly dancer and from Baju Melayu to collar shirt and slack pant witness the change in the Malay culture. Nevertheless, sentimental value was not the element that need to be considered as a main point. As stated by Ismail Zain himself, he always avoided sentimental value in his work rather he looked at culture as changing over times, likewise technology. Knowledge is the core element that need to be look into and this will transform the culture that suits the decade.

The stance taken by Ismail Zain in DOT was differ to any other artists that relate culture only by the external presentation and emphasized on its sentimental value. The search for an identity was not be merely act by looking at the past but to look for the present and future which need to be relied on knowledge.  

             7.      Conclusion

It can be concluded that based on the analysis on five selected artworks from different artists from 1950’s- 1980’s, that the identity and socio cultural issue were the theme that can be traced in understanding these artworks through the lenses of Postcolonial Theory. After a long period of colonization, there was a search for a Malaysian art identity. There was a struggle to escape from the western centric ideological and the awareness to restore the indigenous identity. On the other side, there was a conflict in attaining multi-racial traditional identity as one nation, while struggling in a rapid development and modern influence in art making. This situation went back and forth and the events that occurred in Malaysia culturally and politically was experienced by artists and reflected through their works.

  From the early years of Independence, the question and polemic of identity arise, searching for an establish identity to explain the difference from the indigenous art and Western art while at the same time it seems like a dilemma or in progress situation as there were sense of mimicry in artist’s artmaking. As Malaysia progress to develop a nation state, there were several events that influenced the way artists thought and work such as the Racial Riot 1969, New Economy Policy 1971 and National Cultural Policy 1972.

      8.      Bibliography

Re-Visions: New Perspectives of Art Criticism, Howard Smagula, 1991, Prentice Hall.

Critical Theory Today, Lois Tyson, 1999, Garland Publishing Inc.

Active Sights- Art as Social Interaction, Timothy Van Laar & Leonard Diepeveen, 1997, McGraw-Hills Humanities.

Postcolonial Theory- A Critical Introduction, Leela Gandhi, 1998, Allen & Unwin.

Seni Lukis Malaysia- 25 Tahun, Syed Ahmad Jamal, 1982, Balai Seni Lukis Negara.

Kemalaysiaan Seni Lukis Malaysia- Soal Identiti, Zakaria Ali, 1991, Balai Seni Lukis Negara.

Postmodernism In Malaysian Art, Phd Thesis, Sarena Abdullah, 2010.

Love me in My Batik, Yee I-Lann, Imagining Identities, Narratives in Malaysian Art Vol.1, 2012, Rogue Art.

Mystical Reality, Exhibition Catalogue, Sulaiman Esa & Redza Piyadasa, 1974, Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka.

Islamic Art, Syed Ahmad Jamal, Imagining Identities, Narratives in Malaysian Art Vol. 1, 2012, Rogue Art.