BaratEast- A Curatorial Writing.

 Here, I am sharing my curatorial writing entitled 'BaratEast- Exploring Neo- Colonization'. This art exhibition was held on 8th September 2017 at Gallery Chandan.

BARATEAST- Exploring Neo- Colonization. 

Kwame Nkrumah explains that imperialism and colonization are no longer practiced as before but were subtly executed by influencing the mind, economic domination of developing and poor countries and the spread of culture through consumerism. The existence of a state of independence, however, ensures the colonial grip of the former colonies. In the local context, the economic downturn, the conflict of partisan political ideology, the issue of building a Malaysian identity among various religions and races, education and culture are among the problems that has a close relationship with the effects of neo-colonial power. From the global context, hardcore poverty in Africa and Asia, environmental destruction in most modern countries, war crimes in the Arab region, Palestinian-Israeli conflicts and immigration problems are the examples of neo-colonization. As stated by Lois Tyson in his book entitled Critical Theory Today, neo- colonialist exploits the cheap labour available in developing countries, often at the expense of those countries own struggling businesses, cultural traditions and ecological well- being. While the issues that occur in each country are different and should be contextually viewed, the influence of neo-colonial power through Universalism's approach to the west is undeniable.

Take the example of Malaya as a former colony that has inherited parliamentary democracy and capitalism since independence and Malaysia after a coalition with Sabah and Sarawak.  Government administration and ruling that depend on parliamentary democracy and the constitutional monarchy show some adaptation to local features, the process of screening and attempts to build within a diverse range of local cultures and religions. The coercion in the acceptance of democracy to gain independence indicates is not as perfect as what is commonly acclaimed by the western political world. The most obvious weakness of democracy may be seen in the partisan political system that leads to division. The divide and conquer system practiced by the former British colonists against the various races affected today’s society development and made it more difficult for national unity. “From the people, to the people" is but a fantasy as by being parallel with capitalism, democracy trapped with 'business' game in politics where money acts as a guide for political direction. The government policies in development, culture and education have been living in the paradoxical zone in the effort of building the country in its own form and taking the west as its model. As a nation that has just emerged from the long-range colonialism, it is certainly not easy to reject the 'imitation' of external models. However, among the things that need to be addressed is how democracy and capitalism has triggered the development of a materialistic society.

It is too simplistic to say that we only need to imitate good examples and leave the bad from the western world because basically they are always intertwined, without much power to choose because of the pressure from the higher powers of the external economy due to globalization.  In a world of power-oriented, the less powerful is always forced to accept all that is demanded by the powerful country. However, the question arises as to why this neo-colonization issue makes us hate and reject the west in general? Opposition to neo-colonization is not an opposition to the west as a whole. Opposition to neo-colonization is an opposition to physical and mental occupation, injustice, oppression and slavery. This opposition is no longer focused merely on the western hemisphere but also from the eastern hemisphere. It can be seen how the changes take place in today's world power competition where China has already competed as a political, economic and military power. This opposition is not in the mere context of politics, but anything that acts against humanity. This humanity goes beyond the line separating the west and east, even beyond the nationality boundary. For those who are influenced by Occidentalist assume every innate from the West is all to be opposed as it has caused destruction and tyranny. This is a reaction to the Orientalists who act as the cause of colonization and neo-colonization in which Orientalism considers that non-Western societies are uncivilized, full of violence and inferior, therefore it’s the “white men burden” responsibility to civilize them and to take control of the world. This perception was successfully cultivated through western media until the existence of Islamophobia and racism. There is a huge gap between the colonizer-colonized way of thinking which requires a healthy interaction in the assessment. Not all western origin was bad and untrue and not all that comes from the east is good and right.

BARATEAST exhibition- Exploring Neo-Colonization aims to explore the artists' awareness of the current situation of neo-colonization.  Although neo-colonization is synonyms with political issues, it is also interconnected with cultural identity and socio-economic issues. This exhibition does not specify a specific focus point to give artist the freedom to explore issues related to themes based on their interests, experiences and observations subsequently manifested through their respective visual languages. There are artists focusing on neo-colonization issues from both local and global contexts. Edroger Rosili raises the question of time and space with the history of Malaya colonization, seen from a contemporary world perspective while Louise Low expresses solidarity with victims of war crimes resulting from modern colonization. Nizar Sulaiman reacts to the heritage of the “divide and conquer” system and the colonial command which continues until today. Arikwibowo Amril wandered around the idea of nationality. The question of our concern for mind-occupation as one of the forms of neo-colonization was raised by Safar Zin. Lee Mok Yee took the approach of studying the existence of China as a new world imperialist power and its relationship to the Malaysian economy. Using the portrait of Monalisa as a metaphor, Khairudin Zainudin reflects his artistic practice with Western art disciplines. Asyraf Ramli's work is inspired by his observations of the capitalism system that has borne Malaysia as an industrial country and its impact on the widening of the economic gap between the rich and the poor. Geared towards personal-oriented, Khairul Azmir Shoib or Meme meets the theme by being honest in the affirmative influence of western film art in the practice of his art. Moving on with its traditional cultural identity, Cisse Tee invites the call for justice in confronting diversity.