Visit to Pakharuddin Sulaiman's gallery

When a whole motley crew of artists and collectors get together, it is usually at an exhibition opening, and it is usually a kind of an awkward affair -- you're there for the sake of the art gallery owner or the artist whose works are being displayed...well, not all the time lah...Other than these two people, you hardly know anybody else there, and pretend to look very interested in the paintings to escape from having to make small talk.

In November last year, such a gathering came together. But it wasn't at any of those commercial art galleries, and it wasn't for any exhibition opening. It was at Pakharuddin and Fatimah's gallery of their collected art works somewhere in Ampang. It wasn't the least bit awkward, thanks to Pakha's unique personality to bring all sorts of people into the conversation.

It felt, rather, like a much-anticipated tour -- the ones my school always arranged for its students to go on some educational field trip -- headed by Pakha himself! The "students" in this case included artists, friends and collectors. Among them were Tengku Sabri, Raja Shahriman, and U-Wei.

Pakha's gallery was really impressive, filled with paintings and sculptures. He knew every piece in his collection, the story behind each work and the reason for collecting them. Another part of his collection that was mind-boggling was his books -- lined up neatly against the walls. Another voracious reader, Tengku Sabri, was similarly impressed with his books, too!

After the gallery tour, Pakha and his wife took us to lunch -- the first choice, to eat assam pedas, had to be cancelled because the restaurant was closed. We finally went to an Indonesian restaurant where we all gathered around a long table like a big artist family gathering!

Pakha, as always, was very lively and had an interesting opinion, or unique perspective, on everything...entertaining us with all the latest news in the art circle...and the gossips! Tak kering gusi langsung to be in his company!

(The last two photos of me are with Raja Shahriman the sculptor whose works were at the time being displayed in a solo at Petronas Gallery, and with one of Pakha's collection which was my favourite, a work by Amron Omar)

Doa Selamat at the Art Room

On 14 January, we had a little doa selamat kenduri for the new studio/gallery. There were about 20 guests, mostly friends, family and neighbours.

I had the help of my friend, Awie, to clean the place up, cook and basically make the entire place more welcoming for the occasion.

The menu was simple food -- mee hoon goreng, roast chicken, roti jala and beef curry, salad and pudding for dessert. I must thank my mother-in-law and sister-in-law for bringing some of the food.

And to those who came to give their blessings, many thanks to you. I hope that this new place will be the beginning of many more inspirations, productive work and gatherings.

More pics, from top to bottom: what's left of the food; the "ustaz section" in deep discussion; the "artist section" headed by Tengku Sabri and Hanafiah; the "family section"; and Chef Awie carving the roast chicken; at the end of the night, my wife and me.

Comment moderation

Recently, I've been getting so much comment spam that I've decided to activate the comment moderation on blogger. Hope that this will help to reduce spam, but not genuine comments from you!

Please keep on reading (I promise to update real soon!) and sharing your thoughts with me.

In the meantime, have a nice work week!

Lautan 3 online gallery

Just to share with you a link to the Lautan 3 online exhibition which was created by Art Village gallery. In it, you will be able to view from the comfort of your home or office the paintings by myself, Suhaimi and Tuan Azhar that were exhibited recently.

The exhibition is over...thank you to everyone who gave their support -- Art Village gallery, especially Kenny and Gary; Mr. Hee, my picture framer and logistics manager; Bingley Sim, who introduced me to many of his friends; the collectors who made time in their busy schedule to view the artworks; my family and friends who gave their support, encouragement and motivation; and not forgetting the media for featuring us on TV, radio and the newspapers (I've updated the section "Zainal in the news" on the right with the latest links to our media interviews).

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

If you would like to see more of my works, please, you are welcomed to visit my studio gallery...just give me a call before-hand so I can spruce up the place and give you directions to come over.

Launch of Lautan Tiga exhibition at Art Village, Bangsar South

Zainal presents a painting to Bingley for officiating the Lautan 3 exhibition.

Looking on are Suhaimi and Tuan Azhar

Yesterday, Bingley Sim, personal friend and art lover and art collector, officiated the Lautan 3 3-man show at Art Village Bangsar South.

In his speech, he said he was "a small-time art collector," but I beg to differ. His enthusiasm for Malaysian art has made a huge impact in the lives of many Malaysian artists, myself included.

His wife, Fatima, their children, Bella, Iza and Imen (please correct my spelling!), and Bingley himself are avid fans of art. Their support and encouragement has helped many artists to move forward in developing their works and careers in art.

Thank you, Bingley, for giving us your precious time to officiate the Lautan 3 exhibition. And thank you to everyone for sharing your Saturday with us and to enjoy the paintings we have ourselves enjoyed producing!

I also want to record my appreciation to Kenny Teng of Art Village for giving us this opportunity to showcase our works at his premises.

For pictures, go to our Facebook page.

Lautan Tiga Exhibition

(please click for larger image)

Dear friends,

I'm happy to announce my upcoming exhibition "Lautan Tiga" at Art Village, opening on 21 November, 4pm (and continues till 13 Dec). I'd like to personally invite you to the launch and share my latest works with you.

The exhibition is personally something that I've wanted to do with two of my close friends, Suhaimi (Mie Pak Lah in this blog) and Tuan Azhar, my buddies from ITM "those days." I'm glad for this opportunity to exhibit with them finally!

Moreover, the exhibition will be launched by Mr. Bingley, who has been a great supporter of the Malaysian art industry, and who has encouraged me in the development of my work.

I'm also thankful to Mr. Kenny from Art Village for giving us the opportunity and space to exhibit at his chic new gallery in the esteemed neighbourhood of Bangsar South. (View map)

As to why we've named the show "Lautan Tiga," well, you will just have to be there at the show to find out!

Please come by and say "hi" to me...I look forward to seeing my old friends and new acquaintainces there!

Lastly, please spread the word. For Facebook promo, click here.

Work in progress

Funny how the year 2009 started out quite bleakly with the world economic recession hanging over our heads and art business everywhere suffering a slow period. And now, here I am in the last quarter of the year running on 5th gear!

The most recent news is that I've managed to secure the house next door to be turned into my studio/gallery. Right now, I'm busy supervising the contractors to do up the place a bit, i.e. turning the garage into my work area, minor spruce-up works inside so that it will be a presentable art gallery, making my work-bench, etc.

Over the next few weeks/months, I will be installing the lights, getting the curtains, designing and making the storage equipment, and making my own simple furniture and minor storage accessories.

At the same time, I'm juggling my time to finish up some works for my up-coming exhibition in Bangsar which will hopefully happen in November.

And as the maiden exhibition at my studio, which I've simply called "The Art Room," I'm planning a show with some friends of the Penang drawings we made during the marathon. Hopefully that will be ready before the year-end.

It's quite a headache, but I don't mind this little pain knowing that there is an outcome to look forward to.

And so, who says an artist's life is one of leisurely pursuits? Sigh...

The 1st Malaysian International Drawing Marathon 2009

(At Suhaimi's house before we left for Penang)

(My drawing) (Suhaimi's drawing)

(Tengku Sabri's drawing)

(Tengku Sabri preparing to draw)

(Professor Fauzan Umar standing in as model)

(One of the participants of the marathon)

(Deep in discussion)

(Suhaimi and Lennon)

(The Cathay Hotel on Leith Street)

(Plumber on the move)

I am proud to say that I took part in the 1st Malaysian International Drawing Marathon 2009, the inaugural programme hosted by the School of Arts, Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang from 5 to 7 October 2009.

It was partly a male-bonding session with my friends and I who drove up together in my trusted station wagon. There was me, Lennon, Tengku Sabri and Mie Pak Lah, all excited, partly because of the drawing marathon, to meet my lecturers and artist friends, my art collector, and also because we wanted to make it a "food marathon," too!

It was literally a drawing marathon where some 20-plus artists stayed up the entire duration for 72 hours to draw. Drawing is one of the first things they teach you in art school, and it forms the foundation of your artistic strength in later years. It is so basic that many art students today disregard its importance.

For me, the drawing marathon was a welcome break from my paintings. Besides the invigorating exercises that pushed me to explore my drawing skills, it also rejuvenated my spirit in making art.

Being at the University, meeting Professor Fauzan Umar who first taught me drawing at ITM all those years ago, being in the company of other artists furiously sketching away -- these all combined to create an atmosphere filled with creative energy. Being there was truly an inspiring experience and sparked my ideas and motivation to create and explore the possibilities in my work.

It was a shame that the outdoors of Penang was not utilised much. Instead, the drawing sessions were held indoors (with the exception of the first day when we had a scheduled outdoor sketching session), with settings that immediately brought back memories of art classes from my college days!

I look forward to a yearly installment of this marathon, and hope that next time the organiser will encourage participants to freely explore Penang. After all, the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and every street, every corner that you turn, you can feel the vibration and the energy from years of accumulated history, heritage and trade. Now that would make for some interesting output!

And as a little something new (because I always believe in lifelong learning and progress), I compiled the photos above in a little video. Enjoy it!

For the love of art (The Edge, 3 August 2009)

This article appeared in The Edge (Options) 3 August 2009.

Cultural Index: For the love of art

Full Circle

This article appeared in Accountants Today (August 2009), written by Anis Rozaimah Ramli. Please double click on each image to read the story.

Never a dull moment around here

(Raya at Pakharuddin's place)

I feel very bad for neglecting this space for so many months, but truthfully, with so many things going on in my life recently, and the puasa and raya festivities, I find that I hardly have time to update this blog.

My wife has been on a long leave from her job and we have been spending a lot of time at home together with Musa. It is nice to see her spend her time leisurely with me, instead of rushing off for work at the break of dawn and only to see her late at night.

My kids have also returned from their school in Jakarta for their annual holidays, and they, too, have kept me preoccupied. We recently went on a holiday together to Langkawi, all nine of us, and it was a very memorable trip for all.

Despite the demands on my time, I have also been working non-stop the past few months to produce works and to paint based on my trips this year.

In fact, there is an upcoming exhibition I am preparing for -- a three-man show with my good friends and artist comrades, Suhaimi Abdul Wahab (Mie Pak Lah) and Tuan Azhar. It's called Tiga Lautan and will be organised by Art Village in mid November. At least, that's the plan...one that I look forward to very much. It's meaningful to me because Mie and Tuan share the same feelings that I have on art and on the whole matter of "why we paint" and hopefully, the exhibition will materialise to enable us to share our feelings with others.

Finally, I'm taking part in an international drawing marathon organised by Universiti Sains Malaysia's art faculty. I'm also excited about this one because I've managed to rally up the interest of fellow artist friends to take part in this event with me up in Penang. As I understand it, the event will bring in artists from all over the country, and the world, for a gathering to do drawings with fellow artists. It starts this Monday, and Lennon, Tengku Sabri, Mie Pak Lah and myself are driving up for it.

My time is fully occupied these past few months and the next, for sure...I will be in 5th gear, moving things along...there are many things I want to record in this blog, but they can wait for the mean time.

And oh, almost forgot...God willing, I will be occupying the house next door very soon, and make it into my studio and gallery. My wife will be happy to have my paintings, easels, canvas and brushes and paints (which are now lying haphazardly on the floor of our current abode) out of the way, for sure...

Rolex and art

(Above: Waterlilies at Janda Baik, Acrylic, 2006)

When I was a kid in school, I remember we always had to write an essay or karangan about our hobbies. Mine, of course, was painting. Friends would write about collecting stamps, catching fish, playing marbles, etc.

These days, I think our kids' hobbies are very different from my generation's. Theirs are probably more advanced and high-tech due to the new invention of things!

Recently, I got to know a new art collector based in the north. Besides collecting paintings, he is also an avid collector of rare and vintage watches, and specifically Rolexes! From his website, I learned about the history of this fine brand of watch and why even to this day, a Rolex is an esteemed timepiece that people are willing to pay thousands for as an investment or a much envied accessory.

Of course, many want to own a Rolex simply for the name and prestige that it commands today. But, for those like this Penang collector, his love for the Rolex is not only about the brand, but about the passion, fine workmanship and the commitment that goes into each vintage piece.

I hope this means that he collects my paintings, such as the one above, for the same reasons! Hehe...

Janda Baik sunset

Last week, we went to install a few paintings at Kevin and Dwina's house. Their main "feature" wall was red in colour, something that was of concern to the couple when they were looking for a painting.

But when we hung "The Janda Baik Sunset" against it, the red wall framed it quite nicely.

This particular piece was my wife's favourite because we both have a certain fondness for Janda Baik. It's one of those places that we used to frequent on the weekends for a quick getaway. My in-laws have a nice little apartment at Bukit Tinggi, and we have friends who live there, too, operating a little chalet business.

It's amazing that in just about an hour from the congestion of KL, we can already be amidst nature. Being partly in the highlands, Janda Baik is very cooling in the daytime, and extremely cold at night!

Like everywhere else, development is encroaching upon this tiny village, but there are still some very nice places there, with the rivers and streams, the thick jungle, the hills and valleys and wildlife there.

My wife wrote a poem about the place once, and I'd like to post it here...but will have to search for it first. She wrote about being at peace, the solitude there, the colours of nature -- a magenta-coloured dragonly -- and about doing absolutely nothing!

UPDATE: The poem by my wife:

The dream of pink dragonflies

We sat there by the pond

counting dragonflies

that flitted here to there

on paper-thin wings

of red, magenta-pink,

blue and gold.

I had never seen pink

ones before, I said,

Only dreamt them up

in my dreams.

But sitting there

by the water's edge

with tadpoles

swimming at my feet

and you lounging at my side,

it came to me,

-- a quiet smile --

my dreams had just

come true.

Readings

Our house is littered with books everywhere...in the living room, under the table, by the bedside table, and of course, in our throne room!

Even from a very young age, my son has shown a love for books. He is currently into Malay rhymes like "Aci, Aci buka pintu," "Can mali can," and "Suriram." The blue book (pic above, top left), "That's Not My Robot" is a particular favourite at the moment.

My wife buys books for all of us. Her recent book presents to me include The Artist Revealed (pic above) which she got during the Malaysian book fest at PWTC a few months ago. It features a short story about major artists through the years as well as their self-portraits. I think she is enjoying reading about them because unlike other art books, this one features the artists on a personal level and talks less about their works. She particularly loves reading about the female impressionists such as Berthe Morisot and the wealthy American artist, Mary Cassatt, who were both supportive of and influential to the artistic development of their Impressionist male counterparts.

Also, I think she is secretly smitten by the outwardly-gruff Edouard Manet!

The book isn't of great photo quality but it gives a glimpse of how all the artists were friends with or related to each other, and how they supported each other.

She also borrowed a book for me from her office library written by Ilse Noor, which features beautiful prints of Malaysia as well as some poetic writings of her travels around Malaysia. The book was commissioned by Shell.

So, these are some of the books we are reading now...although most times, we do tandem reading of several books at once!

Weekend visitors

It was quite a busy weekend for me and my wife. On top of that, our maid wasn't feeling very well, and our son was extra active! But, it was a great weekend with friends, art and food!














First of all, I had invited my friend, Awie (pic above), to visit my studio and help me manage it this weekend. Musa simply adores him! The picture above makes him look very fierce, but personally, Awie is a gentle and soft-spoken person and a good friend. That's us having breakfast in my garden.

On Friday night, Azma brought her friends (pic above) over to view some of the paintings. One of them wanted to buy a painting for her future husband who is very much into art. She says that he picks up a piece of painting wherever he travels. It would be her maiden purchase. I think it's nice of her to surprise her man with something he likes! I hope that whatever painting she chooses, he will appreciate not just the artwork but also her gesture!

Azma's other friend was quite well-versed in art and has visited many of the famous art museums to view the original artworks. How I envy her! The above picture is of us having dinner -- roast chicken and potatoes.

On Sunday afternoon, we had invited Bingley and his brother (pic above, Kevin and wife, Devina) along with their wives over. Bingley's brother, Kevin, had expressed his interest in art, too, previously and finally managed to clear some time to visit my studio on Sunday.

He chose two paintings that were different from each other -- one was a soothing sunset landscape of the beach, the other was a vivid piece of the Janda Baik sunset.

I like these two pictures of Bingley and Musa below. Bingley was looking at some of my sketches done in the East Coast, and Musa was very interested to take a peek at them also!














It was very encouraging for me to know that the interest in art is spreading among more Malaysians...I feel very happy about this and it renews my semangat to continue with my paintings and to stick to this path!

To Azma, Bingley, Fatimah and friends, thank you for spreading the word.

The East Coast Chronicles: Cherating

Cherating was another disappointing stopover. I remember Cherating fondly from many years back as a small kampung that was considered a must-stop among backpackers and foreign travelers.

Swaying coconut trees,
small wooden huts and chalets,
walking barefoot along the small lane,
the sandy beach across with the pounding waves and
blue, blue sky that stretches forever.
RM20 chalets a night.
Homely hospitality.
De'moon chalet up on a little hill.
Nightwalks by the beach.
Staying up to count the stars.
These are the Cherating I recall in my mind.

That day I arrived in Cherating, I thought that I might have made a wrong turn into a different town, yes, town! Like almost everywhere else in Malaysia, the place has been over-developed with tall buildings, cement structures, etc. There are brick walls instead of wooden ones, there are astro dishes everywhere, karaoke blaring away, air-con boxes jutting out of walls and making that awful hum to break the day.

I guess the community there was not able to maintain the uniqueness of Cherating that made it so appealing in those days. Maybe the Cherating today is run by the new generation, I don't know.

It just seems stuck in between. Not really traditional, and not really modern. Confused, more like!

The East Coast Chronicles: Kemaman

I used to go to the East Coast a lot during my days in advertising. Some of our best clients were in Kuantan, Cherating and Kemaman.

In Kemaman, things sure have changed since. Small towns got bigger. Narrow roads got wider. Roadside stalls got demolished. The fishing village is vanishing, the makciks that used to sell keropok lekor are now fewer in numbers.

There was a small roadside stall in those days along Pantai Geliga, run by all the females of a family. They sold the best satar I've ever tasted.

Satar is mainly made up of fish, coconut, shallots, chillies and ginger, mixed to a paste and wrapped in coconut leaf, then grilled over low fire. The best ones are the savoury ones (so many people make it too sweet), and this particular stall at Pantai Geliga is rather famous, even in those days. Apparently they were among the first ones to sell satar. Today, they are even listed in the Tourism Terengganu website!

When I went there recently, it just wasn't the same anymore. It used to be a place where you could hang out with good food, pleasant company and scenic views. Now, the beach road is no longer there, replaced by a big and busy road. The patrons of the stall are mostly locals from around the area, and the overall ambience just isn't as friendly and laid-back as in the old days.

The place was jam-packed with people, and we couldn't get a table. In the end, we just ordered some to take-away. Despite the unwelcoming changes, one thing still remained the same...the satar was still damn good!

The East Coast Chronicles: Kuantan

Our first stop on this journey was Kuantan partly because Mie Pak Lah had a job to complete there -- an artist's impression of an old building in Kuantan that was scheduled for restoration.

We also had a contact there by way of Atord and his English wife, owners of Kuantan's most happening restaurant, Crocodile Rock. The restaurant is a converted bungalow near Teluk Cempedak, serving up really good food like pizzas, pastas, etc. From the looks of it, the place is pretty popular. No matter how packed the place was, Atord always welcomed us with food, drinks...and even accommodation! Yes, we put up our nights in Kuantan at his office. To Atord and wife, we thank you so much for your hospitality.

On the second night in Kuantan, we were introduced by Atord's wife to the Tengku Puan of Pahang. It was quite an honour for us to meet her, especially when we learned that she paints, too! I even managed to ask her to draw something in my sketch book!

Overall, Kuantan, I think, is well-placed as the gateway to the East Coast, especially now that the East Coast Expressway has opened, linking Kuantan to Kuala Lumpur within a couple of hours. However, this only leads to a disturbing juxtaposition of old and new in this capital city of Pahang.

On one side, you see the busy, thriving city and its young people chasing after their modern lifetstyle. On another, you see the older generation toiling away on their fishing boats at the nearby rivermouth, doing what they've traditionally done for years before.

On this journey, Mie and I sought out the old places which we feel were much more beautiful than any modern architecture or city could offer. We looked for the quiet spaces where the Kuantan of old still resides. And while these pockets of peace may have been rare and few in urbanised Kuantan, we did manage to find them in places like Pantai Gelora and Tanjung Api...even the names evoke a certain romance and nostalgia, don't you think?

Tanjung Api is a little fishing village where you can still see the fishing boats going in and out to sea at the Kuantan river mouth...all this within a short distance of Kuantan town itself. It was quite a sight to see a thriving, bustling town like Kuantan on one side, and the fishermen and their boats on another. It's a reflection of the see-saw balance between modern and kampung that is essentially Kuantan!

Teluk Cempedak was beautiful, too...tapi sayang, the view from the road leading to it was unceremoniously blocked by two very imposing Western influences, the red-haired clown in yellow overalls and the old guy with white hair...Those two just tipped the balance of Kuantan into ugliness.