CORE contemporary art

Visual Ascendance

Duo Exhibition:-

(Apis) Haafiz Shahimi
(PoOi) Mohd Fairuz Paisan

In collaboration with Pieces by Core

8th September – 15th October 2024

Pieces by Core, Subang Jaya

*Click on images to zoom in

The concept of Visual Ascendence originated from a discussion with artists about whether they revisit and rework their previous artworks, transforming them into new exhibitions. This practice is not uncommon and can be seen in renowned examples such as Leonardo da Vinci, who was known to revisit and adjust his works, and Pablo Picasso, who often reworked his paintings and sculptures over extended periods.

This dialogue inspired the two-man show featuring Apis and PoOi, artists who frequently experiment with mixed media, such as metal with automotive paint by Apis and wood with fiberglass by PoOi. Over the past three years, Apis has been refining his metalwork, while PoOi has been enveloping his patterned wood motifs in fiberglass. Both artists have produced numerous works for international art fairs and group exhibitions during this period. However, they often felt that certain pieces were not fully realized, as their technical skills had yet to be fully refined.

Moreover, increased international exposure and feedback from a global audience, coupled with their own evolving perspectives, have given them a clearer vision of how their work might develop. As mid-career contemporary artists, Apis and PoOi have matured, particularly through their consistent participation in the global art scene. This growth has led them to alter their pieces to better reflect their current feelings and ideas.

Visual Ascendence is not merely a celebration of the latest technical advancements, maturity, and new perspectives of these two artists. It is also a curated collaboration between art and design. The artworks will be displayed alongside designer furniture by Piece by Core and will be launched at the newly refurbished Piece by Core space.

APIS (Haafiz Shahimi)

APIS (Haafiz Shahimi), born in Kedah, Malaysia, in 1986, graduated with a BA (Hons) in Fine Arts from UiTM Shah Alam in 2011. His artistic journey spans various disciplines, including painting, installation, and performing arts. Since 2014, he has explored the techniques of creating artworks with fire, delving into pyrography printing and direct fire burning, thereby expanding the scope and scale of his work.

Apis has become synonymous with a unique style of pyrography printmaking, deeply rooted in Malaysia’s print and textile traditions. Initially inspired by batik printing, he mimicked cultural and mythological imagery onto metal blocks, creating personalized ‘matrices’ that, when heated, were applied to canvas and jute surfaces. While drawing clear parallels with batik production, he soon realized that temperature variations could alter the final visual effect, prompting further experimentation.

In 2022, Apis showcased a body of metal pieces titled “Covenant“, where he applied rusted chemical washes, automotive paint, putty, and plasma cutting to reinterpret Abrahamic religions in a contemporary art form. In 2024, he continued to experiment with automotive paint on canvas in his “Humanimal“, solo exhibition at 333 Gallery in Bangkok, incorporating his signature fire techniques.

“I Love You” and his four other flower metal pieces, “Mossy Misty”, Night Hibiscus”, “Oubaitori” and “White Noise”, are a revisit of the works Apis created in 2022. Using his technical development in bending metal and continuously constructing and deconstructing the pieces, Apis seeks to embrace the imperfections, incompleteness, and impermanence inherent in metal surfaces. He finds beauty in the simplicity and modesty of these deconstructed forms.

“Nocturnal” is a series of 12 works, each measuring 1 foot by 1 foot, developed in 2024. Using automotive paint and fire techniques similar to those in his Humanimal solo exhibition, Haafiz reshuffles the visuals according to the fallen chrysanthemum flower to reconstruct a completely new image.

PO OI (MOHD FAIRUZ PAISAN)

Mohd Fairuz Paisan, fondly known in the Malaysian art world as PoOi, was born in 1981 in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. He graduated from UiTM with a BA (Hons) in Fine Art in 2004 and an MA in Fine Art & Technology in 2014.

PoOi’s wood-based sculptures reflect his identity as a Malay man from Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. Coming from a family of carpenters who passed their trade down from father to son, PoOi uses the skills he learned in his youth to inform his contemporary art practices.

Through his wall sculptures, PoOi reveals what lies within his “magical circles.” If fiberglass is a metaphor for the outer skin—the beautiful, delicate, and mesmerizing front face—PoOi, with careful observation, peels, divides, and presents what lies within. He guides viewers to observe the dimensional depth of the forms, a movement toward a silent, sacred, boundless, and pure center.

In 2022, PoOi created “Dalam 3 ada 6“, “Meditasi 6 Penjuru”, and “Rounded Mind” for regional and international exhibitions. Following his “I am PoOi 2.0” solo exhibition and exposure to various international art fairs, PoOi added a seemingly simplistic and minimalistic touch to all three works, creating an elegant, mysterious layer. In “Burning Memories – Rounded Mind”, he painstakingly ground down the layer of gloss paint and then torched the piece to create charred wood. The gradient shift from the charred black center to the natural wood color invites viewers to observe the depth of the forms, a movement toward the silent, mysterious center. In “Dalam Kenangan – Dalam 3 ada 6 (In Memories – 6 Within 3)” and “Dalam Kenangan – Meditasi 6 Penjuru (In Memories – 6 Angles of Meditation)”, he added a layer of colored acrylic glass, breathing new life into the pieces with a minimalistic touch, akin to seeing a mirage with a myriad of depths and layers.

The “Tribute to Aliff – Aku Antara Putih dan Hitam I and II” works are revisits by PoOi. In 2022, he created two “Alif” pieces using discarded wood. However, after collaborating with Husin Hourmain on “Prismatic Perspective I and II”, PoOi sought to incorporate fiberglass into his wood-based calligraphy. This blend of his latest technical advancements, inspired by various experiments at art fairs, has led to the creation of sleek, contemporary forms of calligraphy.

Visual Ascendence captures the evolving journeys of Apis and PoOi as they revisit and reimagine their past works, blending technical advancements with newfound perspectives. Through their innovative use of mixed media, the exhibition not only showcases the maturity and growth of these mid-career artists but also highlights the beauty found in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. Paired with designer furniture by Piece by Core, the exhibition is a testament to the harmonious collaboration between art and design, offering viewers a unique and reflective experience.

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