ART EXPO PLUS 2015 

Exhibition Period: Thursday, 10th September 2015 - Friday, 13th September 2015

Exhibition Venue: MATRADE Exhibition Convention Centre (MECC)

Preview: 15th August 2015 - 6th September 2015 at Core Design Gallery

Established in 2010, Core Design Gallery launched the Great Malaysia Contemporary Art (GMCA) project at the Art Expo Malaysia in 2013, with its second installation a year later. Both shows achieved considerable success, in that they successfully demonstrated to the public that contemporary Malaysian artists were more than capable of creating intriguing, provocative and high quality artworks from various genres ranging from paintings to installations and sculptures.

This year, Core Design Gallery introduces a fresh approach to the 2015 Art Expo Malaysia Plus with the Reason 4 Season exhibition. The exhibition draws inspiration from the distinct character and rhythms of the seasons caused by differences in light, as well as the transitions between seasons that portray the cycle of life from cradle to grave, all of which bring about a wide range of moods and emotions. The short display duration of the artworks can also be seen as a parallel for the fleeting, precious moments in life, in which we need to be truly present to appreciate.

In autumn, the earth begins to prepare for the long winter. Animals collect and store up food; trees become ablaze with gold, and then discard their leaves, and the mood becomes more pensive and reflective – introverted even. Sepia and earthy tones of the artworks on the first day, which evoke memories and days gone by, will attempt to capture this particular mood.

Summer, on the other hand, represents exuberant joyfulness, with long sunlight-filled days, flowers bursting into full bloom and an abundance of outdoor activities and festivals. Likewise, during the exhibition’s summer-themed second day, artworks will display splashes of warm colours.

Winter can be seen as a season of opposites. In a short span of time, a serene, white-blanketed landscape can transform into a dramatic snowstorm of epic proportions. It is a time of death and rebirth, as plants and other living things drift into slumber, and yet come to life again at the end of the season. Therefore, works shown during the third day of the exhibition will be presented in colours such as black, white and grey.

As spring is a season of hope and new beginnings, artworks on the fourth and last day express the season’s gentle yet optimistic atmosphere with a pastel or bright colour palette, ending the exhibition on a cheerful, upbeat tone.

Other than providing a dynamic, changing landscape to the exhibition venue, the different season-based colour schemes allow the audience to view various facets of the artists’ personalities, with each artist providing their interpretation of the particular theme. Moreover, in Reason 4 Season, the artists themselves will be able to explore roads less taken – or rather, techniques and colour palettes less used.

Some artists with a modus operandi of striking colours show their skill in manipulating tones through grey scale hues while other artists known for their sombre palettes inject vibrant colour into their artworks. This results in an interesting show for artists and audience alike.