CORE contemporary art

The years 2020 and 2021 were overcast with the seemingly endless winter of Covid-19. As the world at large has fallen under the dark clouds of separation, anxiety and uncertainty from the pandemic and its subsequent lockdowns, ways to connect through art and culture multiplied. Yet in quickly moving the art world from physical spaces to digital realms we created a sense of hyper connectivity and continuous consumption. Now with the loosening of the MCO restrictions in Malaysia and a return to ‘live’ events an antidote to this surreal period of time is offered through the group exhibition ‘Psychedelic’. A presentation of a series of dynamic artworks from eleven Malaysian contemporary artists, this exhibition invites viewers to slow down in the presence of each work and carefully consider it. Thus, by placing the artwork/viewer relationship at its core, ‘Psychedelic’ wonders if we are witnessing the gradual blossoming of a post-pandemic era.

The word ‘psychedelic’ itself is imbibed with connotations of intense, vivid colours, swirling patterns or an expansion of consciousness. Not only do the works on offer at this exhibition build up from recognisable signatures of each exhibited artist, they expand on these signatures to widen what each artistic practice might mean, or suggest new modes of viewer engagement. This links closely to the ways in which an appreciation of contemporary art has manifested in Malaysia over the past two years. As we have all been at home, contemplating our physical, personal and emotional spaces, culture has been not only a source of information and inspiration but has brought real joy to the intimate confines of lockdown.