CORE contemporary art

Soya Cincau Extreme

Group Exhibition:-

Ain Rahman
Anniketyni Madian
Falil Johari
Haafiz Shahimi
Husin Othman
Md Fadli Yusoff
Mohd Fairuz Paisan (PoOi)
Nor Tijan Firdaus
Syahmi Jamaluddin

2nd January – 25th January 2022

Core Design Gallery, Subang Jaya

E Catalogue

*Click on images to zoom in

INTRODUCTION

In 2014, Core Design Gallery introduced Soya Cincau as a thematic show, bringing to the fore various monochromatic black and white artworks. Soya Cincau was a deliberate decision in its choice of artists that came from different backgrounds, integrating their styles into a contemporary form of abstraction.

From figurative to abstract paintings to three-dimensional artworks like sculptures and installations, Soya Cincau has culminated into an exhibition that highlights the theme exceptionally. The exhibition called attention to the use of different mediums that accentuate the artists’ own interpretations in understanding their subjects, packed with its intriguing depictions of two-dimensional forms and remarkable understanding of utilizing gallery spaces with installation pieces.

Now, eight years later, resurgence of the same theme is now continued with new additions of artists to start the year with, Soya Cincau: Extreme. Previously, Soya Cincauexhibition visually underscores the unconventional use of mediums whereas Soya Cincau: Extreme could be said to be closely similar in concept, albeit heavier in context. In a way, it is not really a call back to the past exhibition. However, the idea remains intact — prioritizing the distinctive black and white into an art contemporary understanding, especially in a time of seemingly unending pandemic.

With the pandemic still looming without a hint of abating anytime soon, artists are anticipating repetitive cycles of going back into a reclusive state. In addition, there is a burgeoning worry that the world would have to adjust to living in an endemic era, consequently imposing the changing of thoughts and working processes for these artists. Thus, in Soya Cincau: Extreme, the extreme itself is dictated by the nuance of different contexts perceived through the artists’ worldview.

To start, black and white is often associated with the concept of balance. Attached to the balance, follows the contradictory nature of how the colors itself behave by coalescing into each other.  There is the use of black and white to determine tonal and values, of perceiving the presence of darkness by the absence of light, and of immediate understanding that one could not exist without the other. The role of black and white has always been emphasized regardless of how it is applied in everyday life; be it within cultural identities, philosophical debates, or even more aptly, in arts and designs.

To rebalance the vibrancy of colors that has been showcased quite persistently in local art scene in the past few years, Core Design Gallery decided to starts fresh again with this timeless monochromatic concept, offering a realistic view of what it means for artists to work within limitation — be it in terms of unceasing pandemic life, or exploiting black and white colors to the extreme.

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