The Frames of Two Cultures
Duo Exhibition:-
Husin Othman
Ng Kok Leong
1 March – 28 March 2018
Core Design Gallery, Subang Jaya
*Click on images to zoom in
Core Design Gallery presents a rare endeavour, exploring into the visual language and affinities of multicultural society of Malaysia. The Frames of Two Culturespresents to you the arts of two emerging and promising artists, Husin Othman and Ng Kok Leong.
Beckoning from two different cultural backgrounds, both artists showcase varied approaches and techniques to their respective art repertoire. Conceptually similar, both Husin Othman and Ng Kok Leong holds dear fond memories of their childhood and growing up years, of their favourite hangouts and indulgences of their native hometown of Perak. Through their nostalgic reflection of the many serene scenes of early Malaysia, the artworks provide an intricate documentary narrative of the progress of Malaysia through the years, duly portraying their love and belief for the nation.
A kampung boy at heart, Husin Othman shares his glimpses into his childhood years, of games and plays that was once revelled in. Following from his recent success of his latest artwork Random Access Memory that carried myriad of random scenes within a single artwork, the artist now merges layer upon layer of random objects into a delightful contemporary composition of playful mood while whimsically alluding to intrinsic nuances beyond its literal visual.
Coming from a background of film-making and advertising, the artworks of emerging artist Ng Kok Leong are of textural semi-abstraction. Akin to a video camera panning through time and space, his technique produces fuzzy semi abstract ambiguity within his artworks, duly granting an air of mystery and surrealism as he interweaves the past, present and future all in a single plane.
Akin to its title, interestingly The Frames of Two Cultures reveals aspiring and distinct affinities and complexities within the many diversities of the two cultures. Perhaps so it has become, owing to the close rapport and intricate intertwining of the two cultures that our dear Malaysia has now brought together. As a revelation, the seemingly two different cultures are not so different after all.
As winners of UOB Painting of The Year Award as the Most Promising Artist of the Year within the emerging artist category, it is equally exciting to see the developments of the 2014 award winner artist Husin Othman and 2016 award winner artist Ng Kok Leong, of how far they have come and the friendly chance encounter that The Frames of Two Cultures carries.