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New Straits Times
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Bold new exhibition reclaims the canvas for Southeast Asia's young artists
IN a world increasingly saturated by digital media and conceptual installations, there's something quietly radical about a return to the painted canvas. And at G13 Gallery this month, 10 young painters from across Southeast Asia are doing just that. Titled 10x3: Ten Painters, Three Nations, One Contemporary Voice, the exhibition is a spirited visual dialogue between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines — nations separated by geography and political history, but bound by cultural threads, colonial legacies and a shared urgency to define their place within the global art narrative. Curated as a focused reflection rather than a sweeping survey, it brings together 10 emerging artists: Abenk Alter, Addy Debil, Cedrick Dela Paz, Demi Padua, Khairudin Zainudin, Miller Laberinto, Nik M. Shazmie, NPAAW, Pongbayog and Shafiq Nordin. Each of them engages with painting as a dynamic, evolving medium — one that continues to surprise, provoke and resonate, even in an age dominated by screens and conceptual frameworks. What unites these painters isn't a single aesthetic or theme. Instead, it's a commitment to using the painted surface as a site of inquiry and expression. Their works traverse figuration, surrealism, abstraction and symbolic narrative, often emerging from a rich tapestry of influences: urban subcultures, socio-political critique, popular culture, mythology and personal histories. Viewed together, these canvases form a composite image of a region in transformation. This is a Southeast Asia that's defined not by fixed identities, but by movement, negotiation and multiplicity. The result is a conversation — not in unison, but in dialogue. The decision to spotlight painting at this moment is deliberate. In an era when much of contemporary art privileges the digital, the conceptual, or the immersive, 10x3 turns attention back to paint — not as a nostalgic gesture, but as a living, breathing language through which young Southeast Asian artists interrogate the intersections of culture, history and the present moment. The act of painting is not merely the making of images, but an intimate engagement with form, emotion and thought. It's a sentiment echoed across the works on display. From personal memory to mythic symbol, from the sharply political to the playfully surreal, these paintings articulate the internal tensions and external forces shaping their creators' worlds. The exhibition's title, 10x3, is both literal and symbolic: 10 artists, three nations — but also a multiplication of perspectives, influences and possibilities. The subtitle, Ten Painters, Three Nations, One Contemporary Voice, reinforces the idea of collective momentum. It affirms the value of individual expression while recognising an emerging generational voice that's reshaping the cultural fabric of the region. Ultimately, 10x3 is less a thematic showcase than a generational snapshot. It captures a moment of questioning, risk-taking and reinvention — where young artists negotiate the push and pull between personal vision and collective history, between tradition and experimentation. In doing so, the exhibition invites broader reflections: What does it mean to be a young painter in Southeast Asia today? How does one navigate the complex terrain of global attention and local expectation, and assert an authentic voice within it?
The Star
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Malaysian artist puts a cheeky spin on classic folktales in debut show
Aimman Hafizal has taken his time to reach his first solo exhibition. The 30-year-old artist, who has regularly teased his work on social media and participated in group shows, isn't one to rush things. For his debut solo exhibition, What If? – A Journey Through Folktales, he draws inspiration from local folklore and classic Malay proverbs, reimagining them with a playful twist. The show, currently showing at G13 Gallery's project room space in Petaling Jaya, runs through May 3. He is showcasing eight acrylic on canvas works, each set against a backdrop of 'imaginary lands'. The first piece visitors will notice in the gallery is Fast & Fearless, where Aimman reinterprets the classic race between the rabbit and the tortoise – but with fast cars. A visitor admires Aimman's 'From Jaws To Claws', inspired by the beloved Sang Kancil tales. Photo: The Star/M. Irsyad 'The original story, as we know, has the tortoise winning, and even the rabbit had a chance to win if it fulfilled its potential. In my universe, however, the two are very competitive, driving speed cars and are neck and neck. In reality, everyone has the potential to compete at a high level – it's just a matter of reaching that potential,' says Aimman in a recent interview at the gallery. As a young boy growing up in Muar, Johor, Aimman developed a love for art through anime and manga, while Malay folk tales, rich in storytelling and moral lessons, shaped his imagination. School art competitions kept him busy, giving him the space to expand his drawing style. As he gained more experience in the art scene – exhibiting everywhere from cafes to galleries – Aimman found inspiration from a wide range of artists. 'For local artists, I admire Khalil Ibrahim (1934-2018), a legendary name known for elevating figurative painting through batik. Internationally, I look up to Eko Nugroho from Indonesia; I'm inspired by how he has expanded his art beyond painting into areas like fashion and merchandise,' he said. In 'The Moonlit Dreams', Aimman depicts owls soaring toward the glowing moon, symbolising that courage can make the impossible achievable. Photo: G13 Gallery Aimman, based in Shah Alam, holds a Master's degree in Fine Art and Technology from UiTM (Jalan Othman in Petaling Jaya). In 2019, he joined the Saung Banon Arts Residency programme in Yogyakarta, an experience that strongly shaped his art and storytelling style on canvas. 'Malaysia is also rich with interpretations of folklore, whether through artists or craftsmen. I was drawn by the way these stories could be carried into the modern era, and many of the exhibition's themes revolve around that idea. What If? shows them all compiled together as a series,' he says. Throughout his exhibition at G13 Gallery, he explores cross- cultural themes, blending Western fables with local traditions, and credits his upbringing for inspiring the works he now brings to canvas. A close-up of Aimman's 'Fast & Fearless', where he reimagines the classic race between the rabbit and tortoise as a high-speed car chase. Photo: G13 Gallery What stands out in Aimman's work is his use of purple, red, and blue tones against dark backdrops, with lighter outlines. Balancing the cartoonish and surreal, his art evokes an alternate universe where Maurice Sendak-inspired charming critters invite closer inspection. 'I developed this art style during my internship at Saung Banon Arts. It was close to nature – with padi fields, gardens, and small animals – which gave me plenty of inspiration over three months of work, along with valuable advice from my art mentor (Dr Alexandri Luthfi),' he says. Aimman notes that Malaysia shares much of its culture with Indonesia through history, which is reflected in the repetitive lines and floral motifs often seen in his art. 'But once I returned to Malaysia, I began adding more pop culture elements and characters to the artwork, thinking more deeply about storytelling,' he says. Aimman's new artworks could double as a comic series, with characters whose stories evolve over time. One example is Komodozilla: Hero Or Villain?, the third in a series about Komodo, an eager villager aspiring to be a hero. 'In this story, Komodo discovers a fruit that makes him a giant. Although he hopes to use his new powers for good, he realises the villagers have fled in fear. It ties to the Malay proverb: Malang Pak Kaduk, ayamnya menang, kampungnya tergadai – a reflection on hollow victories,' he explains. In From Jaws To Claws, inspired by the well-known story of Sang Kancil and Sang Buaya, Aimman draws from the Malay proverb: Keluar mulut buaya, masuk mulut harimau. 'The kancil escapes the crocodile, but ends up in a tiger's cave. I wanted to show that no matter how slick and crafty the kancil thinks he is, there's always a greater challenge or danger ahead,' he says. A particularly personal piece, The Fungiverse is inspired by the proverb: Bagai cendawan tumbuh selepas hujan. Each mushroom character represents an artist Aimman has met along his journey. 'I spent more time on this artwork because it involved interviewing people about their favourite animals for their 'fursona' – a popular online trend. As I added more characters, they began to mushroom, serving as a reminder of how many others are on the same journey as me in my career as an artist,' he concludes. Aimman Hafizal's What If? – A Journey Through Folktales is on display at G13 Gallery in Petaling Jaya until May 3. Art lovers can also explore two other solo exhibitions: Nadi by Khairudin Zainudin and Flowers Don't Lie by Palito Perak, currently showing at the gallery.
