Kissing the Methods

“In the works presented for the show, Angki no longer speaks about photography. Instead he expands his ideas on to the attempt at finding/creating objects within their new environments. The environment here can be referred to as the context that moves according to the age. So he combines particular natural elements with plastic—as one of the most amazing human creation of the century—and playing with it” (Nuraini Juliastuti).

Technology is inherent in all human works. A human-made thing I think will never reach its final stage. It will continue to morph until it finally finds its perfect post to let the people to react to it. Monalisa, for example, has always been an inspiration and source to be explored. Likewise, Che Guevara and Jesus Christ (and the Cross) have proved to be everlasting images.

Looking from this perspective, I do admire some works that I think are beautifully successful in marking the age of humanity. They—among others-are Nam Jun Paik: Electronic Opera no.1-1969, Nobuyoshi Araki: Sur-sentimentalist Manifest-1970, Damien Hirst: The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living-1992, Djoko Pekik: Berburu Celeng-1998, Mella Jaarsmaa: Hi Inlander (Hello native) 1998-1999, Agung Kurniawan: Sketch for Museum of Misunderstandings-2008.

They have invented genuine expression in examining local situations and responding them. The outcomes are often sensational narrativities. Living in today Indonesia, I feel like trapping in delusional fantasies that heavily shielded the real stories and experiences of the people until the real meanings are evaporating and gone to nothingness.

Kissing the Methods are the results of the acts of revising and updating towards the dynamic relation of Indonesian visual arts (that is arrogant and strict) and the audience. What else? – Angki Purbandono

Kissing The Methods, May 9 - 23, 2009
Richard Koh Fine Art, Solaris Mont' Kiara

No.7-1, Jalan Solaris 3, Solaris Mont' Kiara
50480 Kuala Lumpur, www.rkfineart.com

Korean Artists Open Studio

NEAR Manila resident artist Jinsuk Che together with two other Korean collaborators Youngeun Lee (theater artist) and Byongoh Ko (sound artist) opened the Project Space Pilipinas' studio last February 4, 2009. Jinsuk Che installed a couple of lighted lamps from her installation project "Air Castle" and a video projection of her collaborative project "Sonagi: Fading World." Youngeun Lee on the other hand created a map on the wall that locates and documents various places they visited and people they have met during their stay in Manila, while Byongoh Ko produced a sound piece made from noise recordings collected outside the studio.

NEAR Resident Artist: Cris de Leon

Concrete X is an inquiry to concrete conditions underlying the shape of the life of urban Philippines, in an attempt to have concrete basis for artistic production.

Crisanto de Leon (b. 1981, Manila) graduated at the Philippine Women’s University, BFA in Painting in 2006. He had participated in numerous group exhibitions since 2002 including “Recent Works 4” Kulay Diwa Art Galleries, “Deklarasyon” Cubicle Gallery in 2004, “My Personal Saviour” UP Corridor Gallery in 2005, and “Boxed” Big Sky Mind Alternative Space in 2006. He is an active member of TUTOK Artists Initiative and plays guitar for BYSTORM, a hardcore band based in Manila.

Preview: MATAHATI Kemata Dunia

Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Bayu Utomo Radjikin,
Hamir Soib @ Mohamed, Masnoor Ramli Mahmud

Friday, 10 April 2009, 8.30 PM
at Galeri Chandan,15, Jalan Gelenggang,
Damansara Heights, 50490 Kuala Lumpur

Exhibit will run until 25 April 2009
www.matahatikematadunia.com

NEAR Resident Artist: Jinsuk Che

"Variety of narratives about life can be found behind my works. They are often motivated by the definite and the essential in life. The idea of “origin” fascinates me. I constantly muse about the mystery of birth, life and death. As a point of departure in many of my works, I often ask, where do I begin? Where do I go from here? When and how will it end?

This concern also allows me to explore deeper into ideas such as creation and extinction, it makes me wonder how all our lives are connected or inter-connected to each other, why we are created, what we hope, and what we desire in living. I believe that to desire, to hope and to aspire is very human. It exists everywhere, all the time."

Jinsuk Che (b. 1979) is a media artist based in Seoul, South Korea. She is currently finishing her Ph.D. in Digital Media Design, Media Technology at the So-Gang University in Seoul. Jinsuk is the director of “Art Space Plastic” an independent artist-run space located within the compound of her family’s plastic recycling factory.