From one graduates exhibition to this diploma show, Yau Sir Meng’s accomplished presentation continues to stand out. Two installations comment on the Malaysian education system, including school uniforms planted in pots, and a sugary construct melted by humidity. Short-term research into waste disposal habits and its environmental impact is difficult to take seriously, while a wall covered in paper sheets is hardly noticeable even when highlighted. Works by two artists allow for unintentional interpretations - Emir Nazren’s distorted portraits made with a photocopier, and broken pencils stuck onto white panels by Kay Lee Pei Chyi. The former’s reproductions of anguish parody existential angst prevalent in the current age; Graphic design and less sophisticated materials encroach onto the latter canvas, also a dig at the lofty notion of fine art. Students must be mindful that contexts and self-reference matter in contemporary art, while honing visual techniques.
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| [from l to r] Emir Nazren - Botak 1, 4, and 5 (2014) |