Malaysian Artist for the Malaysia-Australia Visual Artists’ Residency 2012

Azam Tajol Aris is Rimbun Dahan’s Malaysian year-long artist-in-residence. He graduated in Fine Arts from Universiti Institut Teknologi Malaysia, in 2007. Born in Perak in 1985, and growing up into the digital age of internet technology, it is the popular-culture world of graphic novels, anime and internet ‘ready-made’ third-hand or regurgitated information that informs Azam Tajol Aris’ art practice. In the current state of information saturation, a threat that ‘all is rumour’ requiring a challenging critical response is what seems to push Azam towards the satirical in his work in a light-hearted social commentary.

Azam’s current work at Rimbun Dahan is in three-dimensional form. It is the first step in a slight shift in direction. He has made multiple plaster casts of a male figure resembling a soldier to create an army of ‘clones’. There is also a cast plaster figure of one clone-member who must be the general, his mouth in an ugly gape, shouting out an order for conformity.  Instead of a helmet though, the clones all have their hair gathered into a peak at the top, a cross between a headgear found on ancient Ramayanawayang kulit characters and a popular latter day hair style.

As ‘puppet master’ or dalang, Azam himself acts as a conduit for the rapid re-processing and disseminating of information. Gathering a patchwork of data, he re-creates ‘still-life’ mute scenarios or vignettes in three-dimensions. The germ for Azam’s three-dimensional ‘stories’ is information that had already been pre-processed and then re-processed and re-translated. Azam completes the mythologizing process by re-packaging the pieces of information into a critique.

CV

Born 15 December 1983, Taiping Perak.

Address Studio Sebiji Padi, 19A Jalan Unyang, Taman Alam Megah, Seksyen 27, 40000 Shah Alam.
Contact 0125785405, Azam_aris@yahoo.com.

Education

2005 – 2007	BFA (hons.), UiTM Shah Alam.
2004 – 2005	Skim Latihan Graduan, PESDC, Tronoh Perak – MMU Cyberjaya, 7 Month Training in Video.
2001 – 2004	Diploma in Fine Art, UiTM Sri Iskandar.

Solo Exhibitions

2010	‘PARANOIA’ R.A Gallery, Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
2008	‘FLOAT’ House Of Matahati, Taman Cempaka, KL

Selected Group Exhibitions

2011	Vertical-Horizontal, House of Matahati, Kuala Lumpur.
2010	The Young Contemporaries Competition, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. Art Triangle, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. BAD@MAP, Solaris, Kuala Lumpur.
2009	Malaysian Contemporary, Conpenhangen, Denmark. MEA Award, Sokka Gakai Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. B.A.C.A , R.A Gallery
2008	Young n New part 1, HOM KL.
2007	Degree Show, TNZ Galeri, UiTM Shah Alam

 Awards

2010	Juror Award, Young Contemporaries 2010, National Art Gallery, KL.
2008	Artist in Resident, House Of Matahati.
2007	8th Prize, SCHENKER, Future Transportation Competition.