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. |
