Carlo “Caloy” Gernale (b. 1979) is a Filipino visual artist based in Southern Tagalog, Philippines. As a contemporary social-realist artist, he attempts to articulate not only his personal views, but more importantly, the collective stand and the national democratic aspiration of the marginalized.
As an artist, Gernale is driven by the past and present events that mould Philippine history; he also has a penchant for indigenous and contemporary myths, fables, and banter, and tries to incorporate them into his works of art. Guided by his socio-political leaning, he attempts to come up with a cohesive body of works that are visually and semiotically potent.
Gernale studied Bachelor of Fine Arts in Philippine Women’s University. In 2006, he mounted his first solo exhibit “Ispup.” His most recent exhibit titled “Allegories and Allergies” was held in May 2013 at West Gallery, Philippines.
Agustian Supriatna (b. 1981 in Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia) , an abstract painter with unique compositions. A combination of soft and bright colors, wild lines and brush strokes that create harmony, gives the audience an opportunity to freely explore his paintings. He also creates sculptures out of found metal objects.
Indonesia’s famous abstract painter Affandi the Maestro inspired him to be an artist. He studied with Indonesian elder painters, one of them being Roedyat Martadirejda who gave him the task of sketching every day for the rest of his life.
Agustian currently resides in Bali, having moved there in 1999. His paintings and sculptures have been exhibited internationally and his recent solo exhibition at Art Expo Malaysia 2012 was sold out. He is represented in the following countries all over the world; America, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Thailand. He undertook a three-month residency in 2013 at Hotel Penaga.
Solo Exhibitions
2012 “Unlimited Beauty” G13 Gallery@ Art Expo Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
2011 “I love you“ Café Des Artistes Restaurant & Gallery, Ubud, Bali
2007 “Dedicated to my Mum Ratu Permai“ Lidya Gallery, Ubud, Bali
2007 “I’m Scooterist not Terrorist“ Sketch journey on my Vespa from Bali to Lampung, Sumatra
2003-2007 “Studio 3 Owner“ Studio 3 Art Gallery & Studio, Ubud, Bali
2006 “Anna I Love You“ Kwezien Restaurant, Lovina, Bali
2005 “I’m Agustian!“ Momentous Art Gallery, Singapor
Ashly Nandong is a thirty-year old artist from Kuching, Sarawak who joins us for three months as short-stay artist-in-residence at Rimbun Dahan.
Ahsly completed a Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering at Swinburne University, in Victoria, Australia in 2009, returning to Malaysia in early 2011. However, it was his informal art education and exposure to traditional dance and music during his formative adolescent years that marked him for quite a different life direction. Eventually, and inevitably it seemed, what placed him firmly on this different road was his continued active involvement in the performance and visual arts, while living in Melbourne. Having been taught the sapeh lute as a teenager under different gurus, the traditional Dayak dance of the Orang Ulu and Iban people, and now as painter, Ashly crosses from performance to visual arts and back with ease.
A strong sense of his Iban cultural heritage is what binds; one medium of expression inspires the other in a non-hierarchy. Traditional motifs and metaphors make for meaningful markers and anchor him along the way in his berjalai, an ancient Iban custom of roaming or journeying in search of greener pastures of knowledge and hopefully the ‘wisdom’ that comes from hands-on experience.
At Rimbun Dahan, Ashly is given a much-needed time for contemplation in an important part of his berjalai; an introspective time to connect with his creative aspirations in response to his current ‘spiritual’ situation. Ashly is presently working on a painting depicting the Tree of Life, a motif found in Iban symbolism and in religions, mythologies and philosophies throughout many different cultures, in varying permutations.
A unifying principle that unites all cultures and religions is something Ashly gravitates towards, being very keen to understand deeper the creative force that at core animates all living entities with spirit. The living tree, rooted in earth but with branches reaching upwards for the heavens is aptly symbolic of Ashly’s current station of berjalai at Rimbun Dahan, a place of lofty trees and sounds of ancient cicadas and birdsong.
Anima mundi, a work inspired by Rimbun Dahan, currently on display at MAP Publika, Solaris Dutamas.
Tree of Life.
Ashley in his studio at Rimbun Dahan with Tree of Life.
Malaysian Artist for the Malaysia-Australia Visual Artists’ Residency 2012
Azam Tajol Aris in his studio at Rimbun Dahan with some of his army of clones.
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.
Azam Tajol Aris in his studio at Rimbun Dahan with some of his army of clones.
Azam Tajol Aris in his studio at Rimbun Dahan with some of his army of clones.
Azam Tajol Aris in his studio at Rimbun Dahan with some of his army of clones.
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.
Melanie Fulton was in residence at Hotel Penaga in Georgetown, Penang, from September to November 2011, in a joint residency with her partner John Foubister. Some of the work which Melanie created during her residency was exhibited in the joint exhibition ‘Cultivating the Garden’.
Bio
Melanie graduated from the South Australian School of Art in the late 1980’s. Since then she has maintained her art practice while also working in visual arts related areas. These have included Artist-in-Schools programs, numerous Community Arts programs and Diversional Therapy in Aged Care. Since 2005 Melanie has Coordinated the Tutti Visual Arts and Design Program, a professional program for Artists with Disabilities. Tutti Inc. is a leading Multi-Arts Disability and Community organization in South Australia.
Melanie’s own work has included the themes of “Home” and the duality of sanctuary and prison; Fairytale and Myth; “Exotic” cultures through the decorative arts and associated natural motifs. Currently Melanie is exploring plant and tree motifs with multiple view-points. Melanie works in a variety of mediums, with a special interest in watercolour painting.
Melanie has exhibited in private and civic galleries since graduation and has work in private collections in Australia, Britain, Sweden and Belgium.
Pave Paradise and Put Up A Pavilion. 2011, oil on board, 31 x 23cm. Contributed to the fundraising event Art for Nature 2011.
Australian artist Rob McHaffie undertook a 3-month Asialink residency at Rimbun Dahan in 2011.
“Each day at Rimbun Dahan I am making a drawing that responds to a verse in the Tao te Ching, Lao Tsu’s book of wisdom. The Tao could be said to be the way of nature and is a guide for people to live in harmony with the universe. Drawing inspiration form Malaysia’s fantastic but depleting wildlife and the spirituality of people living here I hope to find some interesting imagery and stories that will illuminate where we are heading and the possibility of living sustainable peaceful lives.”
Biography
Rob McHaffie is a Melbourne based artist, having graduated from Victorian College of the Arts drawing department in 2002.The images in McHaffie’s paintings are often derived from shapes formed from roughly assembled and seemingly mismatched objects. Rather than paint from life, McHaffie chooses what could be described as the poor man’s life model, sculpting characters from modeling compound and adding scraps of fabric, discarded clothes and bric-a-brac to create imagined portraits and tableaus. This method contributes to an unusual mixture of pathos and amusement in the paintings. The scenes depicted might simply be laughable, if it were not for the fact that the artist has captured within each scene (and echoed within each title) certain life truths.
Rob’s daily practice consists of diary and journal work, and collecting found and personal imagery to form the basis of his drawing, painting and sculpture. Rob participated in exhibitions and residencies in Australia, New Zealand, France, and the USA and is represented by Darren Knight Gallery in Sydney, and Brett McDowell Gallery in Dunedin.
Rob Gutteridge was the Australian Artist for the Malaysia-Australia Visual Arts Residency 2011. In addition to pursuing his own practice, he spent some time during his residency conducting figure drawing classes for interested staff members at Hijjas Kasturi Associates Sdn.
Biography
Born in England in 1954, Rob Gutteridge is now based in South Australia. With a Diploma in Fine Art (Painting) and a Graduate Diploma in adult education, Rob teaches in tertiary education throughout South Australia. His work has been featured in Adelaide Central Gallery, are included in the Art Gallery of South Australia, South Australian Museum and Artbank, as well as in private collections in France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, England and the U.S.A.
“Avatar”, 180cm x 220cm, oil on linen, 2011.
“The eye of the beholder”, oil on linen, 120cmx100cm, 2011.
“Beyond the shadow clouds”, oil on linen, 112cmx142cm, 2011.
‘Cloud Painter’, 2011, Oil on linen, 70 x 60 cm.
“Cloud burst”, oil on linen, 180cmx220cm, 2011.
“The emergent zone”, oil on canvas, 100cmx120cm, 2011.
Artist’s Statement
“Coming from Adelaide, South Australia, with its sharp, hard, bright Mediterranean light, my first impression of Malaysia seen through the windows of KLIA, was of a pale milky wash over the landscape, softening the contrasts and bringing distant colours closer together. In paintings and drawings made at Rimbun Dahan, these close values provide challenging technical problems to explore, as the modulation of colour, tone, saturation and temperature is finely tuned. I have travelled to paint and study art, in New York, and Provence in southern France, and similarly, my initial understanding of place registered at a fundamental, pre-cognitive visual level. It happens long before particularities come into focus. If one is alert, the ambient has a character, providing a starting point and a foundation. Works flowing from such a sensibility inevitably display a kind of environmental portraiture.
Iconographically, I continue a long-standing investigation of the human figure, and clouds. Each represents a fascinating visual topography of the effects of forces acting on matter in space. The human body’s anatomy of skeleton and muscle, conditioned by gravity, reimagines hinge and joint, lever and pulley in slippery darkness beneath the skin. Clouds of vapor deceptively solid from our earthly standpoint, change, grow and collapse, providing a ready metaphor of the human condition.
In anthropomorphic cloud paintings, reflecting on what connects rather than divides, I have become interested in what constitutes the conditions for visual suggestion, or resemblance. In painting, what is the threshold of recognition for an image to be recognized as a cloud or a body? If an image were to suggest a cloud and a body, would it look like both, or for a moment, would it look like itself?”
In-Process Update
I have recently been in the process of completing the 4 largest paintings I will do during my residency. The paintings are 180cm x 220cm and continue the cloud and figure theme I have been exploring during my time here. Each painting is a response to the one that has gone before, and so they form a dialogue of interests and a conversation between issues. They alternately respond and react to each other – complexity in one provokes simplicity in another, subtle colour values give way to strong contrasts. Doing a simple thing on a large scale is deceptively difficult, but the enjoyment is in the challenge of going where you haven’t been before. Its a bit like coming to live at Rimbun Dahan from Australia.
Malaysian Artist for the Malaysia-Australia Visual Arts Residency 2011
Artist’s statement:
Haslin Ismail in his studio at Rimbun Dahan, with his work for the 2011 Art for Nature exhibition.
“I call the new body of artworks done at Rimbun Dahan ‘Ghost in the Shell’. Taking the same title from the work of Masamune Shirow’s manga and anime adaptation from director Mamoru Oshii, it is an experiment of two main components: the flesh and the machine. The clash between these two elements is highlighted by the creation of robots, machines and human anatomy. They relate to each other and give rise to an expression of function and technology. Visually, both the science fiction and fantasy world that dominate the atmosphere of my artworks present a wide range of routes and exciting explorations. I am a fan of the works of science fiction and fantasy visions such as Jules Verne, HG Wells and the great silent movie “Metropolis” by Fritz Lang. The amazing world of Osamu Tezuka, the super-galactic Star Wars trilogy, the genius of Hayao Miyazaki and Katsuhiro Otomo and so many more great masterpieces from the great masters of sci-fi and fantasy are my stimulation. When drawing, painting or creating works, I feel as if I am in their world, fighting with monsters on/from planet Mars or at war with damaged robot(s).”
“Supermarionation”, 2011, Oil pastel and acrylic on canvas, 214 x 152 cm.
“Ghost in the Shell”, 2011, Acrylic on canvas, 122 x 76 cm.
“Homage to Miyazaki”, 2011, Acrylic on canvas, 183 x 153 cm.
“Mind Game”, 2011, Watercolour on paper, 29 x 29 cm.
“The Day the Earth Stood Still”, 2011, Acrylic on jute, 213.5 x 213.5 cm.
“Things to Come”, 2011, Acrylic on canvas, 183 x 152.5 cm.
Artist’s Biography
Haslin Ismail (b. 1984) from Johor graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in 2007. He has been creating and exhibiting his fantastical art pieces in various exhibitions since 2000. He was winner of the grand prize for In-Print: Contemporary British Art from the Paragon Press held at National Art Gallery in 2006. His first solo exhibition ‘Exorcismus Persona: Windows Into Fantasy Worlds of Haslin Ismail’ was at the RA Fine Arts Gallery in 2009. He was also the grand prize winner for the prestigious Young Contemporary Award (2010) at National Art Gallery with his entry of a complex and intricate paper/book art installation.He has also participated in group shows at National Art Gallery, Petronas Gallery, Taksu, Zinc, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Wei-Ling Gallery and the Annexe at Central Market.
Liew Kwai Fei, “one of the most exciting new generation of abstract painters in Malaysia”, undertook a 3-month residency at Rimbun Dahan from July to September 2010.
Kwai Fei majored in Ink Painting at the Malaysia Art Institute. Since graduation, he has participated in a number of group exhibitions such as ‘3 Instalasi + 3@RAP’ A Preview of Installation Art and Drawings at Rumah Air Panas, Kuala Lumpur (2003), YOUQING – A Showcase of Ink Painting and Drawing at Rumah Air Panas, Kuala Lumpur (2004), and Al-kesah/Once Upon A Time in Malaysia at Map Art Space (2010). In 2003, Kwai Fei held his first solo exhibition titled ‘Fei’ at Rumah Air Panas, Kuala Lumpur which travelled to Le Bois Creation, Melaka. He also participated in the VASL International Artist Residency in Karachi, Pakistan in 2003.
Burmese artist Zaw Win Pe undertook a short residency at Rimbun Dahan from April to June 2010.
“I am inspired by landscape themes, not with the thought of painting particular places, but of expressing elemental moods and emotions. But the paintings never lack the geographical and environmental characteristics of the places I paint. Colour is the key element for me. I believe colour can tell everything about human’s feelings and thoughts.”
Born in 1960 in Le Gaing, Mague Division, Central Myanmar
1981 – 1984 State School of Fine Art
Myanmar exhibitions:
1994 Wintry Winter Group Exhibition, Judson Hall, Yangon
1996 Five Fingers Art Exhibition, New Treasure Gallery, Yangon
1998 Page 98 Group Exhibition, Lokanat Gallery, Yangon
1998 Libra Art Exhibition, Lokanat Gallery, Yangon
1998 All Myanmar Art and Sculpture Exhibition, Yangon
1999 Aesthetic Journey Art Exhibition, Yangon
2000 Nudes by Contemporary Myanmar Artists, Yangon
2000 Artistic Touch Exhibition, Lokanat Gallery, Yangon
2000 “Zaw Win Pe’s Palette Knife Paintings”, Yangon
2001 Stroke in Tempo Exhibition, Yangon
2002 5th Annual Group Show, Myanmar Gallery of Contemporary Art, Yangon
2002 “Exotic Eye” – Solo, Myanmar Gallery of Contemporary Art, Yangon
2003 Page 2003 Exhibition, Lokanat Gallery, Yangon
2004 4th Artistic Touch Group Exhibition, Lokanat Gallery, Yangon
2004 Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition of Finalists, Yangon
2008 Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards Exhibition of Finalists, Yangon
Overseas exhibitions:
2004 Myanmar Contemporary Art Award Exhibition of finalists, HK
2004 Two man exhibition with Ba Khine, Singapore
2005 “Searching the Colour with Knife Strokes”, Solo exhibition, Chiang Mai, Thailand
2005 Three man exhibition “Burma Stars”, Hong Kong
2006 “Quiet Wind” Exhibition of five Myanmar artists, San Francisco
2007 “Burma Phoenix” Group show of Myanmar artists, New York
2007 Contemporary Art from Myanmar. Group show of Myanmar artists, Washington, USA
2007 Art from Myanmar. Group show of Myanmar artists, Princeton and New York
2008 “Serenity” Solo Exhibition, Ernst & Young Solution LLp, Singapore
2010 “Christies-30 Artfriends Exhibition, Christies International Art Auction House
Awards and collections
2004 Winner of the Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards
2008 Second prize winner in the Myanmar Contemporary Art Awards 2008
2008 Painting acquired by the Singapore National Art Museum
Carlo “Caloy” Gernale (b. 1979) is a Filipino visual artist based in Southern Tagalog, Philippines. As a contemporary social-realist artist, he attempts to articulate not only his personal views, but more importantly, the collective stand and the national democratic aspiration of the marginalized.
Melanie graduated from the South Australian School of Art in the late 1980’s. Since then she has maintained her art practice while also working in visual arts related areas. These have included Artist-in-Schools programs, numerous Community Arts programs and Diversional Therapy in Aged Care. Since 2005 Melanie has Coordinated the Tutti Visual Arts and Design Program, a professional program for Artists with Disabilities. Tutti Inc. is a leading Multi-Arts Disability and Community organization in South Australia.
