'Rafflesia'
2009
Kuala Lumpur, 23rd January 2009 – R A Fine Arts – The Gallery announced today that they will be showcasing Malaysian contemporary artist Amir Zainorin in a solo exhibition entitled Mad(e) in Malaysia at Brick Lane Gallery, London from 17th to 30th March 2009.
Mad(e) in Malaysia will feature fifteen pieces of artwork by Amir which represent scenes of society and popular culture, with recurring political undertones, and yet are free from ethnic connotations.
It is not his intention to create works with a Malaysian identity but rather to render them as universal as possible. The characters, imagery and objects used in his works attempt to be “non-specific” and have an instant accessibility.
The influences in Amir’s works however are multiple, from pop art to music and culture, including classic television shows such as the “Lone Ranger”, “Superman” and “The Six Million Dollar Man” as well as Seventies music groups such as the Bee Gees and Abba to mention a few.
Amir’s works also specifically refers to Jeri Azhari, an iconic Malaysian artist, as well as Amir’s mentor, who gave him the artistic knowledge and background which initiated his artistic practice.
Amir’s works strive to show the norms of modern life while juxtaposing them with popular imagery through the technique of digital print. Among the popular imagery which are showcased is Sir Stamford Raffles sporting the Rafflesia flower as well as a camel which functions as comical imagery – the bizarre subverting the normal.
Zainorin’s works however are not merely aesthetic images – and despite his poetic approach – he also boldly questions a string of global issues such as social and political conflicts, power struggles within our capitalist society as well as notions of consumerism and the influential power of mass-media.
Zainorin’s work records, reminds, explores and at times highlights universal issues linked to identity, spirituality and modernity and expresses with sincerity and playfulness a vision devoid of monotony or cynicism.
His artworks have evolved from the consecutive layering of various mediums into complex collages, with the superimposed colourful tones and texture of acrylic paint.
This refined technique, where opacity and translucency complement each other, creates a quiet equilibrium in the composition of the image. Areas of bold colours, sometimes of contrasting tonality, sit perfectly with the layering of the more complex and detailed contents of glossy magazines, advertisements or newspaper articles.
Striking a balance between texture and opacity, detail and simplicity, colour and muted tones as well as spirituality and modernity, the artist explores the surface of his works with an almost instinctive approach, punctuating the surface with sentences, symbols, pauses and rhythm.
The guest curator for this exhibition is Badrolhisham Mohamad Tahir who is currently writing his PhD thesis on Aesthetic Communication at Edinburgh College of Art.
Amir Zainorin was born in Johor, Malaysia in 1963 and now lives and work in Copenhagen. After finishing his secondary school in Melaka, he attended business studies at Politeknik Ungku Omar, Ipoh. After two years working in a bank in Kuala Lumpur, he went to the United States to continue his studies. After five years living in the US, he returned to Malaysia and worked in advertising and PR companies for five years before embarking on his artistic career.
* This exhibition is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Arts & Heritage
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