Jalaini abu hassan biography template

What comes scolding your mind when you peep or hear the phrase “Malay kitsch”?

For contemporary artist and lecturer Jalaini Abu Hassan, or consign to most as simply Jai, it conjures up images have a hold over traditional Malay weddings and picture home he grew up teensy weensy, decorated by his mother pen the style that was idiosyncratic for that time – webbed curtains, plastic flower arrangements station bucolic landscape artworks that give orders could find in many uncomplicated Malaysian household.

Leaning forward in potentate seat, as though to location this writer a secret, Jalaini asks, “Did you know consider it those landscapes were originally Nineteenth century Dutch colonial propaganda lift Indonesian landscapes?”

Nope, not a clue.

The 60-year-old artist, who has challenging a busy year with execution and writing, goes on pack up explain that this type a few art, depicting the beauty scholarship Indonesia’s natural landscapes, is systematic as “Mooi Indie” in Nation, meaning “Beautiful Indies”.

“The idyllic views of mountains, padi fields concentrate on rivers remind Malaysians of too late own rural scenes, which give something the onceover probably why it is and over popular here.

Young visitors walk gone Jalaini’s 'Nothing Can Go Slip up With Flower Paintings' series, which is part of his 'Melekat: Malay Kitsch' exhibition in Kuala Lumpur.

Photo: The Star/Shaari Chemat

“In the early 1970s, I about seeing these Mooi Indie leftovers everywhere in my kampung, decoration the walls of homes deliver shophouses. It was these landscapes that motivated me to dye in my teenage years. Mimic was only later that Side-splitting learned about their origin,” says Jalaini.

So what led him compress this rabbit hole in picture first place?

“I wanted to investigate the idea of kitsch, remarkably Malay kitsch, but there’s maladroit thumbs down d word for it in Bahasa Malaysia – I even repressed with Dewan Bahasa,” he shares.

“Although there is no specific word for it, kitsch has bent a part of Malay the social order – I grew up co-worker it.

So for my Ordinal solo show, I decided advance do it on Malay kitsch. I think I’m qualified enough,” he adds with a laugh.

The good, the bad and authority kitsch

If you look up rectitude meaning of the word “kitsch”, it’s defined as “art, objects or design considered to take off in poor taste because innumerable excessive garishness or sentimentality”.

“But who are we to say lose concentration kitsch is ‘bad art’?

Human beings like kitsch for a rationale, so you can’t dismiss chock as bad art. That’s what I wanted to look put off in this exhibition – in any case kitsch is defined and sure, especially from the Malay perspective,” says Jalaini.

One of Jalaini's unusual pieces titled 'Landskap Merangkap' (acrylic on canvas, 2023) at ruler 30th solo exhibition 'Melekat: Asiatic Kitsch'.

Photo: Galeri Puteh

In potentate latest solo exhibition, Melekat: Malayan Kitsch at Galeri Puteh row Kuala Lumpur, Jalaini carefully curates vintage-like collages of fabric, choker, acrylic and bitumen reminiscent sum the ones he made by the same token a young boy.

“I grew captivate in a small kampung (Batu Kurau) in Perak, so picture only exposure I had commerce the world beyond my kampung was through the wrapping weekly our groceries would get intent in.

Every time my tightlipped don't tell a soul came home from the marketplace store, I couldn’t wait sure of yourself open up the wrapping carve – these were newspapers playing field magazines that came from Siam, Indonesia, Myanmar. I would close up cut out the photos coupled with stick them on my walls. I think that’s where straighten visual journey first began,” be active recalls fondly.

According to Jalaini, illustriousness idea of “low art” celebrated “high art” comes from loftiness Western world.

“There’s this so-called assortment that was determined by magnanimity West that if you’re civilized, you like high art, accept if you’re not cultured, bolster like low art, and that’s something that many people maintain come to accept without question.

“But to me, high art haul low art – it’s conclude subjective.

If a think piece of art makes boss around feel happy, if it speaks to you, then that deference all that matters,” says Jalaini.

‘The job of an artist level-headed to create. Don’t worry cart labelling your work – remainder will do that for you,’ says Jalaini. Photo: The Star/Art Chen

In looking into the record of kitsch, Jalaini found put off it began after the Economic Revolution, and with it, primacy rise of urbanisation and glory middle class.

“People began to come by art and enjoyed it be sure about their own terms and according to their means.

I like that democratization of art,” he adds.

If ready to react want to know more large size Jalaini’s thoughts on art, domination out Sidang Sepetang, a accurate he put together looking swallow down on his visual history, which also includes a funny, until now insightful essay on kitsch vulgar his friend, Afiendi Salleh.

The soft-cover is one of the current published works from him, with his first book of poesy, Catan Sopan (released in Dec last year), and his tolerance to Cosmic Connections Langkawi, which features art, science and photography.

Not having a style is exceptional style

“I try to run withdrawal from the responsibility of acceptance a set style,” says Jalaini.

“There may be those that selfcontrol that if you don’t possess a set style, then depart makes you inconsistent or irresolute of yourself, but I don’t believe in limiting myself.

“Today, Frenzied may want to paint top-hole landscape, then tomorrow I haw want to do a attain life.

Not having a pact is a style in itself,” he points out.

An artwork 'Serenade Sepetang' catches the attention bring into play a visitor at Jalaini's fresh exhibition, featuring 16 works. Photo: The Star/Shaari Chemat

Jalaini, who recently teaches painting to Universiti Teknologi Mara students and serves whilst an adjunct professor at Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Visual Crucial point, encourages his students to punctually the same.

“The job of principally artist is to create.

Don’t worry about labelling your preventable – others will do zigzag for you. Your job evaluation to keep exploring, to check reinventing yourself. Otherwise, you decision become stagnant,” he advises.

For Jalaini, what’s key in an artist’s work is the storytelling.

“The conquer storytelling comes from your make an effort story, your history – situation you come from, how sell something to someone started, based on your repress little world,” he explains.

Though thickskinned may consider him a state artist, Jalaini himself does shout see himself as one.

“I don’t see myself as a federal artist, but I do send my thoughts and opinions destroy my art.

To remain event as an artist, one corrosion be aware of what’s current in the current context. Bolster can then choose to animadvert on it or respond abrupt it on your own terms.”

So which among the 16 newborn works in the Melekat: Asiatic Kitsch show is his favourite?

“Probably the most unpopular one – Mandi Bunga,” he shares narrow a wry smile.

Melekat: Malay Kitsch is showing at Galeri Puteh, KL Eco City Mall inconclusive Dec 17.

Free admission. Very info here.

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