REVISION CLASS

VCS265 CONTEMPORARY ART

AND DESIGN IN MALAYSIA.
UiTM FINAL EXAMINATION MARCH 2015

INTRODUCTION

SPOT QUESTIONS :

1. MODERN MALAYSIAN ART:

THE PRE-INDEPENDENCE ERA (1930s1957)
2. THE STYLE OF MODERN MALAYSIAN PAINTING.
3. BATIK PAINTINGS IN THE 1980s AND 1990s.
4. MODERN MALAYSIAN SCULPTURE
5. CARTOON ELEMENTS IN LOCAL MODERN
PAINTING.

6. INDUSTRY CERAMIC
7. UiTM CONTRIBUTION ASPECT OF
DESIGN IN MALAYSIA.
8. GRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA
9. THE HISTORY OF POTTERY & CERAMIC
10. WOOD CARVING

POINT OF QUESTIONS :
Q1-MODERN MALAYSIAN ART [Pre-Independence Era]

THE BEGINNING OF LANDSCAPE PAINTING

THE BRITISH CONTRIBUTION TO MALAYSIAN ART CAN BE TRACED TO THE PRESENCE

OF BRITISH TRAVELLER-ARTISTS AND THEIR NATURALISTIC DOCUMENTATIONS OF
THE BEAUTY OF THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE, RENDERED THROUGH THEIR SCENIC
TOPOGRAPHICAL VIEWS OF THE PLACE.
BRITISH APPROACH - RATIONAL AND INVESTIGATIVE DEPICTION OF REALITY,
ARTISTIC INTERPRETATIONS DIFFERED FROM EARLIER SYMBOLIC AND RELIGIOCENTRED VIEWS.
THE NATURALISTIC APPROACH TO DEPICTING NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT WAS
INITIALLY BROUGHT TO THE COUNTRY BY THE BRITISH MILITARY TRAVELLERARTISTS WHO WERE ASSIGNED TO MAKE TOPOGRAPHICAL VIEWS OF THE PLACE
DURING THE 18TH AND 19TH CENTURIES.
FEATURED A FOREGROUND, A MIDDLE GROUND, AND A DISTANT BACKGROUND.
INFLUENCED BY ROMANTIC NOTIONS OF NATURE, HIGHLIGHTING THE IDYLLIC, THE
TRANQUIL AND THE SCENIC.
INCLUDE THE THREE MAIN FACTORS INFLUENCE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF
MALAYSIAN MODERN ART ARE COLONIZATION, IMMIGRATION AND EDUCATION
SYSTEM.

POINT OF QUESTIONS :
Q2 THE STYLE OF MODERN MSIAN PAINTING.
Included :
THE PENANG WATERCOLOURIST
NANYANG ACADEMY OF FINE ART
THE WEDNESDAY ART GROUP
ANGKATAN PELUKIS SEMENANJUNG
EXPRESSIONISM & ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM
ISLAMIC AESTHETIC AND TRADITIONAL ART

YOUR EXPLAINATION MUST BE :

: Local landscape / sea scape / kampung / tin mine

Q3 BATIK PAINTING
The

history of batik painting in Msia

=the dramatic process of batik creation has given inspiration to modern malaysian artists to
adapt batik to easel paintings or scrolls and display it in the context of art galleries. This step
has widened the visual treatment of modern malaysian art, while raising local artists
awareness of the wealth of traditional art.

Functions

of batik painting like use for sarong

Motifs flora and fauna
Theme
Subjects
Techniques canting / tritik
The pioneers (batik painting artist) = chuah thean teng,khalil
ibrahim, tay mo leong.

Examples

of artwork = di tepi pantai / kampung nelayan and etc.

Q4 MODERN MALAYSIAN SCULPTURE

Revise on the topic :
The history development of sculpture in Msia
-Around
-(page

1960s but only as an activity secondary to painting.

65: in the book, modern malaysian art and slide)

The

style : artist idea or try to show it to audience

The theme of sculpture :
1. figurative and representational

(Anthony Laus attitude of respect for the materials he uses in his works must be taken into
account, for this principle influences the form and content of his works about nature. I am
attracted by materials. An artist must respect his materials.)

2. Political and social theme

related to our daily life , our needs and politic issues, our taboo (pantang larang) like
dont play during maghrib and etc.

Artist

and examples of artist artwork.

Q5 CARTOON ELEMENTS IN LOCAL PAINTING

FOCUS ON :
oCartoon and modern art has been traced in the treatment
of form by several major artist like Daumier, Lautrec,
Picasso and Lichtenstein.
oTreatment based on : 1. concept of stylization
2. transformation of the subject
oHistorical perspective existed since early 1950s
through
the artwork by Nanyang academy
artist, Wednesday art group and
anak alam.
oList

of artist and their artworks

(page 75 : modern malaysian art )

Q6 INDUSTRY CERAMIC
REVISE ON :
Definition of ceramic from Greek and Collin English Dictionary
oTypes of ceramic and materials :
Earthenware

: the most popular category and widely used by people

Firing temperature : 900C- 1180C

Stoneware

: small particle size, non porous, durable.

Firing temperature : 1150C- 1300C

Bone

china

: Composition of Clay: 25%, Cornish: 25%,

Bone ash: 25%) , physically white and translucent
Firing temperature : 1240C- 1250C

Porcelain

: Composition of Kaolin: 25%, Feldspar: 25%,

Quartz: 25%
Firing temperature : 1240C- 1350C
Divided into two: Hard Porcelain & Soft Porcelain (popular in China)

oSculptural

ceramic : 1. installation -ceramic sculpture being arranged in a big

composition or scattered but related to each other.

2. Studio sculpture:

functions as decorative

product.

3. Conceptual Sculpture: Meaning or

interpretation depends on the artist, compared to studio sculpture being interpreted by audiences

Q7 UiTM CONTRIBUTION
Give specific provision to the local university to implement R & D programs to
improve the capacity, creativity and innovation among lecturers and students.

Give specific provisions to UiTM for training and learning development in this field.

Make

clear to others the importance of local industry and its relation to the field of new
product designs.

exhibition, seminars, conferences,

short courses, workshops and design competitions.

Hold a design

Exhibition
Young

and conference in the Asia Pacific.

designer contest Malaysia.

Malaysia Good Design Mark.

Q8 GRAPHIC DESIGN IN MALAYSIA

History

of graphic design term

Role of graphic design - * to attract
* to persuade
* to inform
field of graphic design
* Printing & Communication Design
* Desktop Publishing Design
* Advertising
* Packaging Design
* Corporate Design

Q10 WOOD CARVING

History of woodcarving in Msia

It is an art of partially removing wood from a board or a plank

Following specific motifs and orders (Ismail, 2001,2002).

* it is a craftsmanship depicting the beauty of natural
elements, geometry and Quranic calligraphy by incising
or cutting the hardwood timber using sharp tools conforming to
Specific patterns and compositions.
* Generally, the carved components are depicted in three
Incision modes: relief, perforated or a combination of both
(Ismail & Ahmad, 2001).

The work of this local genius contributed in

various forms such as :

Decorative arts in architecture.

Weapon designs (i.e keriss hilt).

Boats.

Household items (i.e coconut grater kukuran), bird cage.

Furniture.

Traditional games (i.e congkak).

The most common and prominent motifs in the Malay

woodcarving is the floral type. There are at least two types of
styles in floral motif expression.

The first type is called bunga putu (roseate). The motif

which stand by itself, represented singly or in a pattern.
The second type is called awan larat. It is normally
represented in the form of spiraling vine or tendril growing
from a core root, bud or seed. Its leaves and branches
crawling into the whole piece of carving.

Awan Larat style symbolizes life and fertility. Most of the floral
motifs were taken from surrounding flower, plants and herbs.
Bunga tanjung (Mimusops elengi), bunga cempaka (Michelia
champaka), bunga tikar seladang (Vallaris glabra) were among
the popular motifs in Malay carving whilst ketumbit, bunga
teratai (Nelumbium nucifera) and ketam guri are two most
popular in the east coast of Malaysia and southern Thailand.

WAN MUSTAFA WAN SU

Master Craftsperson for Various Craft - Traditional Wood

Carving (2007) ( Ukiran Kayu Tradisional)

How it started
Wood carvers in Terengganu are passionate about decorative wood
carving and are very engaging to ensure its continuous growth.
They actively extend support to apprenticeship programmes in
preserving the craft heritage.

Uniqueness
The workshop is now known asBengkel Seni Wan Mustafa
Wan Suand is creatively vibrant with apprentices and wood
carvers learning and working under his tutelage. Wan Po runs
the workshop himself which has a splendid walk-in showroom.
He is a perfectionist and every work of art has his personal
touch before it is delivered to the client. Wan Po is known to be
selective of his wood carvers, making sure they have never
worked with any experts.The Dewan Bahasa Dan
Pustakahas referred him for advice on a study of words used
by traditional wood carvers. Wan Po was also spotted by
ASTRO which documented him and his work.

ARTWORKS :

Mohd Hoessein Enas, 1962.

Memetik Daun Tembakau
di Kelantan. Oil,
96x121cm.

Abdul Latiff Mohidin, 1964.

Pago-pago, oil, 100x100.3
cm.

Peter Harris, 1959.

Joget Moden, oil,
140x90cm.

ARTWORKS :

Zulkifli Dahlan, 1977. Satu Hari di Bumi

Larangan. Emulsion paint on plywood,
96x144.

Joseph Tan, 1968.

Love Me in My Batik,
Mixed media, 54x36.

Mastura Abdul
Rahman, 1990.
Tanpa Tajuk: Siri
Dalaman,
arkrilik, 88 x 88 cm

ARTWORKS :

Zulkifli Yusoff, 1996

Dont Play During Maghrib
Sulaiman Esa,
Garden of Certainty
II, 1995.

Syed Ahmad Jamal,

The Link, Metal,
(1963).

HOW TO WRITE ESSAY QUESTION :

Introduction - description
- history

Content - history of development

- explanation about : theme , styles, subject ,
medium and etc.
- artist name and give example of artist
artworks
- elements of art and principles of design
(elaborate based on painting/sculpture)
- relate to current issues
Conclusion judgement
- give some opinion