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| Front entrance of the exhibition space |
SOLO EXHIBITION
PENANG STATE ART GALLERY
April, 2010.
PENANG STATE ART GALLERY
April, 2010.
SYNOPSIS
“Veil of An Artist”” (VOA) is my solo exhibition of recent paintings, interactive media and video installation.
VOA is my personal dialogue with the many notions of light and self(s). It reflects my silent dialogue to disperse the dichotomy, dualism and illusion (veil) of separation between the tangible and intangible, between a looking subject with his/her object of gaze, between self and ‘others’, between particle and wave. The exhibition speaks about the elusive space that allows consciousness to exist. My own personal readings and encounters have further affirmed that whatever is being observed physically originates from within, deep inside the miniscule quantum field of the mind and cosmic energy. What is being thought and felt will determine what is being observed. Whenever one looks at a piece of artwork, one is actually looking at one’s mind. When one’s veil is opened, what is being seen is not anymore a presence of an artwork or an 'product' of 'an artist', but one’s own presence as an observer who is doing the looking and evaluating.
KEYWORDS
Self, Mind, Light, Quantum, Cosmic Energy, Dualism, Subject/object, Illusion of Form, Veil, Consciousness
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| View of main exhibition hall |
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| Another view of the exhibition |
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| Shahrul with his students inspecting |
THE TRANSIENT NATURE OF IDENTITY, SELF AND PERSONALITY
by Hasnul Saidon on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 3:02am
This is my response to M. Haniff's pondering on his art.we.ar., his cosplay art. It relates to my own personal works.
Hanif,
Ego and alter ego are patterns of thinking. We wear, manifest and project it physically most of the time, even without art.we.ar.
What we normally refer to as our physical identity or personality is also actually a projection of the mind. What we look as our physical self is a shadow of our mind.
Some tradition refers to this notions of identity or personality as an illusion, or manifestation, or a sign for self, or in relation to you, a shell or an armour. It is not the real Self.
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| "Mendiri" with projection |
However, if we identify with such shell, it becomes our ego. Once we said that this ego is absolutely real, we become entrapped and even enslaved by it. We need to protect and feed it all the time, with whatever that makes the ego (illusion) grows. We suffer for it. Those who r enslaved by ego will never b free. They r enslaved by the mind and emotion (reaction to the mind), both of which r supposed to b our instruments, not our master.
The real Self or master is the witness of the mind - a state when one is aware of what one's mind is doing and projecting. Its a state of awareness or in some traditions, awakening and enlightened, which is different than thinking and feeling.
The real Self or master is the witness of the mind - a state when one is aware of what one's mind is doing and projecting. Its a state of awareness or in some traditions, awakening and enlightened, which is different than thinking and feeling.
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| "Mendiri/Standing up" (2010) |
Interestingly, the armour allows us to project a different pattern of thinking, different illusion, manifestation, sign or shell. By doing so, it also allows us to b a witness to how other illusions of self response to it. Behind the armour, we r not affected by what we assume as others, because we know that they r responding to something that is not the real us.
Becoming a witness sets us free in a similar way becoming the person behind the armour can also set us free. Again, we don't have to take how other egos response to it personally, because we know for sure that the shell that we wear are not our real self. Consequently, we can have a much fun and enjoyable experience. We can play. Play is important. Being cheerful and playful is being close to our true nature.
This is a very telling metaphor for the fact that our physical appearance itself is also a mere armour/shell/shadow/illusion/manifestation of the mind.
The real person behind the armour is an apt metaphor for the real master/a silent witness who is looking at what the mind is projecting.
A person who is in a state of awareness or awakened or enlightened, will never take anything personally because he or she r aware of the transient nature of all projected identities. The real Self is not affected, because he/she is in his/her natural state of being which is free, peaceful, full of love and joy.
In short, art.we.ar for me, is an interesting metaphor and avenue to celebrate the fact that any notion of physical identity or personality is actually a mere shadow of the mind. It keeps on changing, transient, never stays. The Real Soul will always be the silent witness, that will never b affected by all the transient illusions of physical experiences.
Returning to the real Self is when one returns to the true nature of one's Soul by being free of one's ego/s (unveiling the illusions of physical experiences). Once free, one can have a much fun, free, loving, cheerful and enjoyable 'living' experiences, provided that one follows the correct 'paths'/syariat' as a guidance.
But that would be another pondering all together.
Keep up the good vibes Haniff.
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| "Mohon/Ask" (2010) |
114 juta tahun yang lalu,
bumi jadi saksi
kembang yang sulung.
Menekuni mekarnya adalah zikir hayat.
Persis khutbah diam yang mengundang senyum mistikal,
untuk kemudiannya menjadi pesan merentas zaman.
Kembang bunga
membawa sipenyaksi
kembali kepada fitrahnya......yang sedia indah.
Bunga adalah bayangan jasad untuk hadir ghaib.
Pesuruh
jambatan
bayangan
penyampai berita
dari Kasih Yang Maha Pengasih.
Harumnya hadir dari dimensi batin
menghadiahkan 'sedar' buat lena mimpi benda.
Mekarnya adalah
bangun sepohon pokok.
Ia mencairkan bayangan jasad
persis cairnya keras batuan
bila angkuh jirim berhijrah
ke makam kristal dan berlian
yang mesra-cahaya
Bunga, kristal, berlian, permata,
jika dibebaskan dari penjara nama
adalah penanda adanya batin
adanya Pati Hayat
adanya Hadir
hakikat adanya
Ada Yang Abadi
Julai 2010
Taman Bukit Gambir
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| "Salam/Peace" (2010) |
Best comment I recieved on my wall so far...
ME:
Video is more transient, ever-changing, non-permanent, fluid etc. It balances the notion of permanency as espoused by paintings. Paintings have become a 'screen'/tabir.
Anyway, everything will pass...
MAMAT TALI :
True enough. We live in the dimension of contigencies. Everything physical has its radioactive half-life. e.g. metal rust, animal gets old and degenerates and all compounds breaks down into elements and nothing is truly physical as the smallest particles are only packets of rotating electrical waves neutron and proton.
MY RESPOND:
Subhannallah....well said my friend, and very blessed to read someone in fb commeting like u did. Wish we could have more who r able to explicate similarly, in the local art scene. As for conveying through sculptures, all the best. Sculpture, as in painting, traditionally, is a legacy of modern science, where everything is 'objectified'. Objectified world, as said by few, is crumbling down now. Some called it with the fancy tag - deconstruction. As more and more r sharing ideas (higher energy in different frequencies), more will b awakening into a quantum field, like what we r doing now.
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| "Lepas/Letting go" (2010) |
Saya cuba sampaikan apa yang diajar pada saya sekadar yang mampu dan kita sama-sama mohon perlindungan serta petunjuk Allah.
Minda itu alat. Alat perlu ada tuan. Alat tidak boleh menguasai tuannya. Tuannya adalah yang menyaksikan perlakuan minda. Jika tidak, alat ini (minda) akan terus bising mencipta 'mimpi benda' sebagai makanan kepada bayangan diri yang disebut dalam bahasa moden sebagai 'ego' atau 'aku'.
'Aku' dan kehidupan fizikal dimungkinkan oleh proses minda. Ada yang menggelarnya mimpi kebendaan atau singkatnya mimpi benda. Kehidupan dunia atau bayangan atau mimpi benda hanyalah titian (atau ujian), bukan destinasi. Begitu juga dengan 'aku' atau ego tadi, ilusi yang dipinjamkan sementara je, tak kiralah sehebat atau sehensem mana pun. Jika mimpi benda ini dipegang (maksudnya, dijadikan berhala/kekal/kiblat/sasaran/tujuan/matlamat/KPI/destinasi mutlak), kita akan lena tenggelam dalamnya, jadi berat berkarat, hingga cahaya hidayah tak boleh masuk.
Saya selalu dipesan agar selalu berusaha kembali menjadi saksi kepada perlakuan minda, agar tidak lena, lalai atau lupa. Apatah lagi untuk orang macam saya yang suka berfikir dan sering perasan bahawa fikiran saya kononnya hebat dan bagus. Usaha untuk kembali menjadi saksi ini persis perang kerana minda akan berdegil terus mencipta mimpi benda (angan-angan benda) untuk menggemukkan dan memberatkan ilusi ego.
Semua manusia, termasuk yang sedang menulis ini, sentiasa terjerat (dan terus cuba dijerat) dalam mimpi benda yang menggemukkan ego. Bab ego jantan ni, dulu masa lebih belia, memang layan sampai setengah mati. Tapi cerita toksik peribadi ni kongsi dengan Allah lebih afdal daripada dibuat drama. Sampai sekarang pun, saya sendiri belum lepas bebas dari toksiknya. Tapi inilah perang yang lebih hebat. Adakala menang adakala kalah. Dari mula kita celik mata bangun tidur hingga pejam mata untuk tidur, minda menjadi 'battle field' antara gelombang/tenaga/frekuensi baik dan jahat, darth vader atau obi wan knobi, cahaya atau kegelapan etc.
Bonda dan ayahanda saya ada pesan, jika ada ketika terasa ego tercalar atau dicalar, itu bagus, kerana ia mengempiskan ego dan boleh menjadi pintu untuk kembali menjadi saksi kepada perlakuan minda. Ada banyak cara kita diberikan poskad amaran (kifarah) untuk mengempiskan ego. Saya pernah dapat sms yang kata saya punya esei 'idiotic'. Mula-mula nak bersilat, lepas diingatkan bonda, saya rasa perlu berterimakasih pada penghantar sms tersebut. Jangan tunggu poskad amaran berat-berat untuk 'tersedar', sudahlah. Minta disimpangkan.
Saya juga dipesan agar jangan pula dibuang laluan dunia. Jika sudah dapat 'maintain' dalam keadaan 'penyaksian' atau 'sedar'(dapat cahaya/terjaga/enlightened), apa yang dikatakan kehidupan dunia itu akan jadi lebih nikmat dan berkat. Kita tahu bahawa semuanya ilusi, pinjaman, sementara, tak kekal, transient, berubah-ubah. Kita akan sentiasa berada dalam kebebasan (dari perangkap/jerat minda dan perasaan). Kita sentiasa dalam ketenangan, kebahagian dan kesejahteraan abadi. Kita menjada 'ada' yang mengikut fitrah dan berdamai dengan frekuensi seluruh alam. Kita akan dapat menikmati dan melepasi mimpi benda, sebelum bertransformasi untuk menikmati dimensi yang seterusnya pula (akhirat). InsyaAllah.
Itu yang semampu disampaikan.
Macam manapun, harap tuan dapat pi jumpa guru utk tanya. FB untuk buka boleh le. Saya tanya ayahanda dan bonda, mereka pula berguru dengan ramai guru lain, termasuk ninda saya. Guru-buru ini menyambung apa yang Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.kita dah wasiatkan.
Kalau rajin, bacalah Misykat Cahaya oleh Imam Ghazali. Dia ulas tentang kuantum, sebelum teori tu orang putih jumpa dan claim dia punya. Tapi dia taklah guna istilah canggih kuantum.
Kalau ada yang tak betul, tolong bagi tau. Kalau ada yang boleh kongsi, silakanlah.
Minda itu alat. Alat perlu ada tuan. Alat tidak boleh menguasai tuannya. Tuannya adalah yang menyaksikan perlakuan minda. Jika tidak, alat ini (minda) akan terus bising mencipta 'mimpi benda' sebagai makanan kepada bayangan diri yang disebut dalam bahasa moden sebagai 'ego' atau 'aku'.
'Aku' dan kehidupan fizikal dimungkinkan oleh proses minda. Ada yang menggelarnya mimpi kebendaan atau singkatnya mimpi benda. Kehidupan dunia atau bayangan atau mimpi benda hanyalah titian (atau ujian), bukan destinasi. Begitu juga dengan 'aku' atau ego tadi, ilusi yang dipinjamkan sementara je, tak kiralah sehebat atau sehensem mana pun. Jika mimpi benda ini dipegang (maksudnya, dijadikan berhala/kekal/kiblat/sasaran/tujuan/matlamat/KPI/destinasi mutlak), kita akan lena tenggelam dalamnya, jadi berat berkarat, hingga cahaya hidayah tak boleh masuk.
Saya selalu dipesan agar selalu berusaha kembali menjadi saksi kepada perlakuan minda, agar tidak lena, lalai atau lupa. Apatah lagi untuk orang macam saya yang suka berfikir dan sering perasan bahawa fikiran saya kononnya hebat dan bagus. Usaha untuk kembali menjadi saksi ini persis perang kerana minda akan berdegil terus mencipta mimpi benda (angan-angan benda) untuk menggemukkan dan memberatkan ilusi ego.
Semua manusia, termasuk yang sedang menulis ini, sentiasa terjerat (dan terus cuba dijerat) dalam mimpi benda yang menggemukkan ego. Bab ego jantan ni, dulu masa lebih belia, memang layan sampai setengah mati. Tapi cerita toksik peribadi ni kongsi dengan Allah lebih afdal daripada dibuat drama. Sampai sekarang pun, saya sendiri belum lepas bebas dari toksiknya. Tapi inilah perang yang lebih hebat. Adakala menang adakala kalah. Dari mula kita celik mata bangun tidur hingga pejam mata untuk tidur, minda menjadi 'battle field' antara gelombang/tenaga/frekuensi baik dan jahat, darth vader atau obi wan knobi, cahaya atau kegelapan etc.
Bonda dan ayahanda saya ada pesan, jika ada ketika terasa ego tercalar atau dicalar, itu bagus, kerana ia mengempiskan ego dan boleh menjadi pintu untuk kembali menjadi saksi kepada perlakuan minda. Ada banyak cara kita diberikan poskad amaran (kifarah) untuk mengempiskan ego. Saya pernah dapat sms yang kata saya punya esei 'idiotic'. Mula-mula nak bersilat, lepas diingatkan bonda, saya rasa perlu berterimakasih pada penghantar sms tersebut. Jangan tunggu poskad amaran berat-berat untuk 'tersedar', sudahlah. Minta disimpangkan.
Saya juga dipesan agar jangan pula dibuang laluan dunia. Jika sudah dapat 'maintain' dalam keadaan 'penyaksian' atau 'sedar'(dapat cahaya/terjaga/enlightened), apa yang dikatakan kehidupan dunia itu akan jadi lebih nikmat dan berkat. Kita tahu bahawa semuanya ilusi, pinjaman, sementara, tak kekal, transient, berubah-ubah. Kita akan sentiasa berada dalam kebebasan (dari perangkap/jerat minda dan perasaan). Kita sentiasa dalam ketenangan, kebahagian dan kesejahteraan abadi. Kita menjada 'ada' yang mengikut fitrah dan berdamai dengan frekuensi seluruh alam. Kita akan dapat menikmati dan melepasi mimpi benda, sebelum bertransformasi untuk menikmati dimensi yang seterusnya pula (akhirat). InsyaAllah.
Itu yang semampu disampaikan.
Macam manapun, harap tuan dapat pi jumpa guru utk tanya. FB untuk buka boleh le. Saya tanya ayahanda dan bonda, mereka pula berguru dengan ramai guru lain, termasuk ninda saya. Guru-buru ini menyambung apa yang Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.kita dah wasiatkan.
Kalau rajin, bacalah Misykat Cahaya oleh Imam Ghazali. Dia ulas tentang kuantum, sebelum teori tu orang putih jumpa dan claim dia punya. Tapi dia taklah guna istilah canggih kuantum.
Kalau ada yang tak betul, tolong bagi tau. Kalau ada yang boleh kongsi, silakanlah.
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| "Tunduk/Bow" (2010) |
ROOPESH SITHARAN LOOKS AT VIDEO OVER PAINTING, AND HOPEFULLY BEYOND 'HIJAB'
Hi, this is Roopesh writing. about Hasnul Jamal Saidon (HJS) and his works in his recent solo, "Hijab Seorang Pelukis(HSP) / Veil of an Artist(VOA)".
First and foremost, I must confess that writing about HJS is a challenging task. It is not that my previous essays were easy(1) but the truth is, each essay about Hasnul has become increasingly difficult to write as I progressed from historical and theoretical discourses to more elusive and biographical aspects of writing such as ethics, values and psyche.
How to describe 'Hasnul Jamal Saidon'? By this I meant trying to read the artist without his many veils - his representations or his various manifestations through his multi-disciplinary approach and never-ending contributions to the Malaysian art scene(2). As I toiled down the road in trying to complete this essay, I realized that the problem of describing Hasnul was far more complex.
Hasnul himself is difficult to categorize as he constantly defies classification altogether. Any attempt to pigeon-hole him is bound to be problematic. Although we might agree to certain traits of HJS based on our encounters with him, the importance we place on one trait over another is nonetheless dependable upon the nature of our relationship with him (friend over artist, or director over curator). It varies according to our position, personality and experience. I have personally encountered HJS through his many veils, namely as an educator, academic, guru, curator, artist, philosopher, thinker, father, husband, and a friend. These veils manifest when the occasion demands. Nevertheless, underneath all the veils, there is an acute sense of coherence, connectivity and higher awareness within HJS that reach beyond the surface.
Hasnul's prevalent interest to connect is something that I have sensed and experienced through my encounters with him. While many can master various veils (juggling between many roles in life, or many different 'egos'), not many can connect and make coherence the sometimes chaotic nature of our fragmented living experience. To connect and make coherence requires a high level of commitment and dedication. Such commitment can be seen in HJS at any given context. It can be traced in streams of success under his belt through various personal and institutional positions he was in. In short, the urge to transcend and connect is constantly perpetuating within HJS regardless of his current position as a museum director, or an academic, curator, artist or any other position. We can witness such urge through his multifarious initiatives and activities at the Muzium & Galeri Tuanku Fauziah (MGTF), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) (3).
Unfortunately, his successes and multifarious body of works have ironically become veils that obscure us from reaching and understanding him. Perhaps this is due to the fact that his many veils or manifestations have been easily diluted by the larger context of the highly specialized local art scene, above and beyond his own control at times. In engaging with his recent solo exhibition, I will try to make sense of my personal encounter with him, which ironically, may end up becoming another form of veil as well.
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| "Cahaya Atas Cahaya/Light Upon Light" |
While experiencing his works in VOA, I found myself wondering about how exactly one can transcend beyond any veil? Every encounter is perceived through veils or an unavoidable mediation as we can only engage with someone through such mediation. In short, we cannot communicate or interact without some forms of mediation. Such mediation manifest through identification with forms or ego, which, in the case of VOA, Hasnul's paintings or even his self-portraits and video images of himself. Such identification with form or for some, 'object'tification of the ego, is the very thing that Hasnul has been constantly exploring, puncturing, deconstructing and redefinings throughout his creative multidimensional endeavors. I would prefer to refer to it as a constant state of deconstruction (of any veil) as if disallowing any form of ego from becoming too solid and opaque. Hasnul himself states :
"I became more sensitive to my own personal positioning in regards to the complex web of language and discourses, sign system and its apparatus, as I negated myself in complex webs of multiple binary contexts (as in local/global, Western/Eastern, White/Non-White, Me/Others, Malay/Non-Malay, privilege/non-privilege, Muslim/Non-Muslim and many more)(4)."
These words clearly demonstrate the awareness that has emerged within HJS of the different binaries and categories of veil that are continuously used to define and differ one from 'the others'. These binaries form easy demarcations and mental veils. The mediation or veil becomes the structure in which one define one's ego in relation to others and the surrounding environment. This very structure also becomes a shroud that disconnect one from another. As such, it places one in a paradoxical juncture, whereby one cannot communicate without a veil, while simultaneously hide oneself from others. HJS experiences such paradox as raptures(5). In his journey, he has allowed himself to be examined and punctuated through his many veils, in order to open a path inward, to awaken so to speak. This inward journey is a process of self-examining, self-seeking and self-discovery, the process of searching for the truth within oneself.
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| "Aku Dalam Dia/Me in You" (2010) |
Perhaps, in order to understand and appreciate HJS, one should recognize what is central to his impulse. Hasnul is fearless and unabashed in his desire to challenge, discover, embrace and unveil his Self, the big 'I' that is obscured by all the veils or ego that one's mind may conjure. This journey has lead him to transgress and cross over boundaries and barriers of identity, ethnicity, culture and artistic practices while he embraces, internalizes and emanates the simple truth of love, innocence and friendship that are hidden deep within every human being. It is through such simple truth that I felt a connection with him. By unveiling hidden values and ethics, HJS has awakened and enabled me to uncover my own veils. This process of awaking and enabling is one of the best gifts HJS could offer to another person, beyond all his academic knowledge and experience.
The term 'hijab' or veil in Hasnul's term, refers to our mental and emotional planes or dimensions. In his own words, 'the mind is the next frontier'. The word 'hijab' is also mentioned in the Quran, which according to Hasnul, has less to do with what we normally assume as a code of dressing for Muslim women.
I believe that an acute sense of articulation by the artist in bringing together two different mediums (painting and video) into a similar space-time dimension clearly indicates the various points of ruptures in HJS own practice as an artist. I must point out that doing something intuitive and being able to describe it accurately are two different things. The concept of a veil can be explicated through written words, but such concept is best 'experienced' in the actual exhibition. VOA is perhaps best appreciated by experiencing it rather than reading about it or looking at its photographic documentations.
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| "Di Taman Kudus/ In the Precious Garden" |
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| "Buku Api/Book of Fire" (2010) |
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| "Kuku Api/Book of Fire" (2010) |
The veil in HJS's solo can be referred to his paintings, moving images in his video works and even the mental boundary between moving video images with the seemingly static subjects in his paintings.
Video as a medium is transient and very malleable. The ability of the medium to fit in various forms of presentation allows it to be articulated in various ways. This probably causes several problems in terms of thinking about video as a unique medium to be investigated and hopefully understood. Video in its nature resists any form of 'objectification', fixed conceptual framework and predictable articulation. Perhaps one way of approaching this medium would be to restrict video to a specific object or practice, say for example video recording or dvds. But this approach limits our study to a specific form of video art, which is contradictory to the constantly changing nature of video technology. Conversely, if we approach video as a form of ever-evolving technology, we risk losing the historical essence of its practice. Thus, video as a medium for art practice is difficult to be pigeon-holed as compared to other more established forms of art mediums. This is where HJS explores his notion of a veil for an artist in which the very medium chosen by an artist may become the veil that blinds him/her.
HJS's approach in juxtaposing video over painting promptly makes a viewer aware of the diverse nature and distinct characteristics of each medium. The video as an object of HJS's practice allows him to reflect his very own struggle with the rupture of his veil as an artist who 'paints'. It may also imply a struggle to awaken oneself from objectifying artistic practice as something frozen, static, specific and fixed. In a metaphoric sense, the video may initially functions as a catalyst to unveil the instability of reading a static subject in a painting. The video work itself may consequently function as another veil, constantly changing veil that will always question his role as an artist and identification with painting as a fixed manifestation of his creative self. Interestingly, video is projected as a light source. Comparatively, from a physic point of view, colors in painting also exist as light (or visible electromagnetic waves) in various frequencies. Light here, becomes the common or key denominator.
Despite his constant negation, HJS has not abandoned his talent, skill and experience in painting and drawing. The established sense of an artist in a traditional sense is clearly demonstrated in his sharp sense of awareness as manifested throuh his skillfully painted figures (of himself). Video images of HJS are projected on the paintings. The images show HJS in various postures shuch as falling, sitting meditatively while being washed down by what seems to be a water fall, and several praying postures.
to be continued...
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| "Dakap/Embrace" (2010) |
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| Datuk Syed, guest of honor, singing http://hasnulsaidon.blogspot.com/2013/09/rupa-jiwa-kenangan-terindah-dengan.html |
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| Despite not feeling well, Datuk still came. |
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| Delivering a speech during the opening |
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| D | ato' Tang Hon Yin, Lee Khai and Ooi K Chuen |
BANGKIT!!
by Hasnul Saidon on Friday, July 16, 2010 at 2:02am
Peristiwanya adalah : AKU membaca teks yang tertera di atas skrin komputer ini.
Tiba-tiba terasa tersangat ringan. AKU terasa kehilangan bentuk. Sekilas terasa melangkah terbang ke belakang dan ke atas.
Tiba-tiba terasa tersangat ringan. AKU terasa kehilangan bentuk. Sekilas terasa melangkah terbang ke belakang dan ke atas.
Sekarang, dapat diSAKSIkan dengan jelas sekujur tubuh sedang menekuni teks yang tertera di atas skrin komputer. Itulah sekujur tubuh yang selama ini dikenali sebagai aku. AKU sedang menyaksikan 'aku'. Hmmmmm.....
Sekilas juga segalanya menjadi lutsinar. Mula-mula ia amat membutakan. Segalanya terasa hilang. Tiada apa-apa, kecuali rasa kehadiran yang getarannya amat tenang, damai dan cinta. Kehadiran itu adalah kehadiran tenang, damai dan cinta.
Dari rasa kehadiran, jelas dapat diSAKSIkan bagaimana organ mata pada sekujur tubuh 'aku' tadi sedang menangkap pelbagai frekuensi gelombang cahaya, lalu membawa maklumat frekuensi ke organ otaknya untuk diproses.
Sekilas juga dapat diSAKSIkan bagaimana organ otak 'aku' tadi memproses julat warna dari frekuensi merah yang bergetar pendek hinggalah ke ungu yang bergetar panjang. Sekilas dapat diSAKSIkan bagaimana otak membentuk saranan frekuensi minda, yang serentak menyarankan pula bahawa itulah 'realiti tampak' atau 'realiti benda' untuk sekujur tubuh dipanggil 'aku' tadi.
Dapat diSAKSIkan pula begitu kompleksnya otak tadi memproses gelombang frekuensi yang dicerap oleh organ-organ deria yang lain - sentuhan, pendengaran, hidu dan rasa lidah untuk mencipta ilusi keras, lembut, halus, kasar, berat, ringan, manis, masam, tawar, pahit, wangi, busuk, bising, sunyi dan segala macam frekuensi saranan minda dan reaksi emosi yang infinit, dinamik, sentiasa berubah, tidak kekal, berlapis-lapis, pelbagai fokal/titik tumpuan, multi-dimensi, tidak linear, saling berkait, saling bergantungan, modular. Proses ini mengalahkan segala jenis komputer yang paling canggih yang boleh dicipta oleh manusia. Ia membolehkan sekujur tubuh tadi 'mengALAMi.' Begitu 'real' pengalaman itu hingga sekujur tubuh tadi mengatakan itulah 'aku'.
Dapat diSAKSIkan bahawa proses minda itulah yang terus membuai sekujur 'aku' tadi dalam sekilas mimpi benda yang dipanggil 'aku sedang membaca teks yang tertera pada skrin komputer'.
Sekilas juga terasa lebih ringan lalu tertanya :
Siapa pula AKU yang sedang menjadi SAKSI kepada peristiwa 'aku sedang membaca teks yang tertera pada skrin komputer' ini?
Sekilas juga segalanya menjadi lutsinar. Mula-mula ia amat membutakan. Segalanya terasa hilang. Tiada apa-apa, kecuali rasa kehadiran yang getarannya amat tenang, damai dan cinta. Kehadiran itu adalah kehadiran tenang, damai dan cinta.
Dari rasa kehadiran, jelas dapat diSAKSIkan bagaimana organ mata pada sekujur tubuh 'aku' tadi sedang menangkap pelbagai frekuensi gelombang cahaya, lalu membawa maklumat frekuensi ke organ otaknya untuk diproses.
Sekilas juga dapat diSAKSIkan bagaimana organ otak 'aku' tadi memproses julat warna dari frekuensi merah yang bergetar pendek hinggalah ke ungu yang bergetar panjang. Sekilas dapat diSAKSIkan bagaimana otak membentuk saranan frekuensi minda, yang serentak menyarankan pula bahawa itulah 'realiti tampak' atau 'realiti benda' untuk sekujur tubuh dipanggil 'aku' tadi.
Dapat diSAKSIkan pula begitu kompleksnya otak tadi memproses gelombang frekuensi yang dicerap oleh organ-organ deria yang lain - sentuhan, pendengaran, hidu dan rasa lidah untuk mencipta ilusi keras, lembut, halus, kasar, berat, ringan, manis, masam, tawar, pahit, wangi, busuk, bising, sunyi dan segala macam frekuensi saranan minda dan reaksi emosi yang infinit, dinamik, sentiasa berubah, tidak kekal, berlapis-lapis, pelbagai fokal/titik tumpuan, multi-dimensi, tidak linear, saling berkait, saling bergantungan, modular. Proses ini mengalahkan segala jenis komputer yang paling canggih yang boleh dicipta oleh manusia. Ia membolehkan sekujur tubuh tadi 'mengALAMi.' Begitu 'real' pengalaman itu hingga sekujur tubuh tadi mengatakan itulah 'aku'.
Dapat diSAKSIkan bahawa proses minda itulah yang terus membuai sekujur 'aku' tadi dalam sekilas mimpi benda yang dipanggil 'aku sedang membaca teks yang tertera pada skrin komputer'.
Sekilas juga terasa lebih ringan lalu tertanya :
Siapa pula AKU yang sedang menjadi SAKSI kepada peristiwa 'aku sedang membaca teks yang tertera pada skrin komputer' ini?
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| "Kamu dalam Aku/You in Me" (2010) |
Di ANTARA dinding putih Four Points sambil mengadap silvet kota Kuching berlatarkan megah Santubong. Ada ruang memecah ketepuan seni rupa Malaysia terselit di celah-celah pertemuan gelombang minda beberapa insan di UNIMAS. Seperti juga sel-sel otak yang hidup segar bila di'hubungkan' antara satu sama lain, kini diperlukan usaha untuk mengaitkan gelombang ini dengan yang lain di UPSI, UPM, UMS, MMU, UiTM, UNISEL, UMK.
Ada hikmah mengapa dilarang 'membakar jambatan' hubungan silaturrahim. Kerana fitrah otak yang berbilion selnya hanya hidup bila ia membina jambatan jalinan, tautan dan hubungan antara satu dengan lain; membina jaringan corak (coding fikir) yang bersifat:
Ada hikmah mengapa dilarang 'membakar jambatan' hubungan silaturrahim. Kerana fitrah otak yang berbilion selnya hanya hidup bila ia membina jambatan jalinan, tautan dan hubungan antara satu dengan lain; membina jaringan corak (coding fikir) yang bersifat:
1. Multidimensi
2. Saling berkait dan bergantungan (istilah 'independent'atau pengasingan melampau adalah anti-fitrah)
3. Modular (mikro dan makro dalam sinergi yang infinit)
4. Multi-arah
5. Multi-fokal/pusat
6. Bersifat baru (setiap saat sel mati diganti dengan yang baru)
7. Multi-peranan/disiplin/bidang
Marilah kita kembali pulang kepada fitrah. Pentas mulanya adalah pentas minda. Marilah menjadi saksi kepada perlakuan minda kita sendiri. Jadilah 'yang terbangun' dari belaian 'mimpi benda'.
Tq my dear Deng. Mind is our next frontier. See the World Cup. Many so called upsets. We called them upsets merely because the results were not in tuned with our 'logical' way of thinking. We have been so conditioned to be dependable on quantifiable statistics to control, manage, form and predict logical system. They are illusions, shadows. That legacy of industrial revolution that places science and all tangible (measurable) things (benda) as the sole basis of living is still haunting us in all fields and dimensions of our life.
The mind (and eventual body response to it that we call emotion), doesn't work in such a way. It displays quantum fluctuations that most quantitative means of measurement can't pick up. Quantum field is fluid, ever-changing, dynamic and displays the 7 characters or principles that I have listed above. Interestingly, we are the 'pewaris' of such principles, as epitomised by many forms of our own traditional art, culture and heritage. Sadly, such tradition has been tainted as 'pre-modern' by the snob legacy of modernism (and the so-called modernisation). Ironically, many developed, western and modern countries are now pondering a return to the true nature of our mind, instead of countries in the east.
Ramai 'pemberi hidayah' masa lampau, para Nabi, terutama Penghulu kita, Nabi Muhammad,begitu cinta kepada kita kerana sanggup berkorban jiwa raga untuk mewasiatkan kepada kita cara menala (tuning) minda kita agar kembali kepada fitrah.
Sadly, the way we go about our daily life and the matrix of our thinking patterns (and all the emotional attachments plus baggages) are slaving and destroying us and humanity. We need the return to our fitrah, our true nature. We have been steered off tangent, dissonant from the vibration (music) of the universe. We sing dissonant song, vibrate bad frequencies, detaching ourself by burning bridges (of love and friendships), and many more anti-fitrah things. Ironically, some people who like to claim to be 'alim' or 'pious' or warak are very much trapped by such anti-fitrah ways of thinking. Mereka 'membakar jambatan' dan bukan membina ikatan, tautan serta hubungan kasih serta persahabatan. Macam mana otak dan minda nak sihat? Jadilah kita insan yang mindanya sakit, tidak 'in tuned' dengan fitrahnya. Minda sakit, disusul dengan reaksi emosi yang sakit. Keduanya menzahirkan perbuatan yang sakit dan menyakitkan. Bila perbuatan diulang-ulang, jadi tabiat. Bila dah jadi tabiat, ia keras jadi benda (hisap rokok contohnya, bila dah jadi tegar macam saya, susah nak buang toksiknya). Terzahirlah yang kita panggil penyakit (untuk diubat oleh doktor). Walhal, puncanya adalah minda. Doktor buang tanda je, bukan punca. Tidak hairanlah,sudah banyak terzahirnya pelbagai tanda-tanda penyakit minda dan emosi di serata dunia, dari peringkat individu hinggalah negara. Dari penyakit-penyakit pelik, gejala sosial, hinggalah kepada konflik (dalam keluarga, dalam persatuan, dalam parti dll, sesama 'orang alim') yang puncaknya adalah peperangan dan kehancuran kemanusiaan.
Siapakah musuh sebenar dan di mana musuh ini? Adakah musuh ini boleh kita tunding dengan jari? Atau ia berlegar secara ghaib dalam gelombang fikir serta perasaan yang kita namakan sebagai 'fikiran aku', 'perasaan aku'.
Oleh itu, apakah kemenangan sebenar? Kalaupun menang perang fizikal, Penghulu kita pernah berpesan, ada medan dan pentas perang yang lebih hebat, untuk kita damaikan dan menangi. Memang adakala kita kalah, adakala kita menang. Jika menang yang ini, barulah boleh declare 'kebebasan, kemerdekaan dan kedamaian/ketenangan' sejati.
Marilah kita 'membina jambatan', manjadi 'talian' ANTARA pelbagai dimensi fikir dan rasa yang sentiasa rindu untuk kembali kepada fitrah getarannya yang asal. Marilah kita menjadi saksi kepada proses serta perlakuan minda kita sendiri. Itu adalah pintu mengintai 'DIRI'.
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| "Mendiri" with projection |
(Deng, the moon up in BDC's sky is so bright. Jupiter is faithfully by its side. The stars blinking. I'm in Sarawak Darul Hana now, hopefully to retune and return to the very reason why I chose to be a 'learner' when I migrated to UNIMAS before. True home is returning to one's soul)
May Allah Bless us.
Tq Deng for reminding. And yes, from quantum point of view (mind), distance and time are irrelevant. They may overlap. Aku dalam kamu, kamu dalam aku, kita dalam segalanya, segalanya dari Yang Satu. Every moment we think, we are creating and sending a frequency, and that frequency will eventually manifest physically into what we normally take as 'my life'. There is only now, whether we are thinking about the past or the future, we are thinking it NOW. SO, better occupy the NOW with 'jalan yang lurus' and all the tasbih and tahmid so that the mind is in a continuous state of awakening. That is our jihad.
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| Bayang (Shadow) |
Friday April 9, 2010
ART IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Story and picture by Jeremy Tan
CATCH multi-dimensional visual artist Hasnul J. Saidon’s intriguing artworks and video installations at his seventh solo exhibition – Veil of An Artist (VOA) – at the Penang State Art Gallery from now until April 30.
VIP tour: Hasnul (second right) briefing USM students on his art pieces.
Touching on themes such as cultural identity, crisis of representation and the notion of self in the midst of globalisation, the exhibit also celebrates his conferral of the National Artist Award for the visual arts category last year.
Proposing that whatever being observed physically originates from within, he believes that when one looks at a piece of artwork, one is actually looking at oneself.
“Thinking and feeling determines what is being observed. When the veils are opened, what is being observed is not anymore a presence of a painting or an artist, but the presence of an observer who is doing the observing and evaluating,” he explained.
Speaking during the exhibition’s opening ceremony on Saturday, Hasnul also dedicated his works to his colleagues at Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Tuanku Fauziah Museum & Gallery where he is currently the director.
“No matter how great the idea, you can’t do it alone. In that respect, I’m thankful to have a good team behind me. Ten years ago, this exhibition would not have been possible,” he said.
Since bursting onto the art scene in 1987, Hasnul has forged a reputation both locally and internationally in the field of electronic arts. National Art Laureate Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal, who was the guest-of-honour at the ceremony, said that when it comes to art, there were certain elements that elude definition, while describing the VOA as a mystifying, intriguing, consuming and absorbing experience
http://www.nme.com/movies/trailers/id/9XfGhvuYZj4/search/movie
http://vidrec.com/?v=cVlyavpvoNc
Other related sites :
http://www.bharian.com.my/articles/Galeri_HijabSeorangPelukis/Article/print_html
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2010/4/9/north/6004909&sec=north
http://singgahsanasini.blogspot.com/2011/04/pra-45-singgah-seni-bicara-sifu.html
http://gillian-chu.blogspot.com/2011/10/art-events-for-october-2011.html
And Shamsul Bahari's (my spiritual friend) ramblings on the show at :
http://cheeseburgerbuddha.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html
Heavy-duty essays with some mental mumbo-jumbo and ramblings closely related to my artistic predicament :
Other ramblings in Malay language :
Contextualizing my creative output within the Post-colonial framework (in Malay language):
The saga of 'getting high and getting real' in 10 series :
My two theoretical indulgences - cultural studies and quantum physics :
Cultural studies in confused dialogue (in Malay language) :
Quantum Physics by a guy who failed his physics subject in school (several series in Malay language) :
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| Shamsul Bahari (far right) with my sifu, Fauzan Omar during the reception |
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
"Veiled of an Artist" is made possible with kind support of many people. Amongst them include:
My highly dedicated and professional video collaborator - Shamsul Ikhmal Mansori
My hardworking and efficient tech team lead by Muhammad Husni Abdul Latiff and Noor Rashidi Shabidi
My installation team - Rosli Hamzah, Mohamad Yazdi Yaacop, Izrul Abd. Aziz, Nor Mohammad Abd. Rahim, Ravi Vansamy.
My administrative support - Mohd Firdaus Khairuddin, Afzanizam Mohd Ali, Aizuan Azmi, Nur Hafizah Abd. Aziz, Salim Ibrahim, Faridah Mohd Hashim, Salmiah Mohamad
My research support - Nor Laila Abd Rozak & Safinawati Samsudin
My Promo team - Nurul Ashikin Shuib, Azizi Yahya and Adlan Redzuan
My P.A - Radhiyah Abu Bakar
My students - Muhamad Ilyasak (for the interactive book system) and Berrindo (for the reflective holographic system)
All my students, now and then
All my friends
All my gurus, especially Fauzan Omar
My parents & family
My wife Rozana Mohamed and 3 daughters, Adeela, Amira and Ainina
Haryany, Curator of the Penang State Art Gallery and her staff
Committee members of the Penang State Art Gallery
Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal for his kindness in opening the show and singing, despite not feeling well; also Datin, for her warm support
Zanita Anuar & Ai Woei & Kadi
Patrick Lasak
All friends who came to the show - Raja Ahmad and Ruzaimah, Nur Hanim Khairuddin, Roslisham Ismail, Saiful Razman and wife, Rini Fauzan, etc.
I am blessed with your friendship.
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