3newvoices

To kick start 2008,Wei-Ling Gallery introduces the works of three young artists who have been identified as promising, new talents on the Malaysian art scene.

The exhibition entitled 3 NEW VOICES highlights the works of Marvin Chan, Hasanul Idris, and Liong Mei-Yin, all of whom are newcomers on the Malaysian art scene.

Marvin Chan hails from an advertising background but has spent the last three years working as a full time artist. It was after having won numerous awards in his role as artistic director at a leading advertising company, that he decided to devote his time entirely to pursuing his career as an artist. Marvin’s works are poignant and dark, yet retain a romanticism and beauty about them as they capture the emotions and characteristics of the children they portray. This series of paintings come under the title, ‘Letters to my unborn child-mercurial times’ and is a look at the face of the child/children that the artist imagines he will have and the thoughts/conversations he will share/have with them.

As he aptly says:

“I find the works to be quiet and intimate, resonating a parent and child connection with varying degrees of poignancy, which I find somewhat poetic in quality, creating feelings rather than signifying a statement “

For Hasanul Idris, the works are less personal, but are still a message about the state of the world within which we live. His artworks comment upon the United States “War on Terror” and the fact that even as the war rages on, life carries on for the rest of the world. His pieces paint a rosy picture to us through his collage of colours and shapes.On closer inspection, however, one begins to see that the picture is not as it seems,as the parts that make up the whole unveil the ‘truth’ behind the façade.Hasanul Idris is a grauduate of the well-known institution Uitm, Perak.

Having returned from pursuing her BA (Honours) and Masters degrees in Fine Art from the University of Robert Gorden and the University of Dundee, Scotland, respectively, Liong Mei Yin exhibits paintings she has worked on in both the UK and Malaysia.

An artist who has won numerous accolades, including The Royal Scottish Academy’s Painting Prize, Mei Yen’s decidedly nostalgic works reflect upon life as seen through her eyes. She quotes the British Pop artist David Hockney, whose famous line ”Painting can change the world” as the basis for her artistic motivation, wanting to reinvent and recombine everyday textures, elements, shapes and objects to create something harmonious. Life as a whole is a bitter sweet experience and for this artist it is her aim to create visually exciting pieces which capture some of the pathos of life yet are able to delight.

3 New Voices features at Wei-Ling Gallery,8 Jalan Scott, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, 50470, Malaysia from 7th January-27th January 2008.

Pls call 03-22601106/07, 0123025302 or email weiling@weiling-gallery.com

www.weiling-gallery.com

Wei-Ling Gallery is Open Mon-Sat,Mon-Fri,12-7pm,Sat 10-5pm.Closed Sundays.

Marvin Chan

Read artist's statement