ARTO Movement

The Legacy and Challenges of BMS BMS, or Bakat Muda Sezaman, is one of the most prestigious art competitions in Malaysia, with a legacy of nurturing emerging talents and celebrating contemporary art practices for over 50 years. However, as it reaches this milestone, questions arise about its relevance, direction, and sustainability in the ever-evolving art world. Over the decades, BMS has undergone numerous transformations, each aimed at revitalizing its format and significance. These changes have often sparked debates about their impact on artistic expression and the competition’s role in shaping Malaysia's contemporary art scene. The BMS Symposium 2024 provided an invaluable space to discuss these issues, with insights from prominent artists and academics, including Wong Hoy Cheong (Malaysia), Moelyono (Indonesia), Dr. Tisna Sanjaya (Indonesia), Dr. Roopesh Sitharan (Malaysia), past contestants and winners of BMS. The discourse centered on site spec...

  Exhibition Summary One of Our Fossils The idea for One of Our Fossils comes from a scientific paper. It predicts that humanity’s most lasting remnants will be plastic, nuclear waste, and chicken bones. Adam Phong chooses chicken bones for their absurdity and because they represent a world obsessed with making everything cheaper and faster. The exhibition imagines how future civilizations might interpret these bones. It speculates on the myths and stories they might create from them. Phong finds it absurd that, despite our power and ability to foresee the future, our attention span and sense of ‘now’ have rapidly narrowed. One might expect that more foresight would grant a longer view of time. Instead, it is as if we are mentally exhausted from dealing with the present, leaving us with no energy to imagine the future. One of Our Fossils responds to that condition. It presents a space to reflect and have feelings about the deep future. The bones serve as a starting point to c...

The Age of (Un)Innocence is the title of Danielle Lin’s first solo exhibition—a title that raises intriguing questions. Innocence is a familiar concept, especially for those who are more "mature" and often associate it with youth. For many adults, innocence is inextricably linked to the simplicity and purity of childhood. Danielle, now 23 years old, finds herself at an age that marks a significant shift between childhood and adulthood. For those in their twenties, there is often a sense of being “in-between”—no longer a child, but not fully recognized as an adult either. Through her work, Danielle captures this bewildering journey from childhood to adulthood, reflecting the complex and often absurd nature of reality. During this transition, moments we once believed to be true can start to feel uncertain. This uncertainty fills many young adults with self-doubt, prompting them to second-guess themselves and the world, as it rarely aligns with the expectations they once held. ...

Chairs are democratic in a way that everyone knows what chairs are; we sit on chairs daily, and you can find one in almost every home. They are not limited in numbers, as they are mass-produced. Even limited editions exist in larger quantities compared to most works of art. So, how can one say a chair is a work of art? That was my question about a year ago, before my enlightenment—I started working in the furniture industry. Enter designs like the Serie UP 2000, Liberty Lounger, O., Knotted Chair, Vermelha, and Wrinkle, to name a few. This furniture is functional yet evokes questions in the mind—a thought I had when I first encountered these pieces. Now, can a chair be a work of art? The chair has long held symbolic meaning in art, often representing power and status. But what if the chair itself is a work of art, beyond just symbolic representation? When we look at the chairs mentioned earlier, they reveal sculptural qualities—the slightly curved backrest, bulbous shapes, fine details...

Hey there! Have you heard about a new art space in Masjid Tanah that’s about to be officially launched on November 10th? For all art lovers around Melaka and neighboring states, this is an event you won’t want to miss! Tukang Arca Art Space, or TuAS for short, is more than just an art gallery—it’s a full-fledged art center equipped with a sculpture workshop, frame workshop, a gallery space on the first floor, and a cozy café called Kopi Arca . What’s Happening Upstairs? In the gallery space located upstairs, you can catch the latest exhibition, Conteng , which runs from October 24 to December 30, 2024. This exhibition is special because it’s not just a typical art show. It aims to bring art closer to the community, spark creativity, and strengthen local connections through the arts. Who’s Behind the Conteng Exhibition? Conteng features four artists with unique backgrounds: Dr. Rosli Zakaria , the owner of Tukang Arca and an experienced sculptor; Abdullah Jones , a prolific painter a...

Menjadi seorang seniman tidaklah semudah yang disangka. Seniman bukan semata menghasilkan karya seni di studio semata-mata. Kini dalam era pasca moden, seorang seniman bukan sekadar seniman sebaliknya ejen budaya dan masyarakat. Seniman bukan lagi sekadar melukis dan menggambarkan pemandangan sawah padi mahupun objek cantik. Kerjaya sebagai seniman kini makin lama makin berubah. Seniman dilihat sebagai ejen budaya dan pemikir kritikal. Bagaimanakah seniman ini ingin menjadi ejen budaya atau pemikir jika mereka terperuk di dalam ruang kubikel selesa mereka? Di sini datangnya residensi seni. Jadi apakah itu residensi seni? Residensi seni merupakan sebuah program yang memberikan peluang kepada para seniman, akademia, kurator dan penggiat seni kreatif untuk mengalami dan bekerja di luar ruang kebiasaan mereka dalam tempoh tertentu. Ianya secara tidak langsung memberikan peluang kepada mereka untuk muhasabah diri, melakukan penyelidikan dan menghasilkan karya. Residensi juga membuka peluang...