by Vivienne Pal
photos by Sia Hong Kiau
At A little past 40, Ungku Farrah Ungku Rahman is neither scared nor hiding any more. Her latest solo exhibition, she says, is evidence of her newfound courage.
The self-taught artist has just launched her second solo exhibition – Seers – and is extremely excited about it.
“This is the new me. I am bolder in my works now, no longer afraid,” said the lively and vivacious artist on Friday .
All 40 works – even at a glance – confirms this.
From her first solo exhibition I Exist at the Balai Seni Maybank, Ungku Farrah has come a distance, this time exploring bolder hues like red, blue, green and black, instead of the previous muted colours and mild pastels.
The self-taught artist has just launched her second solo exhibition – Seers – and is extremely excited about it.
“This is the new me. I am bolder in my works now, no longer afraid,” said the lively and vivacious artist on Friday .
All 40 works – even at a glance – confirms this.
From her first solo exhibition I Exist at the Balai Seni Maybank, Ungku Farrah has come a distance, this time exploring bolder hues like red, blue, green and black, instead of the previous muted colours and mild pastels.
Self-taught artist: Ungku Farrah with some of her works.
“Seers is an exploration of myself and my art,” she proclaimed. “I Exist was more careful; I was always hiding, tentative.”
Check out Merah and House in which the artist uses loud colour and lots of lines, while Birds of Paradise makes a floral statement with colourful intertwined flowers.
Where previously her media was paper, acrylic and watercolours, Ungku Farrah now experiments – albeit rather gingerly – with oil, and even collage for a textural appeal.
My Wilt, for instance, was crafted out of acrylic and oil with collage and beads – a pretty piece of art.
Subject-wise, Ungku Farrah plays with flowers and landscapes, and while she does not constantly make ostensible references to women – especially in light of her more modern approach in Seers – the feminine hints are still strong.
But this is expected of the artist who describes herself as a “painter of womanhood.”
Blue and turquoise make gentle suggestions of femininity, while through the veneer of what’s painted on the surface are discernible hints of a woman’s body – the curve of the hip, eyelash or the flow of long, lush hair.
Such traces are not always visible at a swift glance; the artist takes great pleasure revealing more at a second, deeper look.
“I want my collectors to ‘own’ the piece to be able to make interpretations of the work,” said Ungku Farrah.
Check out Merah and House in which the artist uses loud colour and lots of lines, while Birds of Paradise makes a floral statement with colourful intertwined flowers.
Where previously her media was paper, acrylic and watercolours, Ungku Farrah now experiments – albeit rather gingerly – with oil, and even collage for a textural appeal.
My Wilt, for instance, was crafted out of acrylic and oil with collage and beads – a pretty piece of art.
Subject-wise, Ungku Farrah plays with flowers and landscapes, and while she does not constantly make ostensible references to women – especially in light of her more modern approach in Seers – the feminine hints are still strong.
But this is expected of the artist who describes herself as a “painter of womanhood.”
Blue and turquoise make gentle suggestions of femininity, while through the veneer of what’s painted on the surface are discernible hints of a woman’s body – the curve of the hip, eyelash or the flow of long, lush hair.
Such traces are not always visible at a swift glance; the artist takes great pleasure revealing more at a second, deeper look.
“I want my collectors to ‘own’ the piece to be able to make interpretations of the work,” said Ungku Farrah.
Pretty piece: ‘My Wilt’ is crafted out of acrylic and oil with collage and beads.
In her own abstract way, she has captured the female figure quite nicely – a credible feat, given the challenging nature of figurative art.
The artist’s “playing field” has also expanded – the works in this series are larger.
But, bigger does not necessarily mean better, and this writer feels that in expanding the size of the works, the artist has somewhat lost – and only in a few pieces – the intimacy and emotion she has successfully conveyed in some of her earlier series.
Nonetheless, there are some outstanding pieces such as The Angel, Moonriver...You and Me, Essence, Worship and Yang Ingin.
Although new to the art scene, Ungku Farrah has decided to organise and coordinate Seers on her own, instead of holding it in a gallery, but this is her way of “making her works more accessible and affordable to the public.”
Prices range from RM800 to RM3,000.
“I am sharing a part of me and my imagination – it’s personal. Therefore, it’s only natural that I would want to meet my buyers and get to know them better.”
Seers is worth a viewing. There is still a hint of uncertainty in some of the works, and it does seem that the artist is still finding her groove, but that only adds to the allure of the collection because it lends an honesty and sincerity to each work.
Nonetheless, it looks like more is to be expected from the artist, if she keeps up with that endearing aptitude for exploration and discovery.
“I’m not an artist; this is my passion to create with colours. I am encouraged by the support that has been shown to me from my past exhibition, and I will keep on painting.”
Seers is on show until today at the Andalusia Events Room, Pantai Hill Park, KL. For details or viewing, call 012-2356 774 (Farrah).
The artist’s “playing field” has also expanded – the works in this series are larger.
But, bigger does not necessarily mean better, and this writer feels that in expanding the size of the works, the artist has somewhat lost – and only in a few pieces – the intimacy and emotion she has successfully conveyed in some of her earlier series.
Nonetheless, there are some outstanding pieces such as The Angel, Moonriver...You and Me, Essence, Worship and Yang Ingin.
Although new to the art scene, Ungku Farrah has decided to organise and coordinate Seers on her own, instead of holding it in a gallery, but this is her way of “making her works more accessible and affordable to the public.”
Prices range from RM800 to RM3,000.
“I am sharing a part of me and my imagination – it’s personal. Therefore, it’s only natural that I would want to meet my buyers and get to know them better.”
Seers is worth a viewing. There is still a hint of uncertainty in some of the works, and it does seem that the artist is still finding her groove, but that only adds to the allure of the collection because it lends an honesty and sincerity to each work.
Nonetheless, it looks like more is to be expected from the artist, if she keeps up with that endearing aptitude for exploration and discovery.
“I’m not an artist; this is my passion to create with colours. I am encouraged by the support that has been shown to me from my past exhibition, and I will keep on painting.”
Seers is on show until today at the Andalusia Events Room, Pantai Hill Park, KL. For details or viewing, call 012-2356 774 (Farrah).
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/8/31/central/18694920&sec=central
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