Monday, April 16, 2007

Garden of the Heart, NN Gallery, April 7-30 2007


This is one solo exhibition with a difference, from the moment the art enthusiast walks into the gallery til the moment she steps out.
Now, I'm no art connosseur, just a lover of aesthetics. And was I fascinated by the creative floral arrangements that greet the visitors at the foyer. The air was fragrant with the sweet smell of tuberoses, 'melor', 'tanjung' and 'kenanga' (gosh, can't find the translations in English on the net and no kamus dwi-bahasa at hand) as well as 'bunga rampai'.
The theme is Sufism, from the flowers to the music and, of course, the works of art. Garden of the Hearts marks Dato' Sharifah Fatimah Syed Zubir 21st solo exhibition and showcases 24 new works. And as any novice could tell, Islamic arts is more about conformity and contemplation, rather than creativity, which represents the Islamic way of life and revolves around the worship of the Almighty and appreciation of his creations on Earth.
The collages and other works at the exhibition focus "more on geometrical images and colours which evoke feelings of calmness, enlightenment and spirituality". This "dynamic new body of work ... is reflective of the artist’s recent experiences which marks an evident change in style and a significant development in her artistic expression." And this recent change in style is the result of her travels to many different parts of the world, including Sumatra and Yemen, to retrace her roots and search for solace and serenity in her cultural heritage.

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