Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur is proud to present DAZED IN MAZES featuring new works by four young and emerging local artists, Haslin Ismail, Ruzzeki Harris, Muhd Sarip and Tey Beng Tze. These artists will be showcasing works that are fundamentally raw and edgy, playing with a wide range of metaphors and working across various media, from paintings to installations to the experimentation with materials.

Their works question the idea of existence and intend to represent the voice of the people of their generation, lending a spectrum of interpretations and perspectives whether by means of proclamation, documentation, or visual discourse. Besides broaching on the subject of sociology they are also addressing their concerns for the environment, their surroundings and contemporary issues that are plaguing the society and the country.

Living in this era of modern mass consumption, we are constantly overwhelmed by one-sided news and media information. Somewhat trapped, we are forced to listen and accept the perspectives directed to us by the “storytellers” of our time and this has given birth to a race that accepts without questioning. As a child, I grew up in an environment where it is alright to be provincial and where questionable curiosities are often frowned upon. Looking back, I recall myself constantly searching for an answer, seeking a certain amount of reasoning, even if inconclusive- perhaps an understanding, or an ultimatum. Conditioned by such circumstances, many of my contemporaries, rarely express any concerns about how the country is in turmoil or how disturbing the world has become. Have we fallen into the black hole of ignorance or have we become so immune we’d rather passively watch the world unfold before our eyes waiting for the worst to come to pass? Dazed in Mazes addresses these questions of uncertainties and frustrations in the works of Haslin Ismail, Muhd Sarip, Ruzzeki Harris and Tey Beng Tze.

Muhd Sarip has chosen to illustrate issues affecting the country and social commentaries of hidden agendas, corruption, and the blind influences of mass media in the society. Through deft use of his chosen medium, Sarip alternatively juxtaposes various issues that express the conflicting realities of being an artist in a Southeast Asian context. While Sarip scopes right into the many cross cultural issues and disagreements of plagiarism and globalisation, Ruzzeki Harris visually documents conspiracies that take place far from the artist’s everyday environment. He uses found metal as a medium to emphasise the stories he feels the need to share as well as perceptions on political issues. Ruzzeki chooses to experiment with different techniques and styles by using various media like spray paints, industrial paints and bitumen. Although the issues voiced in his works do not directly affect him, he feels the need to put himself in the shoes of those who are facing chaos to observe a sense of common dismay about the political scene and the misuse of power.

In Malaysia, the disenfranchised few continue their struggle to find a voice in a country that does not believe in the freedom of speech. However, these voices always end with the questions: is anyone listening or can we make a difference? Are we becoming a more assertive society which responds and reacts to questionable agendas or are we instead being conditioned to become a submissive generation? These questions and wonderment, although seldom mentioned or asked, have subconsciously convinced people to form utopias in their minds in which they feel safe to live in.

As shown in Tey Beng Tze’s works, the idea of forming a utopia is somewhat comforting because he sees the city life as threatening and dangerous. Tey fears existence within this sort of environment, and creates figures of authority within each of his works to watch over the world- but a world where good and evil is hard to distinguish. By using iconic figures related to his real life and influences from the virtual world, movies and computer games, he creates a visual journal about survival in the country/city which is utterly confusing and chaotic.

While Tey undeniably feels that the world is in a predicament, Haslin Ismail dreams to achieve and rises to the occasion. His works depict collective memories of characters found in sci-fi and fiction movies, where the lines between good and evil are clearly defined. Experimenting with composition of forms and lines, Haslin fuses painting and collage to convey the idea of the world being in a state of human versus machine that he has unwillingly accepted. When asked how he feels about living in this type of world, he admits that this has put him in a “confused state of mind” and that all he wanted to be is “everything that is great”.

Dazed in Mazes presents viewers with a spectrum of perspectives. Whether through proclamation, documentation or visual discourse, these four young artists are not afraid to represent the voice of their generation by addressing concerns for the environment, their surroundings and contemporary issues that are plaguing the society and the country. Rather than blindly accepting propaganda, they have chosen to deal with a confusing world without being confused.

Snow Ng