Impermanently Yours

Thru the years, I do receive few thoughtful gifts and yes I really appreciate it, but this is one of those rare gift I got to write something. It’s significant. A Box contained a t-shirt and folded catalogue of a reaction towards Syed Ahmad Jamal’s demolished public sculpture entitled Puncak Purnama back in 2016.

                                       

When a city council decided to demolish a public sculpture with an excuse that it's an eyesore, everyone from every hole came up in droves and “wanting” to say something, blame someone. As usual…drama. ( hell everyone love drama, that is why Korean drama can go on for years ).  

I don’t want to put a summary on this ( just google Puncak Purnama ) but for me, all art institutions failed big time when a public sculpture turned to rubbles. Mind you, Syed Ahmad Jamal is not an ordinary artist, but a former director of our National Art Gallery and yes Seniman Negara. Artists will blame the public, society institutions for not understanding them and vice versa, so on and so forth. 

Talking about irony, i give you an excellent case - P.Ramlee, died as a pauper but lavished with tons of posthumous awards.  Nobody gave him chance when he was alive.

Question is – does anyone organize student road trips to see this public sculpture? When “someone” wants to demolish it, everyone turned up, moan and what not. Anyway I don’t need to elaborate more coz its been two years. 

Move on.

The Reason 

why I need to write something about Saiful’s (merc)handise is that he is a full time visual artist. He needs to find creative ways to put food on the table. He need to revamp, remix, re-invent himself. That is important. Most of our local “artist” well are full time academics but addressed themselves as an artist. 

The select few shut up when I asked them stop, resign from their post when my ears cant stand when  they kept on boasting on how sale-able  or how expensive, important their works is.

So when Saiful remixed his own work [1] entitled A Gaze on the Impermanent Object, he turned it into a merchandise, I dig it.  Just take a look at MOMA and how those artist’s work transformed unto a tangible merchandising where people can bring home. 

20^th Century Fox thought George Lucas is nuts when he wants complete rights unto his unnamed sci-fi  merchandising rights.

So from a painting that belongs to a museum turned to something wearable – that is brilliant. The box filled with scribbled Impermanently Yours is dead-on ironic and funny. Owning something that is not permanent. If you think you owned something until you kick the bucket, think again!! Well most of the time, people will only appreciate things, people when they are GONE.

Everything - Everyone is subjected to change. Change is needed and is a vital component so we can be relevant, ( see those Taxi drivers who petitioned against Uber and Grab services ) and thank god Saiful knows how and relevant to re-invent himself. 

Like how the Borgs said “Resistance is Futile”. We need to move on with the times. Like Bob Dylan sang in Times Are Changing. Talking about this, i need to get a damn smart phone too. 

To all full time artists who kept on reinventing themselves ( few which i known personally ) – I salute you.  

tq brader!

Note : if you guys wants to purchase this - msg him, check his IG or click the link below. 

Saiful Razman

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[1] My review on Saiful new works can be found in his self published catalogue, coming real soon.