All posts by EZ Malaysia

EZ 34, EZ 61 (2), Mind Philosophy, Vol 34

The Art of Human Psyche

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One artist’s quest for artistic exploration and freedom

The human mind is an interesting subject, and it has captured the attention of Malaysian artist, Phillip Wong, who since 2009 has delved deep into the human psyche to explore its effect on the human condition. In his quest to find the answer to a question he likes – ‘why humans always got problem?’ – Wong has created a series of incredible artwork that capture his exploration of the human brain, emotions and the subconscience aptly titled The Human Mind.

One of Wong’s signature artistic styles is transparent glass painting – a style he developed using Perspex, glass, wood, canvas and transparent glass paint. ‘Transparent glass painting is see-through, and it allows you to see through the surface and look at what the work means,’ said Wong. He had started working on transparent glass paintings beginning with his Daun series 1993 which culminated in his first solo presentation in 2006. Now, with The Human Mind series, Wong has once again channelled his artistic impressions through transparent glass paint, this time on canvas.

Wong, born and raised in the idyllic town of Seremban, is among the most prolific contemporary artists in the country. A graduate of Malaysia Institute of Art (MIA), art has always been a big part of his life, a passion of his since he was a boy. ‘I dreamed of becoming an artist when I was just 6 years old and it was a dream born out of passion for art,’ said Wong in an interview with EZ. In the 15 years since graduating from MIA, Wong charged into the local art world with full-force before establishing ArtSeni Gallery in 2005.

For Wong, being an artist does not end with just creating art but he sees it as his mission to create awareness on art. This for him takes various forms, including building and gathering support for himself as well as his artists, exploring new avenues for exhibiting art works, and to promote Malaysian art internationally. In his efforts to serve the larger artistic community of Malaysia, he sat on the Board of Trustees for the National Visual Art Gallery of Malaysia for four years. Another notch in his artistic journey was nailed when Wong was awarded the much coveted Grand Prize at the 2007 Asia Art Award in Seoul, Korea. The following saw Wong being appointed as a committee member of the Asia Invitation Art Exhibition in Seoul, a position he has continued to hold.

Not just confined to fine art, Wong is also a dedicated and passionate practitioner of performing arts. He was bitten by the acting bug in 1996 when he made his stage debut in the drama About Them. From acting, Wong has gone on to produce his own shows. One of them which he is especially proud of is Twelve plus One.  The show combined his two passions – fine arts and performing arts – to create a spectacular experience for the viewers with its unique concept. In 2012, Wong starred in Passion & Drama, which he said would be his last appearance on stage for the time being. However, his support for the local performing arts scene would never wane. ‘I am now more focused on supporting them behind the scenes and supporting them unconditionally,’ said Wong.

2012 also saw Wong pulling the plug on ArtSeni Gallery, which at that time was located in Lot 10, Bukit Bintang. The decision to move away from managing a physical gallery came from his desire to focus on his paintings and to promote the local artists. This move also gave him the freedom to curate exhibitions outside of Kuala Lumpur with TIGA: The Intellectual in Generation of Aesthetics and The Journey Continues. Both the exhibitions were held in Penang in the second half of 2013. Wong was successful in introducing Kuala Lumpur-based artists to the public in Penang. With The Human Mind continuing Wong’s trajectory of artistic freedom and expression, 2014 looks like it is going to be yet another good year for this artist.

Breathing Space, EZ 34, EZ 61 (2), Vol 34

 A Flair for flavour

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In a land where spicy street food and Hokkien cuisine rule supreme, there is one heavyweight champion that is slowly turning the tide by introducing impeccable Cantonese Szechuan cuisine in a classy setting that is fit for a king. Set in Maple Gold Club, a grand heritage mansion tucked in the millionaire’s row of Penang’s swanky Northam Road (or Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah), is Maple Palace Restaurant. The restaurant has made a name for being one of the top places frequented by the well-heeled millionaires and socialites of Malaysia’s high society.

The proprietor and head-chef of Maple Palace, Tan Loy Sin, or Loy as he goes by, recently hosted celebrated food critic and writer, C.K. Lam, and EZ to sample the restaurant’s new menu. Lam, who runs one of the most visited food websites in Malaysia is widely regarded as an authority on the Penang food scene and has written for numerous publications in Malaysia and beyond.

Tan Loy Sin and CK Lam
Tan Loy Sin and CK Lam

Joined by Loy and his partner Vivien Teoh, we were treated to a sumptuous spread that included Double Boiled Watercress Soup with Pork Ribs, Braised Abalone with Sea Cucumber & Black Mushroom, Fresh Water Prawn Curry with Mantou, Steamed Marble Goby with Superior Soya Sauce, Steamed Chicken, and finished with a sweet note with the Sweetened Ginger Tea with Glutinous Rice Ball.

As the tantalising aroma of the food wafted, the conversation around the table naturally turned around to food. Lam, who originally hails from Kuala Lumpur, was soon sharing her insights on the restaurant industry with Loy. ‘Most important is the food, and so is the word of mouth,’ she said, explaining that when customers like the food and service in a particular restaurant, they spread the word to their friends and family, which everyone at the table agreed that it works even better than any advertisement.

Echoing Lam’s sentiments, Loy in turn shared with the table his attitude on running a successful restaurant. He said that customers’ feedback was very important to him as he strives to maintain the type of service and quality that has come to be accepted of Maple Palace. ‘We need to be in tune with our customers’ preferences, and so, much thought is put into deciding what goes in our menu,’ said Loy, who personally creates the course set menu.

Lam chimed in, saying ‘There is much competition these days and Maple Gold is one of the Chinese restaurants that is on top of the game. Loy works closely with his kitchen staff in maintaining the standard for the food and keeping the menu fresh and exciting. Dishes are prepared with bold and exciting flavours using quality and fresh ingredients.’

‘Many know the restaurant for its comfort fish steamboat. Among the large selection of delectable dishes, the fish steamboat is one dish that I will order time and again. The aromatic soup boiled for hours has lots of flavour and depth,’ she said, ‘Maple Palace is also a must go destination for waxed meat claypot rice (Lap Mei Fun). This fragrant dish which is available during the festive Chinese New Year period is prepared with preserved Chinese sausage, waxed duck thigh, goose liver sausage and Chinese wine.’

On what was being served that afternoon, Lam said, ‘The curry udang galah (fresh water prawn), which is part of the new exciting menu, is a huge winner. The fresh prawns stand up beautifully to the divine combination of Indian spices and the ladies’ fingers made a perfect accompaniment to this spicy dish. You can have it with deep-fried mantou or white rice.’

The other dish that stood out for her was the beautifully steamed marble goby dish. ‘The steamed fish in soy sauce is a simple dish and it is put together with a dazzling sauce – the chef uses the high quality Kikkoman soy sauce.’  As for the dessert, the self-professed sweet tooth had this to say about the desserts at Maple Palace; ‘A must-try dessert is the black sesame glutinous rice balls done two ways – served in warm ginger tea or rolled in grinded peanuts. I particularly like the ones in ginger tea.’ As each one of us polished off the hot aromatic bowl of Sweetened Ginger Tea with Black Sesame Glutinous Rice Ball, we had to agree with Lam.

For more information or to make reservations, please call +604 227 9690 / +604 227 4542 or visit http://www.maplepalace.com.

Beyond Boundaries, EZ 34, EZ 61 (2), Vol 34

Breaking Limits

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Infiniti Red Bull just warmed up their engines

Two days before April breezed in, there was a tempest of roaring engines and adrenaline brewing at the Malaysian Grand Prix. But the thunder of engines and clouds of exhaust at the Sepang circuit couldn’t catch up with the lightning speed of the racecars. EZ leaps into the fray for a taste of the action-packed pit lane with Infiniti Red Bull.

Infiniti goes beyond its recognition as crafter of innovative luxury cars, carrying its legacy of cutting-edge engineering into the fray at Formula One. The luxury carmaker joins forces with Red Bull Racing, the winning team of the 2013 World Constructors’ Championship, to form Team Infiniti Red Bull. Together, they battle against other motorsport giants Ferrari and Mercedes in a fight for the podium.

New rules beckoned the new season with a storm, sending all teams plunging into the unknown with a fresh challenge: reduce fuel consumption by almost 40 percent without concessions on speed and power. What sounded like an impossible feat was made reality, and Infiniti Red Bull Racing can lay claim to that with the latest Red Bull RB10. Born of form and function, the trusty steed brought Sebastian Vettel to the podium at Sepang with a third-place win. The man behind the steering wheel has nothing but accolades for the lean mean machine.

‘It’s good to see that the car is quick,’ Sebastian acknowledged, ‘The guys are pushing back in the factory – it’s been a massive job from them.’ And no wonder, for every inch of Infiniti Red Bull’s RB10 is a technological breakthrough in itself. Like a heart is to the human body, at its core is the engine which treads a delicate balance between being lightweight, compact yet viciously strong. Infiniti sponsors the vital organ that mobilizes the mean machine: the new electrified V6 turbo that takes the cake for being the most stressed component of the car. Comprising of up to six separate elements, it is so complex in itself that engineers of Infiniti Red Bull don’t call it an engine but a power unit instead.

The sleek combustion engine of the V6 is paired with Energy Recovery Systems (ERS) that bump up the mileage. The ERS absorb energy lost through heat and braking, and translate that energy into driving the turbo even after braking. This is a crucial necessity that drastically downsizes fuel  consumption to comply with race regulations. Yet, in no way does this feature detract from the power and speed of Infiniti Red Bull’s RB10. The power unit is more than capable of pumping out 750 hp per litre of fuel, which could rip the skin off your face if you are flying at full speed without a visor! With that much horsepower, the V6 is righteously as loud as a stampede of galloping horses as it tears up the track with a mighty roar.

However, Infiniti Red Bull cannot afford to rest on their laurels after a podium win because it’s always a game of playing catch-up with the Goliaths. ‘We knew that we had some ground to catch up to the Mercedes, so to finish as close as Sebastian did today was a really positive performance and, while we know we’ve got a lot of work to do, we can begin to realize the scale of our challenge,’ said Christian Horner, Team Principal of Infiniti Red Bull Racing. Vettel, too, shared similar sentiments with him, saying, ‘We still have a lot of work to do with the car, but it was encouraging to see that our pace was better than expected.’ Nevertheless, Horner and the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Team agree that the RB10’s win at the Malaysian Grand Prix was ‘an incredible performance.’

EZ 34, EZ 61 (2), Mind Philosophy, Vol 34

Whirlwind of Art

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Art Stage Singapore 2014 hits a high note

Singapore was the centre of high art, glamour and culture in January when the fourth edition of Art Stage Singapore brought together some of the world’s top galleries, influential art personalities and artists from all walks of life.

For four days, from 16 to 19 January, the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Sands was buzzing with art frenzy. A total of 158 galleries exhibited at the fair, with 75% of them being Asia Pacific-based. Among the leading galleries present at Art Stage Singapore 2014 included ARNDT (Singapore, Berlin), De Sarthe Gallery (Hong Kong), Linda Gallery (Jakarta, Singapore, Beijing), Ota Fine Arts (Singapore, Tokyo) and White Cube (Hong Kong, London, Sao Paulo).

Art Stage Singapore, which in the last two years has become Asia’s leading art fair, takes its role of connecting the world to the best of Asian contemporary art seriously. While the fair does serve as a market platform where collectors and galleries get to acquire artworks, it also provides a crucial and much needed platform for discourse and for the exchange of ideas on Asian art.

Further enforcing its goal to bridge the Asian art scene with the wider global audience, Art Stage Singapore 2014 introduced a new format, The Platforms. A total of eight regional and country platforms were created, namely Southeast Asia, Australia, Central Asia, China, India, Japan, Korea and Taiwan Platforms. The Platforms showcased an extensive array of projects from the Asia Pacific region which were presented in a museum-like exhibition layout.

The Southeast Asia Platform hosted numerous galleries from the region with each country in being appointed a Country Adviser that acted like a curator. Simon Soon, an art writer and a PhD scholar in Southeast Asian art history in Sydney, Australia, was the Country Adviser for Malaysia. Three Malaysian galleries were presented in the Southeast Asia Platform, namely Wei-Ling Gallery, Richard Koh Fine Art and G13 Gallery. These three galleries represented works of the artists Anurenda Jegadeva, Justin Lim and Haslin Ismail respectively.

Captains & Legends, EZ 34, EZ 61 (2), Vol 34

A Belle and Her Dreams

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It is a story right out of a fairy tale; a girl dreams of making it big, chases her dreams and builds a fantasyland that makes other girls’ dreams come true! In a journey of self-realisation and exploration, one Penang-lass makes it to the big league with her large dreams and bold ideas. For this issue of EZ, we talked to Anne Lee, the bridal industry maverick and fairy godmother to a host of brides and brides-to-be.

When Malaysian king of badminton and world champion Datuk Lee Chong Wei decided to tie the knot with his sweetheart, former Malaysian badminton singles player, Datin Wong Mew Choo, only the best would do for the special occasion. He and his now-wife turned to Anovia Bridal, more specifically Anne to capture and immortalise the couple’s love.

To Anne, this celebrity wedding was the most outstanding one that she has been involved in and goes down as one of her most memorable projects. ‘There are a lot of celebrity weddings, but there’s only one Datuk Lee Chong Wei, and I’m proud to have had the opportunity and ability to handle his wedding,’ said Anne when met at her latest bridal boutique, Obsidian in Penang.

‘He is one of the world’s top badminton players and he makes Malaysia proud. He even asked to visit Anovia and have a look at the chapel. That made me feel very proud because before that, he already had his wedding photos taken at Sepang. He was training there, and therefore he couldn’t come to my place in Penang. But at the very last minute, Datuk Lee suddenly said that he wanted to come to Penang. ‘I want to go to Penang to take photos, your shop is very nice,’ he said.’

‘There are a lot of celebrity weddings, but there’s only one Datuk Lee Chong Wei, and I’m proud to have the opportunity and ability to handle his wedding.’

– Anne Lee, Managing Director of Anovia Bridal and Obsidian Production Studio

Long before Anne’s Anovia Bridal captured the attention of Malaysia’s golden boy, the bridal house was already generating positive buzz not only within Malaysia, but also overseas. Housed in a sprawling heritage mansion with an immaculate garden adorned with angelic sculptures, Anovia Bridal has a celestial wedding chapel built on its grounds where love-struck couples can pledge their love and seal their marriage.

The idea for Anovia Bridal came at a time when Anne had decided to take a break from the bridal industry, which she was involved in for almost two decades as a wedding gown designer, a sales person, a bridal house supervisor and then as a bridal house manager. Knowing the ins-and-outs of the industry and having worked with top bridal houses in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang had prepared her to build and run her own business in the bridal industry.

Invited by her friend to view a property, which used to house the famous Penang establishment, Bagan Bar, Anne was reluctant at first. This would however change the moment she entered the mansion. ‘When I reached Bagan, I don’t know why but I immediately felt a connection to the place. I could visualize so many changes to the place; this is where I could have my reception, and there would be the gown department, and I kept talking and talking about my ideas,’ recalled Anne, saying that it was almost akin to a ‘love at first sight’ with the mansion.

That deliberate maneuver by her friend was successful in reigniting within Anne the passion for the bridal industry. ‘From then on, my dream started once more. I wanted this, I wanted that, I wanted a chapel; I didn’t want this tree… I talked a lot with the designers to create and realize my own dream bridal house. When I first entered this area, the premises were derelict and unkempt. It was like a jungle, with trees here and there. But it had such a big compound that I could make a dream wedding house of my own,’ she said.

Any visitors to Anovia would feel like they are entering a surreal world, one that is magical and serene. The concept of this bridal house is very clear and tactical, and it is all credited to Anne’s vision. ‘Last time, my dreams and ideas were restricted by my superiors. But now that I had a place of my own, I could let my creativity run loose. I could have what I wanted at Anovia, like the statue, decorations, everything which was from my heart. I created a feeling that was welcoming, and with every step you take in Anovia, a story unfolds in your mind. We can feel it inside, in ourselves. That’s what I visualized, that every step is a moment of its own with a different scenery and perspective playing out in the mind of every visitor,’ explained Anne on her concept.

Having established Anovia Bridal in 2011 and receiving rave reviews and accolades for her celestial bridal concept, Anne has unveiled another exciting concept this year. Obsidian, which is right next door to Anovia Bridal, is like the hip, younger sister complete with its exposed brick walls, obsidian black ceilings and glam wedding gowns.

‘Obsidian’s concept is completely different from Anovia’s. It is urban, contemporary and bold – a different way to present a wedding. It appeals more to the young generation. Another thing is I think that in the whole of Malaysia, you’ve never seen a bridal house with a black or grey ceiling. It’s a very strong colour, and it’s such a bold concept that I had to spend a few months mulling it over,’ said Anne.

Introducing such a novel concept to an already saturated industry could be daunting, something that was certainly not lost on Anne. She had to ensure that the concept was not just a superficial one that was contemporary in its aesthetics but one that was daring to create new trends within the bridal industry. ‘One of the main products we offer here in Obsidian is short film productions. Out of the whole of Malaysia, this is the only bridal house with its own screening theatre. We create short bridal videos, and hold previews as well as screenings for the customers to present the finished product to their family and friends,’ said Anne.

‘In my opinion, photos capture memories without sound and movement. Many years after the photos are taken, they still evoke nostalgia but we can only make simple statements while looking at them. However, videos and short films are different. We create short bridal films because a marriage doesn’t concern just two people; it involves the joining of two families and their worlds. Only a short film can capture the worlds of the bride and the groom. So, one day, when the customer watches the short film of their wedding, he or she can listen to the voices of loved ones and relive the moment.’

Another key aspect of Obsidian’s short film concept is its technical and creative crew, which Anne assures are all professionals – both from the bridal industry and international film industry. ‘When a customer signs up for the short film package with us, we create a story for them. We prepare a script, a director, art director, producer … basically everything for the customer. Obsidian has invested in an overseas movie crew, and so we have a team of specialists whose expertise lies in making short-film movies,’ she said, ‘You can make a short film with your girlfriend, or a short movie with your friends. That means this service is not restricted to just newlyweds or engaged couples. This is Obsidian’s new challenge for the market. This is our new plan for the millennium.’

With Anne realizing her own dreams and ideas, what she has done is give this generation a channel to make their own dreams come true and to capture it for all eternity.

Captains & Legends, EZ 34, EZ 61 (2), Vol 34

When East Meets West

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In 2011, a new art event took place that would, over the next four years, change the position of Singapore within the Asia Pacific art industry. The very first edition Art Stage Singapore was held at Marina Bay Sands and each year since, the event has attracted worldwide attention. At the 2014 edition of the art fair, the team from EZ had the privilege to sit down for a chat with the man behind Art Stage Singapore, Lorenzo Rudolf. We discussed how the art fair has grown and its relation to the Southeast Asian and global art market in general.

Lorenzo Rudolf is a prominent figure in the art world. Long before he headed east and brought a much needed breath of fresh air and vigor to the Southeast Asian art world, Rudolf was at the helm of the world’s most recognised and lauded art fair for the modern and contemporary – Art Basel. From 1991 to 2000, he led Art Basel as its director.

This Bern, Switzerland native has always been surrounded by art, not surprisingly. ‘It started all in the house of my parents who were art lovers and culture lovers. I grew up in a place at the time which was probably one of the most interesting moments in the history of contemporary art,’ said Rudolf during the interview on the last day of Art Stage Singapore 2014.

‘Exactly at this time the Kunsthalle Bern was directed by a guy who was at his time considered crazy but he was the one who really opened the doors for contemporary art as the conceptual thing with his very famous exhibition, When Attitudes Become Form. I was once standing in front of his museum in Bern and saw this museum was packed; it was the first time I crossed a packed building,’ he said. The ‘crazy’ curator was none other than the controversial Harald Szeemann, said to be the most important curator of the post-World War II period.

‘So I was probably also lucky to grow up at the right time, at the right place. In that context I made my career start as an artist myself and then realizing that there were better artists than me, and coming to the point, maybe I can bring together my professional background with my passion to organize events – that’s the way how we’re doing it, and I became director of Art Basel, and from there, step by step it continued,’ he said.

After his long tenure with Art Basel, Rudolf traveled around the world setting up various other fairs, namely the Frankfurt Book Fair and the International Fine Arts Exposition in Palm Beach. In 2007, he headed to China to launch the ShContemporary art fair in Shanghai. ‘The first country in Asia which really became important in the international arts was China, and that had a lot to do also with Swiss, maybe. The first big gallery in China, it was a Swiss who opened it and is still today the biggest gallery,’ explained Rudolf on the Swiss-China art connection. Incidentally, it was also the great Harald Szeemann who would be instrumental in bringing Chinese art to the international art world.

However, Rudolf’s fascination with Asian art had started long before his move to the East with the first piece of art work from Asia that he had collected during his time at Art Basel. ‘The first few pieces I bought were in the early 90s, which were brought over to Europe through these people,’ he said. It would seem coincidental that the bridging of Southeast Asian art and the global art world would be paved by yet another Swiss.

As he became involved with Asian art during his stint at SH Contemporary, Rudolf’s interest for it deepened. It was his first big show in Asia and China at that time was experiencing a huge boom, quite rightly an exciting time of growth for the art world. Inspired by the buzz around him, Rudolf felt the urge to do something in Asia, particularly Southeast Asia. ‘I fell more and more in love with this region because I think Southeast Asia has incredible creativity, and it’s not only a creativity which is trying to fulfill certain Western criteria of contemporary art, but has its own character and identity,’ he said. And that was how the seed for Art Stage Singapore was planted.

‘That’s also the reason why I decided to come to Singapore and do this show here. The show, which is a platform for the entire Southeast Asia, brings (the countries) together and in exchange, at the same time, opening a window to the West,’ he said about the concept behind Art Stage Singapore. 2014 marked the fourth edition of Rudolf’s grand visionary plan of a world-class art fair based in this oft-overlooked part of the world, and the mark Art Stage Singapore has made on the overall art market of this region is not just highly visible, but also profound.

‘I think today we are at a situation where we have a momentum all over the world for Southeast Asia. There was never a curiosity and interest in Southeast Asian art as today; that has surely to do also with the phenomenon here. I’m glad we can help Southeast Asia to go out, to become a part of this global art world, to integrate Southeast Asia in this global context. That’s why, at the end, I’m happy that we can contribute,’ he said.

‘I think today we are at a situation where we have a momentum all over the world for Southeast Asia. There was never a curiosity and interest in Southeast Asian art as today …’

Southeast Asia is comprised of diverse art scenes; each of the nations in the region has their own distinct art scenes that have their own unique microcosms. To bring them together as how Rudolf has done with the Southeast Asia Platform at the 2014 edition of Art Stage Singapore is quite a novel concept, to say the least. The discourse between the different member countries makes for a rather fascinating study. ‘I think what is important in the Southeast Asian context is when its different countries and art scenes begin to interact with each other – not only the Indonesians among the Indonesians, Malaysians with Malaysians, Thais amongst Thais. I think it is important to have this exchange,’ Rudolf explained.

‘Contemporary art is a global language; it is an expression which has to be understood everywhere. A good art piece done by a Malaysian artist is understood in New York as well as in Jakarta. A good art piece done by an Italian artist is understood in Singapore as well as in Tokyo. That’s what you have to create here. I think for that, this place here is ideal, because Southeast Asia is quite a big region. There are a lot of interesting artists, but not a lot of infrastructure. Here we have the infrastructure. Here we can build up the bridge to the West, to the world, to everybody,’ he said, making a point for the suitability of Singapore as a hub for the region, ‘And that at the end is what we do.’

This year, to coincide with Art Stage Singapore, the Singapore Art Week was held with numerous art-related events strewn all across the island nation. There were also a number of auctions held, capitalizing on the congregation of the movers-and-shakers of the art world in Singapore for the week. When asked his take on the cluttering of so many art events at the same time, Rudolf commented, ‘Every medal has two sides, I think. On the one side, it’s good to have a lot of things around and not only one event because it attracts a lot of people. On the other side, it’s clear the more you have things around that people spend money on, the more it spreads left and right.’

‘Contemporary art is a global language; it is an expression which has to be understood everywhere. A good art piece done by a Malaysian artist is understood in New York as well as in Jakarta.’

However, seeing that collectors are a discerning bunch in general, and some might be collecting art for the sake of investment, the presence of many art auctions and sales also mean that they have a wider selection to choose from. ‘They concentrate their purchases where they really want, where they find the best,’ said Rudolf, adding that this translates to the different players in the art scene trying to do their best to outdo the other. ‘The more you have around, you always have to try to be the best and then you can be sure people come here to sell and buy.’

‘It’s proof that Southeast Asia and Singapore is moving, it’s developing. If that was not the case also, nothing would happen. So in other words, all in all, I think it’s great but it has to be (coordinated) a bit. Only then can we have a round and sound result as something without any concept behind it would help nobody’, he said on the activities surrounding Art Stage Singapore 2014, ‘If really a lot of events are complementing each other to create something new, great! It’s fine.’ Seeing the success of Art Stage Singapore 2014 and the various art-related activities that Rudolf’s brainchild has inspired, it all bodes good news for the development of the Southeast Asian art world.

Cover Story, EZ 34, EZ 61 (2), Vol 34

A Mandate for Art

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For many years, Dato’ Mahadzir Lokman spoke to the people of Malaysia from their television sets. As a television presenter and host of numerous Malaysian events, his deep and booming voice became accompanied some of the nation’s most high-profile events including the successful 1998 Commonwealth Games, the launching of Malaysia’s space mission in Russia and Kazakhstan, and the annual Merdeka Parades.

Affectionately known as Dale, this multi-talented impresario spent the last few years acting as an ambassador of sorts, promoting Malaysia on the international platform such as the Malaysia Week celebrations in London and the World’s Fair in Seville. However, 2013/2014 sees Dale take on a different role as the ambassador of Malaysian art through his appointment as the Chairman of the National Visual Arts Development Board (NVADP) and the National Visual Arts Gallery Malaysia (NVAG).

The National Visual Arts Gallery, formerly known as the National Art Gallery was established in 1958. It was established to promote awareness and appreciation for the arts among Malaysians. The Gallery holds exhibits of local and international artists as well as organizes seminars, workshops, art competitions and other art-related activities. In its permanent collection, the Gallery holds over 2,500 artworks.

‘I was appointed on the 1st of November 2013, and the Minister of Tourism and Culture, the Honourable Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri Bin Abdul Aziz, gave me the mandate of heading this 55-year-old establishment, the former National Art Gallery. I thank him for his trust in me, to head this prestigious organisation and also to upkeep and the preservation of our rich cultural heritage and national treasure. My job is to maintain these mandates and so here I am, heading this organization,’ said the personable Dale when interviewed by EZ.

Dale, the son of the late Dato’ Lokman Musa, former Malaysian ambassador to France, has always had a penchant for art even though he confesses to not being an artist or a collector, for that matter. ‘Art was something that I appreciated very much, and with all my travels when I was small,’ said Dale, adding that his stint in France gave him ‘a real, big exposure to all the wonderful, magnificent art galleries.’

In retrospect, Dale confesses to not ever for once thinking he would one day end up holding a prominent role in the Malaysian art scene. Not even through his passion for music, which he has not pursued professionally. Dale, who has at times serenaded his audience with his singing, is an avid classical music lover. ‘I play the cello, the piano and the trombone, and I was not at all forced by my parents as it was my choice,’ he said on his musical inclinations.

Moreover, during his undergraduate days in the US, this International Business Administration graduate from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, had a formal introduction to the fine arts through the elective course he took. ‘In university, being an American graduate, we had little activities so I did a lot of art history and comparative art courses,’ he said. He considers his appointment as the chairman of NVAD a blessing, adding that he wants ‘to do well and visit more art museums and galleries around the world and improve our art industry because now, art is not just art, but art economy and art tourism.’

Just as every project that he has attached his name to, the responsibility of leading NVADB is something that he takes seriously and he hopes to bring the board as well as the overall Malaysian art scene to another level. Over the past 55 years since the establishment of NVADB, Malaysian art has made some important strides. ‘We have our names including Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal, Abdul Latiff Mohidin, Datuk Ibrahim Hussein and many more. But it’s not as well-known,’ said Dale when asked to comment on the state of Malaysian art in general, ‘I don’t understand why our artists never manage to be in the fold of many other international artists.’

However, he does make concession for the latest developments on the local art front, especially in terms of government support. ‘Art is very lucrative, but I think now since the advent of 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism, that art, especially in these last ten years to be exact, has become very ‘lucrative’ because art was supposed to be elitist at one time but now, art can be appreciated by anyone in the social structure.’

Expounding on the economics of art in terms of its value, this head of the nation’s foremost art institution thinks the recent developments in the local art scene is healthy. One development in particular bodes good news for the Malaysian art scene that is the setting up of auction houses in the country. In the last four years, four auction houses have been established here, namely Henry Butcher Art Auctioneer, KL Lifestyle Art Space Art Auction, Masterpiece Auction and The Edge Auction.

‘The presence of auction houses is good for Malaysia, for the region and for the local artists. I think Malaysian artists can go very far because their work is now being recognized with the advent of all the auction houses now as compared to before,’ said Dale.

In the past, art in Malaysia was considered as the anak yatim, or orphan, not receiving much support from outside the art circle and been relegated to the lower rungs of the government’s priorities. Yet, the tide has changed with the active participation of the government in promoting art on a larger platform. ‘This anak yatim will completely go forward and be accepted in the main line in the family. He cannot be tersingkir anymore. He cannot be left alone, and live his ‘own little life’ in the corner, and be cocooned because art now is not like art before,’ explained Dale, adding that this is all the more true now since Malaysian art has shown the potential of being very lucrative.

‘Art in Malaysia has to go for a complete turnaround. It was once upon a time something that was very strong, (Malaysia was) a hub for Southeast Asia. Now maybe we have to lead in our own way,’ said Dale. Indeed, at one point in time, Malaysian art enjoyed prominence in the region, but over time, it fizzled down. Neighbouring countries, especially Indonesia, emerged as the new leaders in Southeast Asian art, leading many to claim that Malaysia is a jaguh kampong when it comes to art.

In regards to this matter, Dale said ‘That was maybe so, but during that time we never had to push. The Ministry of Culture then was subtly going away with art as it was very conservative then. But now, I think, with the present ministerial support, we hope that his strong interest in art and also my strong interest in art would see a complete turnaround. We have to work. There’s no such thing as it’s too late to achieve what we have not achieved until now, which is just 55 years of the establishment of the National Art Gallery.’

The way forward, he added, is to ‘have continued dialogues with the local artists and hear their ideas. Either we accept it or we could compromise and go towards the middle of the road and try to improve. We cannot be selfish in our approach of appreciating art and also our approach to make sure that the art will get developed as it should be at 55 years.’

One way, he said, to create a conducive environment for the propagation of the national arts is by getting the people involved. ‘I have asked the National Visual Arts Gallery people to start formulating symposiums, bookshops and also conferences to involve all the artists from Southeast Asia, to make sure that our voices are being heard as compared to all the other artists from the world. If we do not have this unity-in-diversity approach to the whole thing, we would always be left behind and Malaysia will be always in tertiary or secondary compared to the other ASEAN brothers.’

To get to that level, the entire artistic community of Malaysia needs to get on board with the agenda to advance Malaysian art. ‘I want the art industry to grow, and I need help from a lot of people, from all the artist groups in the country present in the country,’ emphasized Dale. Concerted effort is vital for the growth or anything, more so a national art agenda, and the artistic community in Malaysia are quite fragmented. This might pose a threat should NVADB want to work towards increasing the Malaysian art profile internationally and also for Malaysian art to be a strong and have an identity of its own. So how can a united artistic community working for towards a common goal be cultivated?

‘We have to do a deep study that is why dialogues, symposiums and workshops are a must. It’s a need for the young breeds. We have a lot of artists, developing now from so many schools, from the art schools, from the colleges coming up – so many artists but what kind of artists that you like them to be? Are they creators or are they doing art for the money? Or are they doing art themselves and beautify the walls? Are they just graffiti artists? So, we need different kinds of dialogues to understand the whole thing, and how to improve our system. We have 55 years in this business and yet, we are not at par with the people practicing art around the world,’ he explained.

Meanwhile, for the immediate future, Dale said that it is important to bridge the gap between the people and NVAG, mainly to cultivate the interest for the arts. ‘For NVAG, my aim is to increase the accessibility of the Gallery and also to encourage more visitors as far as we can,’ he said. As for the long term, Dale said he hopes ‘to encourage more rapport and cooperation with other international art galleries around the world – for them to have their shows here.’

With the success of the 1Malaysia Contemporary Tourism Festival and the rise of the local art and auction markets, the future of Malaysian art is looking bright. And hearing Dale’s plans for NVADB and NVAG to systematically strengthen the local art community and to raise the standards of Malaysian art is heartening. His closing remarks to EZ captured his zeal for the mandate that has been bestowed upon him; ‘We hope to do a fantastic biennale, triennials organised properly in Malaysia, and I hope we can all fly together to achieve greater heights for everybody. Not just for art lovers, for ‘lovers’ of the Gallery and lovers of anything to do with it because in art, there is beauty and beauty is art.’

Captains & Legends, EZ 34, EZ 61 (2), Vol 34

A MATTER OF PRECISION

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Over 30 years ago in the idyllic Penang town of Air Itam, a Chinese physician who loved to tinker with his toolbox came up with a brilliant idea. With a passion for mechanical inventions and a fascination with machinery, the late Dato’ Teh Ah Ba did the unconventional; he opened a workshop, Eng Hardware Electrical, behind his clinic in 1974. The workshop produced jigs and fixtures. Today, that workshop has grown to become of Malaysia’s leading homegrown producer of precision tooling for the semiconductor industry – the ENGTEK Group.

A journey that is as remarkable as it is inspiring; the evolution of Eng Hardware Electrical to ENGTEK Group is one of calculated precision. The late 1980’s saw the company opening a 40,000 sq ft plant in the Bayan Lepas Industrial Zone and venturing into actuator production for the hard disk drive industry. It was also during this time that ENGTEK’s investment holding company, Eng Teknologi Holdings Bhd (ETHB), was set up.

In 1993, ETHB debuted on the Bursa Malaysia Second Board. Since then, ENGTEK has set spread its reach to outside of Malaysia, setting up plants in the Philippines and Thailand, as well as forging strategic alliances with Singapore’s Altum Precision, making it the Group’s first regional acquisition. ENGTEK celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2004 and is today the leading manufacturer and supplier of electrical components in South East Asia.

Despite its rapid expansion, ENGTEK has remained a family business, run by the core members of the late Dato’ Teh’s family. At the helm of the group is Dato’ Teh Yong Khoon (YK Teh), the late Dato’ Teh’s son, who is the CEO of ENGTEK. In an interview with EZ, YK Teh said that he growing up under his father’s tutelage prepared him to lead the company in the direction that his father would have been proud of. ‘I would say that I have enjoyed the life growing up with him. I really respect him in many, many ways and he brought me up as a good technical man. It also gave me a lot of opportunity to learn together from him,’ said YK Teh.

YK Teh’s proclivity towards the engineering and mechanical field was clearly one that was in part cultivated from young and the other matched by an interest that was sparked by being exposed to his father’s business. ‘I have always been very involved in the technical aspect of the business, rather than corporate planning or anything else – it is the technical part like research into process improvement and research in new product development to fulfill the customer’s needs. It always triggers me, you know, like a really huge hobby, trying to perfect or improve a product,’ he said.

ENGTEK, which was transferred to the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in 1999, recently underwent the process of privatization. The move to privatize, said YK Teh, is one of the best decisions the Group has made thus far. ‘Having it listed, I guess we had the ego of trying to expand, and then going into listed status 20 years ago which is in 1993. We did a good job, I must say, for the last 20 years. We did not have any funds or sourcing from the listed market, so in actual fact we’ve been putting in quite of a lot of dividends public after the listing process.’

‘At the same time, the last thing that we do see here is that we are in an industry that needs a huge transformation. We do believe that we need a change and the change could be dangerous or risky for our shareholders. So we see which change is best and do it ourselves. If it’s going to be positive, we can have the company listed again in the future. If it’s negative, then we’ll shoulder all the risk. Now, will this be better for the family? I must say that it will definitely be better for the family because we are all committed for this change that we want. So long-term wise, I think it is still very good for us to go in and to take the company private, which has already been one year. We are setting the footprint on going forward into other industries which are still focused in precision engineering,’ said YK Teh.

ENGTEK’s success in not only growing to become a multinational but also to withstand the downturn in Penang’s electronic sector and thrive is remarkable. Some may even say that Penang’s electronic industry is a sunset industry. To this, YK Teh said, ‘Well if you take Penang as a sunset industry for electronic sectors, I won’t say that it is 100 percent true statement. If you look at it in terms of labour cost or the ‘Made in China’ or the greater China side of it or if you talk about Thailand, Malaysia has still been one of the best in terms of engineering and the talent supply versus others, although we cannot be like same as China, because of the huge gap between our and their labour force.’

Penang, he said, has continued to support a sizable electronic industry with some of the businesses growing bigger and some graduating from manufacturing low-cost products to developing high value products. There are electronic manufacturing services companies in Penang that manufacture components for diverse high-tech fields such as aerospace, compute  ‘They’re getting products that are much higher value, products that need a lot more talent as compared to before, and I think that you can see that there are a lot more engineers that are involved at this particular point. So, about the electronics industry actually being a sunset industry and going away, I don’t believe so,’ commented YK Teh.

For ENGTEK to have weathered the storm and expand its business beyond the borders of Malaysia, the level of commitment from the leadership of the company to the unity of the management had been strong. This must have been particularly tricky seeing that YK Teh was dealing with family members, which can be stressful. There is even a saying in this part of the world that family businesses normally cannot survive past the second or third generation, and in response to this, he shared, ‘I think it is mainly dependent on the support from other family members and their involvements, be it in terms of conflicts or not, whether are they really supportive. So if the family is supportive, then I would say that it is not hard to run the company at all.’

With ENGTEK, he said the company does hire professionals to fill certain posts seeing that the Teh family is not big enough to fill all the seats within the company. This practice, he said, is prevalent in many other Chinese family businesses in this region. ‘I don’t think they will go with the tradition where every member of the family has to come to work in the company, or the son or whomever has to be at the helmship of the CEO, or the No. 1 post,’ he added.

Being entrusted with the responsibility of continuing his father’s legacy, we asked YK Teh if being in such a position was hard. ‘No, not hard at all,’ he answered, adding that his family is very supportive of one another and him. Besides the support system provided by his family, YK Teh said that having a right balance in life and time management was key to stability. ‘You have to have the time; you got to have your own time to do activities other than work. To me, time is how you decide, how you allocate. So if you just work, I would say, even if you work 24 hours, seven days a week, it will still be the same as when you work 8-to-5, go home, enjoy life and then come back. In fact, you will be even more effective when you take a break. Activities with family and activities by yourself, I believe, there always needs to be a balance in terms of life and not work alone.’

But then again, being a CEO of a thriving group such as ENGTEK is bound to have a toll, which YK Teh agreed. ‘You are still at the higher end in terms of stress as compared to others,’ he said, ‘But that doesn’t mean that you can totally de-stress.’ De-stressing, for YK Teh involves personal time and time with family and friends. An avid golfer, he enjoys playing golf with his golfing buddies. As for family time, he is just like every other Malaysian who loves food. ‘Going on trips with my family, it’s always a good thing to do for family bonding. One of the things to like to do together is eat. Sometimes we take trips, ‘makan’ trips,’ he said, with a twinkle in his eyes.

EZ 33, People Culture

Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong Turns 50

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Once hailed as ‘one of the eleven great hotels in the world’, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong evokes the grandeur and class of an era long past. Today, the iconic hotel is a sterling example of the world-renowned Oriental heritage and hospitality and it stands at the epitome of contemporary luxury.

Interesting facts about Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong

• It was the very first hotel in Asia to have a bath in every guestroom

• It was the tallest building in Hong Kong upon its completion in 1963

• The hotel almost always makes an appearance in international best hotels lists

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in October 2013, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong saw the likes of international superstars, dignitaries and society guests come together to toast the grand dame. Among the VIPs at the glamorous gala were Dame Helen Mirren, Maggie Cheung, Bryan Ferry, Vivienne Tam, and Karen Mok.

‘This iconic hotel has long been in the heart and hearts of the Hong Kong people, and we are delighted that so many guests could join us to celebrate this momentous occasion,’ said Jonas Schuermann, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong’s General Manager and Area Vice President of Operations.

Attitude & Style, EZ 33

The Pearls of Hodel

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Pearls of Fire

Hodel’s Fire Line Sizzles

While diamond is a lady’s best friend, the pearl is her soul mate. Luscious, exquisite and magical, pearls make for dramatic jewellery when paired with diamonds.

Celebrating the breath-taking natural form of the pearl, luxury pearl jeweller Hodel Switzerland, has created some truly divine pieces in which pearls take centre stage. As part of its Fire line under the Elements collection, these pieces blend fine pearls with other elements, and combines artistic vision with precision craftsmanship.

Hodel’s Fire line makes for an arresting work of art that can be worn, admired and cherished.

Hodel 18K Yellow Gold Golden South Sea Pearl, Diamond and Spessartite Garnet Necklace
Hodel 18K Yellow Gold Golden South Sea Pearl, Diamond and Spessartite Garnet Necklace
Hodel 18K Yellow Gold Golden South Sea Pearl, Diamond and Spessartite Garnet Earrings
Hodel 18K Yellow Gold Golden South Sea Pearl, Diamond and Spessartite Garnet Earrings
Hodel 18K Yellow Gold Golden South Sea Pearl, Diamond and Spessartite Garnet Ring
Hodel 18K Yellow Gold Golden South Sea Pearl, Diamond and Spessartite Garnet Ring

Pearly Perfection

Beauty of the South Sea
Luscious. Exquisite. Magical. These are a few words to describe Hodel’s new collection, which features an exotic combination of South Sea baroque pearl, keshi pearls, blue sapphires, white sapphires and diamonds in white gold. When worn together, the necklace and earrings make for arresting and admiring works of art.
Hodel South Sea baroque pearl (14.2-14.3mm) and keshi pearl earrings with sapphires, white sapphires and diamonds in 750 white gold
Hodel South Sea baroque pearl (14.2-14.3mm) and keshi pearl earrings with sapphires, white sapphires and diamonds in 750 white gold
Hodel South Sea baroque pearl (18.2mm) and keshi pearl necklace with sapphires, white sapphires and diamonds in 750 white gold
Hodel South Sea baroque pearl (18.2mm) and keshi pearl necklace with sapphires, white sapphires and diamonds in 750 white gold