Wan Mayang is a local female sculptor. Her artworks have been exhibited in a number of exhibitions namely ‘Spectacle’ at University Brunei Darussalam, ‘Identity’ at Kaleidoscope BN and the very first ‘EMERGE’ exhibition here at Creative Space. Her artworks showcase her admiration for folktales - myths rich with culture and heritage - a storytelling of history. Her admiration is piqued by the folktales found in local poem books.
We at Creative Space Art Gallery & Studio are delighted to have Wan as an artist again to our upcoming exhibition: EMERGE4: SYNESTHESIA, which opens on Sunday, the 10th of September. Wan shares with us her admiration for this storytelling, or more familiar natively as ‘Syair’
“It's a beautiful journey. A storytelling where our ancestors telling stories of their own. I'd like to imagine how it was back then during the wars and before it when Brunei was once called Puni over a thousand years ago. I always ask myself of how do the characters look like in futuristic form with intelligence and what if they were alive and they live from past to future.
I believe that one way to preserve our heritage is to develop it and present it to people that most of my artworks are futuristic yet the tale behind it supported with the elements found on the sculptures speak a lot about the past and its origin and how they became legendary today.”
The upcoming EMERGE exhibition, themed Synesthesia, explores a rare phenomenon where only a small percent of the world’s population have and in the simplest terms used here at the gallery “a “hi-jacking’ of the senses”. For the exhibition, we invited artists and with audio material selected by the artists ranging from ambient sounds to music samples to written scriptures; supplement the artworks showcased. Visitors of the gallery are recommended to bring along their headsets to enhance their gallery experience.
Wan shares with us her thoughts on the theme of the exhibition and why the EMERGE project is important to her as an artist.
“It is something different and people will sure excited to experience this exhibition. First I heard Synesthesia for this emerge theme was hard for me to think how to incorporate it with my artworks. Then I remember one of the favorite pastimes in the past was storytelling, where our ancestors told stories of their own or stories that are passed down to them from generation to generation, to their family and friends.
By using poems I retrieve from a couple of local poem books as my inspiration behind my artwork and using light and sleek material as its main feature I am evolving the myths and have this version of mine in 3D form. All of my mechanical sculptures are based on Brunei's legendary tales. To support its motive, Malay elements and ornaments are playing major parts for one of its characteristics of my creations.
As a young female metal sculptor, I'd like to express to other people that there is always ways to make our amateur interest into something that can make an impact on our ordinary lives. I also believe that our society would like to get inspired, and experience the hidden genuine artistry in ourselves. My artistic aspiration is that I hope art will flourish in Brunei and also noticed by more people from abroad.”
EMERGE 4: SYNESTHESIA opens Sunday 10th of September 2017 to 9th of October 2017, and the public are invited to immerse themselves in the world of synesthesia.
EMERGE is an initiative by Creative Space Art Gallery & Studio to provide a platform for local emerging artist to showcase their artworks to the public. The EMERGE exhibition is a recording of the creative talents the nation has to offer, providing an awareness locally and internationally.
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