Equipped with just pencils, Amalina AB disintegrates the elements of folklore and creates hyper-realistic drawings. Be it an item, a site, or an event, the artist extracts the essence that makes up folklore, draws them out, and frames them. The works of the artist are currently on display in the current exhibition EMERGE 5: FOLKLORE.
Pencils draw the fine details of the feathers of ‘Asmara & Mutiara’, captures the plants growing on the rocks of ‘Jong Batu’, and follows the intricate details on the sheath and hilt of ‘Keris’. “I often see this [art] as a spiritual method to connect with the Creator of all things, seeing the finer things in awe, trying to imitate the perfection that is close to impossible and understand that there's nothing that can come close to the original,” the artist claims. Perhaps because of this ideology that the artist carries, it transfers the bond that she created between her belief and her practice into her artworks. As a result, there is something delicate about these drawings; fine lines trace each and every details of the chosen subject. What is even more interesting, however, is knowing that these drawn with pencils artworks are there to serve as reminder of what constitutes a Bruneian identity, particularly the nation’s belief, culture, and history.
With regards to her chosen subjects, Amalina AB explains, “Don't we believe that a mother status is of the highest in our life? That her anger & displeasure will bring wrath from God Himself. The relation between the story and our religious belief does not contradict one another. The story of 'Jong Batu' is not to be taken lightly. I believe it is both a warning and a reminder for all generations to stay humble & know where our place is in the world.”
“Now keris is almost a forgotten art in itself. Keris was adapted by Bruneians from the Majapahit era. Everyone was allowed to carry it as a self-defense weapon. Now it's no longer a privilege to see them on a daily basis. Not only it has interesting folklore story behind it but it’s also a national object that is on the verge of extinction.
“Lastly, when we think of the event that happened between Asmara & Mutiara. Our nation, life and existence was placed on a bet, it depended so dearly on these poor animals to determine the change of history. It would have been so much different if we had lost. Have you thought of that parallel universe where we lost? Have you ever been grateful that it happened and we won? I think there are times that we need to revisit our history to appreciate the present. And I had the opportunity to do that through my artworks.”
In terms of her choice of medium and colour, the artist explains that, “it is important to note that my style is heavily influenced by the notion of minimal aesthetic that acts as the main contributing factor in shaping all of my artworks. By omitting the background and by using minimal colour, it assists in highlighting the subject more prominently.”
With drawings that aim to not only serve as a reminder but also as self-reflection, Amalina AB’s ‘Jong Batu’, ‘Keris’, and ‘Asmara & Mutiara’ is up for public viewing under the EMERGE 5: FOLKLORE which runs from the 11th of March 2018 until the 31st of May 2018 at Creative Space Art Studio & Gallery at Sengkurong. There are 9 other artists whose artworks are displayed together with Amalina AB’s artworks and members of the public are encouraged to visit to support the local art community.
The EMERGE Project is one of the Creative Space Art Gallery & Studio’s initiative to foster, contribute, facilitate, and promote sustainable practices in our local art community. The gallery places great emphasis on the enrichment, conservation, and recording of the local art culture by providing a physical and online platform for both established and young emerging artists to showcase and develop their talents.