Sixty three and still a spritely character who eagerly shares memories of his art adventures, artist Haji Dayang is one of Brunei’s senior artists who still pursues his artistic practice and actively produces works of art. As testament he is currently an exhibiting artist in our gallery’s Pause & Rewind 2018 series. Like most artists in Brunei, Haji Dayang is self-taught and has a background originating from ‘Kampong Ayer’, Brunei’s Venice of the East. Throughout his studies at Sixth Form Centre Jalan Muara his interest in art never ceased and from there he began a career as a graphic designer and animation artist under the national broadcasting station Radio Televisyen Brunei. Considered as part of the third generation of Bruneian artists, his debut as an emerging artist in 1978 was noted by his participation as a member of the Brunei Artists Association Art Exhibition at Brunei Museum. It was from then on that he saw his hobby transform into more. Painting then began to take an almost centralised focus for the artist. He gained a great deal of exposure by participating in exhibitions both on a national and international level. Currently retired, Haji Dayang focuses more on pursuing art.
“Lelaki Punan”, the oil on canvas painting by Haji Dayang, is one of the many paintings exhibited in the Pause & Rewind 2018 art exhibition. This painting tells the story of the background and culture of the Punan tribe in Borneo Island. This painting has been involved in an art competition in conjunction with His Majesty The Sultan of Brunei Darussalam’s Birthday in the 1980s and won in the portrait category.
When asked what is his opinion about the current art trends, Haji Dayang expressed that the art trends nowadays are quite challenging to compete against, especially with the rise of graphic design softwares and computer programs. According to him, in general, raising awareness by from exhibitions, workshops or lectures with veteran artists can help promote art to younger generations. From there they can witness and assess themselves in developing their interests and talents. Furthermore, he added that today’s art scene welcomes a lot of countless possibilities.
Haji Dayang thinks Pause and Rewind 2 art exhibition is a wonderful platform by Creative Space Art Gallery & Studio and shows great effort in showcasing the creation of veteran painters which can be a source of inspiration to the younger generation of artists and also conserve the Brunei Culture and Heritage.