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| KEPOMPONG Acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 cm, 2011 |
In a painting exhibition in Philo Art Space, a group calling itself Fighting Cocks Group (Acil, Aris, Basori, Zam Kamil, plus Iqrar Dinata) displays their theme of paintings on the body (of human), the body with various challenges and perceptions, but leads to the same problems, the bodies in a 'borderline'; the marginal bodies. The bodies which are usually scattered in the region which is tend to be conquered. The bodies that are trying to squirm to exist, the bodies are trying to continue to survive!
FOR A LONG TIME body is marginalized in the history of civilization. The body is considered as the source of the problem or hindrance to the ideals of the human, especially for people who relied on religious morality and philosophical idealism. Obviously divine religions—especially in various different views one another—are agree with this one, body is the source of sin! This view is parallel to the doctrine of dualism of Plato's philosophy that clearly discredits body as a 'prison of the soul'.
A body becomes a target of perceptions that have been constructed that it must be conquered! Even the body is a part considered as most representative to be appointed as a commodity of power, especially in the coercion for the sake of subjugation and discipline. The body must be beaten, if necessary, tortured to cause frightened and submissive. And what if the body continues to disobey? There is no other word, but it must be "abolished"!
However the history of civilization shows that the body is not so easily conquerable. The body has many aspects that could enable them to constantly dodge and escape from the ideal target is often so frightening. If the soul is the body's opponent, then it is often that the soul acts as a vengeful spirit to abolish the body immediately.
In a painting exhibition in Philo Art Space, a group calling itself Fighting Cocks Group (Acil, Aris, Basori, Zam Kamil, plus Iqrar Dinata) displays their theme of paintings on the body (of human), the body with various challenges and perceptions, but leads to the same problems, the bodies in a 'borderline'; the marginal bodies. The bodies which are usually scattered in the region which is tend to be conquered. The bodies that are trying to squirm to exist, the bodies are trying to continue to survive!
In the Acil's paintings shown how the body trapped in the spaces that seem so formalistic and structural. Apparently relations of the spaces were flexible for theirselves, but that's what causes people almost abandoned there. It is quite transparent here, that in fact the soul is not imprisoned by the body rather than the contrary. Ideals of space life have been so strong preclude possibilities of concrete bodies seek its own way.
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| GERBANG PINTU HARAPAN Acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 cm, 2011 |
In line with this we also can see Aris's paintings breath. The bodies within there showed their over of barrel in social structure which not allows the individual body as a subject of changes emerges and independent. The body is constructed in such a way into parts of open-ended community or even is only able to move in accordance with the call of nature.
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| VICTIM OF INNOCENT Acrylic on canvas, 120 x 100 cm, 2011 |
The history of the body exposed very clearly through the paintings of Iqrar Dinata. Since one's childhood a man has been made to what would be, being objectified in accordance with ideality system and matured by surveillance and punishment. Usually what is generated from this social construction is nothing but violence on the body. Social body is an achievement of violence committed since childhood. And more helpless body is the female body.
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| VINCENT, MATAHARI DAN PUISI KEGELISAHAN Oil on canvas, 130 x 130 cm, 2010 |
Zam Kamil took the side of relationship between individuals that has an aroma of desire to how the body becomes important. There is a maestro figure of Vincent van Gogh designates as an icon for the 'passion of madness' of the body which is strange in the history of civilization. In fact the icon could be read as a very sane reaction to the civilization that no longer care about the details of the body, civilization no longer feel the pain of the body and how we are witnessing a death of a sense of our own bodies only if we are too passive on the ideality social norms. Zam Kamil just wants to celebrate the passion that was almost extinct.
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| THE REAL VEHICLE Mixed media on canvas, 145 x 200 cm, 2011 |
While Basori focuses on the relationship of the body with time, a racing of body with the motion of time is indeed a contemporary theme that is very clear. There's interesting something that body raced by the time in fact resulted in the loss of our relationship from our origin that is the 'natural home'. Is contemporary man has lost the aura of romanticism? What exactly is he pursue? Perhaps he himself did not know the answer except to race with and together with time!
TOMMY F. AWUY
(Curator)
Source: Fighting Cocks Group exhibition, Tubuh-tubuh Margin (Marginal Bodies) catalog.
COMING OF AGE: ZAM KAMIL(Curator)
Source: Fighting Cocks Group exhibition, Tubuh-tubuh Margin (Marginal Bodies) catalog.
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| VINI VIDI VICI Oil on canvas, 180 x 450 cm, 2008 (three panels) |
The simplified and abstracted silhouette figure is a leitmotif in Zam Kamil’s paintings; it is also in them that we recall the bold early 20th century Fauvist manifestos of noted modernists like Andre Derain and Henri Matisse affirming the expressive potency of colour and artistic freedom from academic realism.
THE ENCOUNTER with the triptych, Vini Vidi Vici in this present solo exhibition of Makassar-born artist Zam Kamil is intended to be every bit awe-inspiring and relevatory. The largest work in the exhibition at 4,5 m in length, it makes a resounding command for the attention of audiences. Figures in coloured silhouette - nine of them spread across three canvases - are variously posed, each one of them tracing the graceful and elegant movement of ballerinas onstage. One’s eyes run along the curves and twists of the outlines of figures on the painting’s flat surface, in its composition, the picture is suffused with a sense of dynamism.
Vini vidi vici is a famous Latin tricolon uttered by Julius Caesar to the Roman Senate to describe his victory in war over Pharnaces II of Pontus more than two thousand years back. Translated as “I came, i saw, i conquered!”, the utterance brings forth the full force of Caesar’s self confidence and faith in his own military prowess. Adapted for greater rhythm over time to become vini vidi vici, the tricolon that forms the title of this triptych seems to mark a similar state of self maturity and confidence felt by the artist, Zam Kamil. Crowning his second solo exhibition with this work seems to announce the artist’s coming of age especially in terms of distilling a distinct visual expression and his insistence on an unbridled and total immersion in the arts, akin to the all conquering Caesar.
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| MERAH PUTIH TERUS BERPACU Oil on canvas, 150 x 135 cm, 2008 |
One often assumes a certain universalism in the visual arts and music for its ability to transcend language and cultural particularities, reaching across people of different races, culture and history. A commonly expressed ideal amongst some art practitioners is the ability of one to experience a creative work like a painting unencumbered by social, cultural and historical contexts. The paintings of Zam Kamil come close to this ideal, foregrounding silhouette figures that embody universally understood values like love and melancholy. His figures that populate his canvases become symbols in their own rights, bearers of his own sensitive and pathos filled vision and experience of the world. His canvases speak of the little poetic moments in life, the fallibilities of the human spirit, moods and situations in life. Matters relating to the material and the physical are left behind - in Zam Kamil’s painted world, one finds a sense of wonder towards nature; unceasing attempts to capture the depths of human sensations; and distilled essence of life’s milestones.
The simplified and abstracted silhouette figure is a leitmotif in Zam Kamil’s paintings; it is also in them that we recall the bold early 20th century Fauvist manifestos of noted modernists like Andre Derain and Henri Matisse affirming the expressive potency of colour and artistic freedom from academic realism. The simplified and schematic compositions of a work such as 'Euforia Menuju Puncak' included in the exhibition, recall the rhythmic compositions of Matisse. In the two figures leaping and suspended in space in the picture, one traces a circle marked distinctly by outstretched limbs. In this composition, one identifies a reference to Matisse’s fin-de-siecle motif of the round dance as a representation of rhythm and feedom. Behind the figures is a blue expanse that speaks of freedom and liberty. Dance, for Matisse, is nothing but ‘life and rhythm’. Seen in the same light, it is also in Zam Kamil’s dancers do we find the pinnacle of human satisfaction and contentment.
This desire for life and rhythm is most distinct in the artist’s unbridled use of colour. Derain’s ideal of ‘colour for colour’s sake’ resounds in the art histories of both the West an non-West. In Zam Kamil, this ideal finds a contemporary re-rendition. The nonnaturalistic use of colour for the figures in works such as Di sini, Angin Bertiup Lebih Kencang and Happy Hours enliven them with a character that evokes our primordial senses - provoking our assumed understanding of psychological and temporal states. The colours are almost pure, almost unadulterated; what the Fauvist discovered about colour is affirmed one again, in this later and different Indonesian context.
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| DI SINI ANGIN BERTIUP LEBIH KENCANG Oil on canvas, 180 x 280 cm, 2008 (two panels) |
In the context of Indonesian art or art of Southeast Asia where the experience of art is often mediated by the need to assert and understand difference - or what is sometimes called the Indonesian identity and essence in art - the works of Zam Kamil stand apart distinctly. They do not aspire to speak of and claim a particular Indonesian identity; they do not claim to bear Indonesian-ness; they do not claim to address a pressing social issue that finds its advocate in the arena of the visual arts. They are the humble ponderings of an ordinary individual who has chosen the artbrush and the canvas as the primary media by which he claims an understanding of the world.
Zam Kamil’s works distil material and physical occurrences to address the world through its spiritual and psychological dimensions. 'Cahaya-cahaya' showing one half of a pair of wings discernible at the top of a cluster of huddling figures, reflects upon what seems like the failed attempts of human figures to take flight, reminiscent of the unfortunate death of the Greek mythological figure, Icarus - who flew too close to the sun which melted his wings. The work may be read allegorically and related to the artist’s commentary on the futility of human ambitions.
'Saatnya Bangkit Bersama' was painted as a response to the earthquake that had struck Yogyakarta in 2006. Given its descriptive title, the painting is meant to be read as a reference to the spirit of selfless giving and assistance that prevailed in Yogyakarta during the difficult time of the natural calamity. The colour green gains in significance, representing the hope for renewal and re-growth, a return to a better state. The outstretched hands of two figures at the centre of the composition, a symbol of the generous bestowment of life, reinforce this message. The fallen is aided, the gloomy is comforted; a sense of universal brotherhood and compassion prevails.
This series of one’s existence within a larger community where one can draw sustenance is reinforced in 'Love can’t Hurt You Anymore', where a huddle of figures draw upon the sense of physical togetherness to generate a sense of collective strength and forebearance. The despair and worry of a singular character in the centre of a composition is deftly expressed by an arm drawn to cover the figure’s face. Yet she is not alone and left to fend for herself. Other arms are around to envelope and comfort the bodies of the other figures. Each figure does not have to be made out distinctly. They remain faceless and anonymous figures, existing only in the pictorial world - an ideal image that moves the viewer’s imagination. Is it ever possible that one can come of age and occupy the places of Zam Kamil’s pictorial figures?
WANG ZINENG
(A Singaporean curator and writer on Southeast Asian art,
presently a special staff of Christie’s Auction.)
(A Singaporean curator and writer on Southeast Asian art,
presently a special staff of Christie’s Auction.)
Source: Zam Kamil's solo exhibition, A(')Postrophe, catalog.
A(')POSTROPHE: REPRESENTATIVE COURSE
Koktail, Edisi No. 032, Minggu I, Mei 2008
The void figure similar to shadows easily complimented with form or appearances. Zam seems to give us a chance to put any character or faces that we could imagine of in his figures. The void figure is a medium for plurality of character, similar to an apostrophe inserted to form the plural. Through contour, composition and gesture, we could sense a rhythm and intonation in his poetic visualization.
THE WORKS of Zam (Multazam) Kamil is seemingly putting an apostrophe to visual language. I would refer this as he eliminates all detail in the figures on his canvas. Human, man, or women, barely has faces, expressionless, bearing no status or clear attribute. He simply presents shapes through contour and expression through gestures. Furthermore, some of his works bears genderless figures. Thus what has appeared in front of us merely symbol?
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| SEIRING SEJALAN Oil on canvas, 130 x 130 cm, 2007 |
Elaborating my opinion, let me to start it with the very definition of apostrophe itself. Apostrophe in literature is a punctuation mark, a comma placed on the upper left side of alphabet or number. It indicates a mark of abbreviation (example: "Have not"--"Haven't"; "Aku akan..."--"Aku 'kan..."; "2008"--"'08"; "Government"--"Gov't"). In English, particularly, apostrophe is used to mark the possessive ("Women's hats"; "Kid's shoes"; My sister's friend), or to form the plural.
Apostrophe is also used on emphasizing tone or rhythm in words or sentence, especially in rhetoric. In the latter, it appeals audience's emotion, while orator uses pause to build audience's imagination.
The absence of details in Zam's figures does not diminish the substance of the figure itself. We could refer it clearly as human, man or woman. Similar to the absence of alphabet "o" in the word "have not', replaced by an apostrophe that does not reduce the meaning itself.
The void figure similar to shadows easily complimented with form or appearances. Zam seems to give us a chance to put any character or faces that we could imagine of in his figures. The void figure is a medium for plurality of character, similar to an apostrophe inserted to form the plural. Through contour, composition and gesture, we could sense a rhythm and intonation in his poetic visualization.
"Figures without identity...", that is how Zam refers the subject matter of his works, "...it is a personification of myself and my mind while exploring various of forms". The void in his figures is his contemplation on human existence. Isn't normal to find a modern man gives meaning to his own existence?
The human existence is often time perceived as a search for identity. Most of human's activities in life are referring to this search. Furthermore 'self awareness' is inevitable in human life nowadays. I would refer to WT Stace's statement in his book, The Concept of Morals, refers existence is public.
Existence is valid once it is witness and experience by public. In reality, however, misunderstanding occurs. Existence is similar to identity. Whilst existence itself is deriving from verb (exist [verb]) referring to process or being to exist. As identity is a noun (identity [noun]), in which existence is placed rather than indicating process of existence itself.
Indicating existence with identity will demand affirmation from the outside and sought by many. They strived for predicate or attribute for the sake of pride. It possible, one could achieve as many as one could. Zam refers this as 'pseudo identity' in which the exterior label matters more than the person himself.
Modernity requires one existence recognizable by one's identity. As Jean Baudrillard referred contemporary society existing at the core of consumption, identity is constructed through consumption of commodities, images and differentiation.
By perceiving existence as identity would trap us with mass of images and symbols. Without us knowing, existence then shifted to ecstacy in meaning.
And Zam would assume that "man in his life...would strive for a lot of identity even through they might not be his..." And he sceptically points out the useless search of existence.
For me, Zam Kamil's works is critic on existence filled with many tendencies, while his works presented in metaphor. His 'Merah Putih Terus Berpacu' for instance, depicted two figures in red and white galloping. The red figure almost fell down and saved by the white one. A moderate visual expression criticizing the recent condition of this country that resembles as two people taming mustangs at the back of my head.
In his 'Gapai-gapai', triptych 'Vini-Vidi-Vici' and 'Seiring Sejalan', we will be presented with erotic gestural rhythm in which 'figures without faces' in the canvass achieving ecstacy.
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| CAHAYA-CAHAYA Oil on canvas, 180 x 150 cm, 2008 |
I found other characteristic in Zam Kamil's 'Cahaya-cahaya', 'Happy Hours' and 'Saatnya Bangkit Bersama'. A group of figures without identities in each of canvass compose biomorphic forms. 'Happy Hours' for instance, resembles a rose in diagonal. 'Saatnya Bangkit Bersama' looks like a life; while 'Cahaya-cahaya' is similar to a shape of mushroom surrounding by down-poured rains.
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| HAPPY HOURS Oil on canvas, 140 x 175 cm, 2007 |
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| SAATNYA BANGKIT BERSAMA Oil on canvas, 140 x 180 cm, 2006 |
Though starting with a question of existence, I believe Zam would no trap within ordinary discourse of it. He rather ventured in forms as his mind allows him.
JULES O' BAWOLE
(Curator)
(Curator)
TEMPTATION AND TENACITY:
MULTAZAM KAMIL'S TEMPTATION AND CONTEMPLATION
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| TEMPTATION AND TENACITY Oil on canvas, 120 x 120 cm, 2006 |
Zam didn't present realistic body. On the contrary, those bodies were without identity, without face, sometimes without clear sex identity, although some seems look as woman through her body structure, or her loose hair. I feel Zam's canvas finally like mini-word's theatrical stage without words. Theatre that relies on gesture (which based on body motion) to tell inner world stories. Body wriggle and incline, hand wave, or hair sway for example is like fragment.
SENSATION is tempting. It's a piece of experience that awakens emotional stimulation. The event perhaps only happens in a moment. Resembling the experience flashing during an aesthetic moment, which (perhaps) just last only few seconds, one positioned at the culmination point of ecstatic sensation.
Therefore, sensation constitutes an experience that expected to happen when facing artwork temptation aroused, enchantment burst out, being surprised, joyful or touched at the boundary of ultimate point. Or at least become imagining.
Of course there are many things that motivate the emergence of sensation. It could be the shape, color, sound, light, smell, motion or message. All of them can emerge from something simple, or otherwise from something complicated and sophisticated. The aura that appears could be psychological or intellectual sensation. Both have potency to awaken enlightenment. We can make sure, that sensation not just extreme 'weirdness, sensational, disturbance or stir up' and sometimes lack of significant meaning. Sensation with that definition can be seen as something that inclines to deviate (correlating with knowledge or critical attitude).
So, whenever deal with the artworks, if that sensation can't be obtained, will be felt insipid. There's nothing challenging, mean correlating with merely enjoying or further to understand and comprehend. The question now, which artwork that trigger the sensation? How far the subjective condition (personal experience) influencing the happening of sensation experience? Then, related to this note, the question is whether Multazam Kamil's work has the power to trigger sensation experience?
Human and Humanity as Topic
In general, 'successful' artwork is that owning (and combining) 'the power to surprise' and 'the power to intrude'. It means that work has passed over technical problems, at the same time smart to pack ideas by using correct metaphor. Generally, art work which process and compose the theme of human being and humanity-in so many pattern and every style-tend to provide the sensation (intellectual and psychological) powerfully.
Multazam Kamil (born in Makassar at 5 August 1969, completing his higher education of fine arts in Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) Yogyakarta on 1997, nowadays remains and works in art in Yogyakarta), in my opinion, has strong potency to deliver sensation in his painting artwork.
Circa 1990's, Zam explore naked body (nude) which (most) signaling woman figure, composed in so many pose, with sharp stroke and colors. His works is not trapped at merely expose vulgar naked, but rather exploring the problem of seeking and understanding to the problems of human being and humanity. Lie down bodies, that bodies, that worried, bend, surrendering and perhaps with bruised mind. Zam through his works signaling the subject that becoming his painting object about worry which was also happening within himself. Worried Zam, that searched, slammed and woke up again to continue searching. He always explored such works until the 90's along with worried situation of his inner world.
Entering the 2000's, although remains with the same theme, Zam's painting work showing progressively mature indication; more giving room to his mind for contemplation. There aren't anymore wild and quick sweep and incision, fewer dark and more solid colors. His paintings now brighter, more aflame and felt surer. Seems, Zam now stay in a different condition and situation; seeing and understand, that life not always fast and gloomy. Life does not completely stay on searching alley. Live and life in fact stay in the vortex of fall and rise reality, up and down, sad and happy; from one terminal to another, with the worry and expectation.
Nowadays, Zam's works is more showing expectation dynamics (optimism). Although sometimes the content or message that he wants to express felt condensed, talk about worry but seems more relax. His brush sweeps in a controlled rhythm, the colors look brighter. One thing remains; he is developing rhythm through bodies wriggles that rest on outline. Bodies in motion.
Zam didn't present realistic body. On the contrary, those bodies were without identity, without face, sometimes without clear sex identity, although some seems look as woman through her body structure, or her loose hair. I feel Zam's canvas finally like mini-word's theatrical stage without words. Theatre that relies on gesture (which based on body motion) to tell inner world stories. Body wriggle and incline, hand wave, or hair sway for example is like fragment.
I will highlight several works, as example to explain the description above. 'Temptation and Tenacity' (2006) that bright and cheerful for example, look like informing about desire, temptation and way to repel until completely under control. Zam composed this problem with cheerful emotion, although also implied dark atmosphere. Temptation and repel power are not expressed with abruptly or angrily. However, it's composed with more cheerful and enthusiastic. That in-motion figures, do not have clear identity, because I predict, for Zam all that is not significant. Story and atmosphere becomes the main target.
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| TEGAR Oil on canvas, 150 x 135 cm, 2002 |
A unique visualization, about three figures; one in the position of head down (like one of yoga poses), two other figures look like speaking. This work entitled 'Acrobat' (2002); that can be read as acrobat scene, or acrobat as metaphor.
Relax and joyful atmosphere, composed in several works, for example 'In the Rain' (2006), and 'Peace of Samalona' (2006). In these two works, especially on 'Peace of Samalona', the rhythm felt like a slow orchestra with the progression point at three figures colored red, yellow and black, also a pigeon which is being released free. I will especially note a work entitled 'Journey' (2004); three figures with relaxed movement fill an area that dominated by greenish color. Sprinkling effect makes the paint becomes spotted, adding dramatic affect to this work. This work shows the effort to explore some interesting techniques.
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| PEACE OF SAMALONA Oil on canvas, 190 x 140 cm, 2007 |
Till today, all that attained by Multazam Kamil inspires enough interpretation and understanding. In the art world, so much temptation besieging, but also so many way to parry and stay until one gets the endurance. Therefore, creating and preserving anthusiasm remain to blaze, at the same time create rooms for contemplation are a necessity to keep the balance.
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| ACROBAT Oil on canvas, 135 x 150 cm, 2002 |
All of these are easy to say. However, it still needs a hard effort (also integrity and morality) to do so. Thus, this is the truth of art activity; it is not to be productive, creative and enthused by others which become the main target (although those are important). Furthermore, (and importantly) is about values, integrity and morality, for the sake and on behalf of human being and humanity.
Yogyakarta, early September 2006
SUWARNO WISETROTOMO
(Visual art critic)
Translate by Hief
Source: Zam Kamil's solo exhibition, Dance of Life, catalog.
SUWARNO WISETROTOMO
(Visual art critic)
Translate by Hief
Source: Zam Kamil's solo exhibition, Dance of Life, catalog.
