Zulkifli Yusoff has previously takcn
part in several important thematic exhibitions in museums and
universities in Japan , Australia and recently the new Singapore
Art Museum and has just participated in a major sculpture show at
our National Art Gallery. He will also be participating in a
select group show in Germany next year.
This exhibition will present his recent paintings , sculptures and
installation art to show his prolific portrayal of
representational art . Zulkifli Yusoff has already maintained
international recognition . He has won several awards including
the coveted Minister's award at Salon Malaysia and twice the
winner of the Major Award in the Young Contemporary Artists
competition in 1988 and 1989.
Zulkifli Yusoff was born in Yan, Kedah . It was in 1977 when he
was first introduced to the many facets of modern art. His father
gave him a copy of Art Today, an american art publication
focusing on contemporary art . It was then when he began his
journey into abstract art . By simply looking at the colourplates
his senses were attuned to the powerful , simple , expressive
forms and shapes that were very much de riguer of the
post-modern movement in art. He began imitating works by the
artists in the book and thus lead him to an enthusiastic career as
.an artist.
Since graduating from MARA Institute of Technology he has been
instrumental in the development of installation art in Malaysia.
As an artist he is concerned with the idea of form and space . In
all forms of his art we see a direct interpretation of three
dimensional form which has indeed become characteristic and
essential in his art. He uses varying techniques such as supple
forms of clay mouldings and intentionally designed canvases and
juxtapositioning them with more rigid and defined elements in
order to embody sculptural ideals . His obvous disregard for
painterly conventions is perhaps to explore the deeper
quintessence of his art the subject matter.
His art follows the theme of "Power" and is a
statement on the social and political order of our country . The
theme holds an universal message . He uses aspects of Malaysian
legends and bravely re-interprets them in context of the present
state of affairs. Disregarding the constraints of a
pseudo-patriotic nation , Zulkifli Yusoff questions and challenges
ones perspective on our current situation , with an emphasis
towards hypocrisy , bigotry and our pretense to virtue and as a
result re-opens our thoughts and suppositions towards art and
culture . He examines the issues of the past and compares it with
the plight of the people today and constantly decides that little
has changed in the hierarchial structure of Malaysian society
He works both in colour and in black and white . His approach to
incorporate elements of both figuration and three dimensional form
in his art, together with his firm underlying message has evolved
from constructive chess set pieces to more rugged caricature-like
images . His message continue to be witty and thought-provoking.
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In 1989-90 we see
the advent of the "Power" series using
chess pieces to mirror human figures . Whilst at MARA he was
instructed not to represent figurative art as it was a far cry
from the dictum . Figurative art bore no signifi cance to the
order of the college but had at that time a clear place in
Zulkifli Yusoffs acumen as an artist. As a result he uses the
language as well as the forms of chess pieces to symbolize the
rigidity of the institution and thus declaring the banality of
limiting an artist's spectrum. His style accordingly becomes rigid
and architectonic . His palette is governed by the dynamic use of
black and white with sudden protests of red . The sculptures
present an antithesis of the game . His tin sculptures addresses
the divided ideals between the tutor and the scholar where he
intentionally exaggerates the numbers of chess pieces and moreover
the rules no longer bears any weight to the original game.
Upon his return from his MA at Manchester Polytechnic he joined
MARA as a lecturer. He continued the theme of "Power" .
This time the message becomes more poignant . The progression from
chess pieces to colossal installa tion works marks not only his
new confidence but shows an enthusiastic approach to introduce a
new sculptural ideal in Malaysian Art . The theme embarks on
new-fashioned ideas , such as those of "Immunity"
"and "Puteri Gunung Ledang" . His satirical look at
Malaysian society may have surfaced from his exposure and
experiences abroad . It has since become a favourite ingredient in
his art.
His works are as complex as the mediums he chooses - ranging from
ink to charcoal to acrylic and mixtures of the three . For his
sculptural works they range from found wood washed on the shores
to tin to ceramic His scope to experiment with new combinations of
medium textures and form only adds to his versatility but also to
his own quest to improve and provoke the language of Malaysian
art.
His recent return and devotion to paintings have become more than
just a preoccupation It has become a discerning responsibility to
be recognized as a painter He believes that
"pigeonholing" artists into a particular category or a
particular style has indeed become ancient history. He insists
that the scope for an artist is vast and hence for an artist to be
accustomed to a singular style merely thwarts the creativity of an
artist
His new works mirrors himself as an artist . The canvasses remain
large in order to capture the essence of his expressive new style
. Equally the size allows him to subject himself into the
painting. He recollects the time when he first saw the various
styles of art of the West in Art Today and immediately found a
close affinity to the likes of American abstract expressionist
such as Kline de Kooning , Motherwell and Gorky . He was intrigued
by their utopian attitude towards art. His new works similarly
encompass the notion of non-objectivity - where bold and heavy
gestural movements dominate the canvasses . The works become a
reflection of his position as an artist as well as confronting the
norms of art today in Malaysia. He believes that his new style of
painting will challenge his perspective and understanding of art
whilst showing an empathy to current debate.
Zulkifli chooses thick impasto and haute pate to strike a modern
and expressive rendering of a new attidude . He explores the sense
of freedom that he savours upon leaving his position at MARA . He
treats his paintings with thickly applied coats of harsh and loose
brushstrokes to produce an alternating hairspace of matt and
sheen. His paintings on first sight comes forth as a startling
naive imagery but when viewed more intimately the painting accents
intellect and dilates into the realm of drama, wierd logic and an
explosive contrast of strong colours.
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