Need of Focal Point?

“Art always emphasizes on the focal point of a picture. It is that spot where your eye fixes and the whole composition grows and revolves around it. That interpreted, if art then is nature, the focal point would be the crater atop the volcano as seen on plan where everything caves in. And everything that revolves around it are just bleak terrains. Of hardened lava perhaps? Where then is the garden where a child hops around splattering their feet in the stream? Where then are the decayed logs where the mushrooms sprout? And the spiders spin their webs? Where then does the rabbit burrows? Does such formality always apply on every subject matter in art? For someone who has been dabbling in art for four decades and growing, I would say no.

If someone painted humor, that humor would be constrained if the composition is symmetrical. That turns the painting into a whimper of giggles instead of listening to a big loud roar. Why is that so? Because where the focal points are, there, symmetry would be also. Symmetry draws stiffness unless that is what is intended in your composition.

The conclusion is, subject matters will decide your composition. A good composition is about balance, not symmetry. Good artist will know when to emphasize on focal points and when it needs to disintegrate into a landscape garden. Paintings with a focal point may draw attentions better initially, but given that if you are going to live with it and face it all day long for the next five years or more, it is those without a focal point that won’t bore you. Perhaps it may also be because men are all born hunters, their affinity to nature and garden is natural indeed. That said, paintings without focal points are not necessarily bad compositions. All in all, it still depends on the context. Especially in larger sized paintings, try to compose a garden. There are lots of stories to tell in a garden and people’s eyes wander around when in a garden. That’s what makes larger paintings come alive. The experienced aficionados of art has got to agree even when the conventional audience disagree.”

Merdeka Day

“As Malaysians, we should all take stock and celebrate with pride, the love our forefathers has for the country and how the many races set aside their differences and hurdled through the many obstacles to gain independence for us, from our colonial masters, which is what ‘Merdeka Day’ or ‘Independence Day’ or ‘National Day’ is all about, call it what you will. We should all do our country a favor and stop bickering on how August the 31st is not genuinely our National Day, reason being that, that wasn’t the date Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore was co-joint to us but September the 16th is. Let us not forget that our National Day, just like in all other countries, is also a celebration of ‘Independence’ and not a celebration of our ‘founding’ whether or not we gain or lose some extra brothers or sisters prior to or after that important date.

It is but a political ploy hyped up by irresponsible parties to create unrest, hopefully to gain mileage which would then translate to votes.

As citizens we need to address this together and come to terms because this problem has been blown out of proportion, so much so that many states, in their endeavor to be politically correct has downplayed their celebration and organize something mediocre on an important day like ‘Merdeka Day’ is!

We should again start celebrating Merdeka Day on a grand scale each year on the same day our Tunku raises up his hands to shout ‘Merdeka’ seven times to rejoice our new beginning in the company of every happy citizen witnessing this feat at Merdeka Stadium in 1957.

Let us not mix up and confuse August 31st with September 16th. Not like we can’t celebrate September 16th but September 16th is not Independence Day but August 31st is.”

Save Our World

“Man cannot befriend another man even though they are just next to them. Man cannot befriend another man, not unless they recognize some similarities between them. Without the similarities, they will appear defensive and many a time, hostile, when they don’t see eye to eye with you on things that mattered. Those similarities are created, sadly, using religion, race, origin, status, and common interest as a divide. And that is really a shame.

The internet is a wonderful platform that enables humans to bind together, worldwide. That brings about huge possibilities for people across borders to befriend one another. It is an invisible bridge that connects us. They say it has become a borderless world. But the grounded reality is, even neighboring countries still stays disconnected due to strict border controls. One still needs visa approval to cross borders, passports to verify your origin and screening laws they claim protect themselves against aliens like you.

It’s a laughing shame that humans cannot accept other humans as their own. Many fail to recognize that we are of one race. The human race. They color code you, like how their forefathers color coded your ancestors and insisted you not to betray what they believed in. They teach you how to bear grudges against their enemies for another two millennium. They want you to make their enemies, your own. The impatient uses you to seek revenge promising you martyrdom .If you don’t, you’d be considered a heresy in need of deliverance. In extreme cases, they sent you straight to heaven first, with the mindset vested in them to look at you as the devil when you are all human inside. Unfortunately this divide happens all the time between believers of different denominations, sometimes between the same denomination attending different temples. Family members with different beliefs continue to stay broken. As if we don’t have another choice. Or do we?

As humans, all of us are endowed with only one brain. We can choose to think good, or we can choose to think bad. Not unless you are born a freak of course. Likewise, we have only one tongue. We can choose to speak good, or we may choose to speak bad. So indeed, we do have choices to think or express ourselves. And to look the other way when we see or hear foolishness blasting on the main media everyday. We can all react correctly if we wanted to.

On the other hand, we can choose to be affected and get distracted by all the silliness happening around the world. Still, there is instinctively a clear choice for us. Be it to think positively, or negatively, given situations that appears to be unpleasant.

My personal appeal to everyone is to try to react correctly and help save this world. Our world. If we don’t, God will come. And show us how to compromise through our shortcomings. Maybe you want that to happen. To show to your God how weak you are. Even when you are made in his image? I don’t.

Be a master of your own destiny. Be weary of those who seek similarities using religion, race, origin, creed, status, and common interest as a divide. That can unduly break up friendship, acquaintanceship, even families. Save our world.”

Uh Oh Ah

I am seriously not amused when your profile name is “Uh Oh Ah”.

As if you need to announce your peaking orgasm to me .

Don’t you know that even clowns have manners when they added newer friends?

Fart

Be more original.

Come out with better topics for discussion

that people are familiar with and can relate to such as

“Fart, its social standing in society,

awkward detection

and implication over ones health.”

Mind and our Environment

“How our mind thinks organizes our environment.

When our roads are chaotic and disorderly,

it reflects the mindset of our past leaders.

That is why you should visit the homes of people

before you deal with them.”

Alien

“As usual, Malaysians are divided over an ‘alien’ just because he shares the same religion with the majority.

If religion were to be the pride and pillar of his preaching, then he should start making sense of his patriotism and loyalty by promoting peace than risking his permanent resident status by insinuating provocatively.

And if religion were to be the pride and pillar of our country that you have to side your good brother even though he misbehaves, then be God’s good example. Forgive the rest since you allow yourself to forgive him.

It doesn’t help the country one bit by being petty as you picket with the wicked with your prick dangling outside your zip as if that has become your brain or mouthpiece or something…”

Challenging Viewers

Some simple robotics does not make an artwork be. For visual art is not rocket science neither is it magic, neither is it a stage set designed to fascinate. It is the encrusting of a submerged consciousness subtly emerging in layers. It is an inconclusive maze. It is a mixture of alchemism and personal philosophy tied to your identity and your thoughts and that is what gives it the classical flavor. It is in all sense an autobiography. Without all these, they are but picture making. Not one bit can be regarded as paintings.

From high hopes to a depressive preponderance, one does wonder if the majority pushes hard enough to challenge the viewers thoughts with a larger dosage of pragmatism and well-meaning crits and whatever that encapsulates inside the artist’s mind, can they be contextually articulated into meaningful content without the inference of showmanship, quaint theories or be set free from the wand of prying opinions. Also, will they foremost gets sucked in by the preferences and whims of the lobbyists?

Kinetic art as well as Sound art sounds fascinating but being hindered by a lack of understanding of mobility and utter reliance on the robotics knowledge of the fitter isn’t. Just as being placed side by side to an overage contestant who should be disqualified isn’t. And being stashed inside a mouse hole when directional signs are lacking isn’t. Or cramped to an awkward corner when others have miles of space isn’t. The second question then arises if some curators are sensitized to the space given, are they also trained to handle criticisms constructively?

Competition under a new government, very much like ‘old wine in new skin’ is a springboard for which many freshies tried to catwalk for the first time. Sadly, many are left with sprained ankles. Just like being cramped into shows where the obvious superstars wasn’t you. And you work is only there to enhance the superstars status. Unless you don’t mine being the casualty, that is the price one pays for being adamant to stupidity.

But did the majority push hard enough to challenge the viewers thoughts?

Look Middle East Policy?

“Look East policy is today Look Middle East policy? Surely this can’t be the education revamp for Malaysia Baru? Forcing khat writing down SRJKs throat? Blaming them for the exodus of Malay school kids from SRKs? Isn’t it clear this is a populist approach designed to enhance some incapable politicians career whilst escalating racial tensions by scapegoating the Chinese and Indians schools for teaching their own language freely? Can anyone learn khat without first knowing how to speak and write Arab? And how may I know does khat writing, quota maintaining and changing from white shoes to black helps in the development of holistic education? How?

Rest assure I am not proud to highlight this!