Exhibition: Mapping Identities

Initially I read the article on The Star, I felt it will be great to share it in this blog and went online to search for the addition info on this exhibition. It's an exhibition of Nadiah Bamadhaj’s works of drawings and potraits. The theme behind these works is Mapping Identities, and the body of these works is named Surveillance.

Here's what written on the article to describe this exhibition: "A new exhibition shows how geographical maps mark our place in the world as well as sovereignity from one another. Overall, the works are explorations of urban and national terrain through maps conjured by the artist to highlight the arbitrariness of mapping in shaping our individual identities. "

At first, I found it quite difficult to understand how these works can reflect the identities of people and oneself. Truly, you have to spend lots of time in analysing those works to understand what is the hidden identity in the drawings and potraits. And, I mean LOTS OF TIME! Even with the explanation given on the article, I still spent much time to get the understanding. Ewwww~

Here's one of the works:







-The Island

Hmm.. Looking at this work here, do you understand what is it trying to "map"?

Well, according to the article, the identities hidden are actually the peninsular and Sabah and Sarawak. It maps the the cultural and social identities between the part of Malaysia.

I shall quote some of the explanation here:

Let’s consider a few examples; buildings, such as those from Mussolini’s reign are distinctively totalitarian and representative of right-wing politics; on the opposite end of the spectrum, religious architecture is visibly uncompromising with its intentions; shopping malls champion capitalist greed; and places of sport – like Olympic stadiums – are equitable to the silly analogy of a driver and his sports car... ... They showcase that we are all products of our carefully designed environment.

How is it? Do you somehow understand what are the exhibition, the works, the maps and identities all about? Hope you understand as I found it truly interesting.

Hmm.. One question pops out from my head suddenly: "Is drawing a form of communication too? If it is, what categeory should it be? Non-verbal? Or perhaps visual communication?!"

Wow.. Another way of communicating.. Human communication.. How intersting can it be ya.. *phew*

PS: Any of you interested to go? Too bad. The exhibition was only til 30th August. Sighh..

=Yin Foong=

Resource:

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/8/24/lifearts/1849577&sec=lifearts

RACHEL JENAGARATNAM; Mapping identities; Sunday August 24, 2008.