Artist in Aquarium - Meeting The South

photography documentation by: Chew Win Win

click here to see viewer interpretation. INSPIRING ART

This is the result showcase of TC Liew’s artworks during 3 months IMCAS artist residency program. TC was working in aquarium-like studio, where there had glass partition separate him from the audiences. An audience’s participation art program is designed. TC drew participants’ portraits while they were making marks on pre-printed portraits. After the interaction, participant brought back a copy of drawn-portrait by TC Liew. He was meeting Johorian daily in his provided studio in Danga City Mall. Collected portraits and audiences’ respond sheets considered his collaboration artwork with 43 participants, titled Meeting the South #1. If you observed the interaction through the glass partition, it seems like TC Liew’s performance art. TC performed as an “artist” and participant perform as “Johorian”. Both made dialogue-through-drawings. Meeting the South #1 is considered as documentation of 2 months “performance” in Johor Bahru. And Meeting the South #2 is collection of portrait drawing on paper bags. Throughout this interaction with Johorian, TC was inspired. He decided to “re-look” himself in this foreign land. He is trying to achieve balance “on” his life. (He is still working on it)

TC manages to produce 21 artworks (small artworks) including the installation of this room, titled Artist-in-aquarium. Again, TC’s new series of artworks are cross-media. It includes 6 pieces of drawings, 4 sets of photograph (1 set of collaborative photography work with Johor artist, Chris Wong), 2 sets of installation and 8 pieces of “expanded media” artwork. He installed 7 light-bulbs represent 7 energy points, so called Chakra system. These light sources “enlighten” him in the dark. Every process of the art-making is considered as his self-discovery in this foreign land. The showcase is a mapping of his artworks according to his mind condition. Therefore, he designed specific installation for every piece of his artworks. He believes that, left-brain working intentionally and the right-brain working intuitionally. Basically, conceptual works installed on the left, so emotional works on the right. The artworks contain both elements installed in the middle of the room. With asymmetrical balance as basic composition of the installation, it shows the hierarchy of the 7 Chakra points.

TC Liew responded his experiences being “in-the-making artist” in this popular culture and capitalism spot. All the materials he used are ready-made manufactured goods and some are junks from waste depot. Again his artworks reflects social environ that is surrounded him. (He was working in the shopping mall for last 3 months)

“I always believe that civilization is the catalyst to art production; I keep on imitating, experiencing, comprehending and reinventing.” TC said.