Continuum: The 5th Solo Exhibition by Mohd Yusoff Osman

‘If we persist in our restless desire to know everything about the universe and ourselves,

then we must not be afraid of what the artist brings back from his voyage of discovery’.

Herbert Read (1893-1968)

Many things have been said about abstract art in Malaysia. Some are of the vacuous opinion that it is an advanced and sophisticated form of artistry that need not be explained but to be experienced while others, unable to imagine Art without referring to anything recognizable mocked and dismissed its practitioners of charlantry. Abstraction in art was practiced in Malaysia since the 1960s by a handful who had returned from their studies abroad. The prominent figures associated with it from then were Abdul Latiff Mohidin (b.1941), Syed Ahmad Jamal (1929-2011), Jolly Koh (b.1941), Yeoh Jin Leng (b.1929), Ibrahim Hussein (1936-2009) and Cheong Lai Tong (b.1932). Together with the sculptor Anthony Lau (1933-2016) they held their first group exhibition in 1967 under the ‘GRUP’ moniker. As expected, criticisms were abound and sales were few. Abstract art was not popular nor was it widely accepted as claimed by some quarters though the handful that had persisted did not unfortunately, pursued abstraction to its fullest or for its own sake. To me, abstraction is not a style or a trend. Without commitment and consistency, an artist will not find joy or meaning to the process of making but will be confused and continually frustrated in not arriving at an expected outcome. Predictably, many would simply revert back to producing figurative images as a cop out from the fear of not knowing where the process might lead them. That is still the case today, which explains why the number of (pure) abstract artists in this country remains modest.

I first came across the works of Mohd Yusoff Osman (b.1950) or Yusoff Volkswagen as he is known among his fellow artist friends, a decade ago. For reasons I could not now recall, I was given access to his studio in Bangi. However, it was in 2016 when he had his 2nd solo entitled ‘Alamiah: That’s Nature’ at HOM Art Trans that had a strong impact on me. I was impressed by his commitment to abstraction and I enjoyed that exhibition immensely for two chief reasons. Firstly, there were no conscious attempts to make the pieces colourful or decorative. There were no recognizable forms, patterns or images alluding to something familiar that casual audiences could identify. This was done by pouring, dripping and splashing paints onto the canvases. It was truly pure abstraction in action. The artist would also use his hands and everyday objects to make marks or strokes on some of the paintings. Secondly, regardless of the negative misconceptions, prejudice and ridicule heaped upon abstract art for decades, Mohd Yusoff Osman continues to have confidence in this visual idiom to carry his outlook and convey his feelings about the world and himself truthfully, unperturbed by trends, fickle palates or financial remunerations.

Why abstraction?

The artist answered “I chose abstraction because I found it much challenging than realistic painting as I believe it further reveals life to be much deeper and richer. Reality is seen by the retina; abstraction is perceived by the mind.” What the artist wishes to portray is not the visible nor the superficial but the essence, spirit or semangat behind forms and images.

I first came across the works of Mohd Yusoff Osman (b.1950) or Yusoff Volkswagen as he is known among his fellow artist friends, a decade ago. For reasons I could not now recall, I was given access to his studio in Bangi. However, it was in 2016 when he had his 2nd solo entitled ‘Alamiah: That’s Nature’ at HOM Art Trans that had a strong impact on me. I was impressed by his commitment to abstraction and I enjoyed that exhibition immensely for two chief reasons. Firstly, there were no conscious attempts to make the pieces colourful or decorative. There were no recognizable forms, patterns or images alluding to something familiar that casual audiences could identify. This was done by pouring, dripping and splashing paints onto the canvases. It was truly pure abstraction in action. The artist would also use his hands and everyday objects to make marks or strokes on some of the paintings. Secondly, regardless of the negative misconceptions, prejudice and ridicule heaped upon abstract art for decades, Mohd Yusoff Osman continues to have confidence in this visual idiom to carry his outlook and convey his feelings about the world and himself truthfully, unperturbed by trends, fickle palates or financial remunerations.

Why abstraction?

The artist answered “I chose abstraction because I found it much challenging than realistic painting as I believe it further reveals life to be much deeper and richer. Reality is seen by the retina; abstraction is perceived by the mind.” What the artist wishes to portray is not the visible nor the superficial but the essence, spirit or semangat behind forms and images.

One cannot talk or write about Mohd Yusoff Osman without mentioning Anak Alam. Made up of artists who were mostly self-taught (except for Abdul Latiff Mohiddin who had studied in Germany) the group became a visible entity with the declaration of Manifestasi Anak Alam in 1974. Mohd Yusoff Osman is a proud member of Anak Alam. In fact, he will tell you that he was a member even before the name was coined and has been extremely protective of its history and legacy. He would call out inaccuracies in the recollections or claims made by those who had a brief dalliance with Anak Alam in the past but now scuttle to associate themselves with the group due to its perceived historical and artistic significance. What started out at the core was a group of visual artists that soon included writers, poets, actors, dancers, directors etc. into their ranks while maintaining the non-hierarchical and nonpartisan spirit of Anak Alam. According to him, Anak Alam had a principle of not associating with styles or trends but to maintain an open mind about ideas and diverse practices. Like the anarchistic dadaist which they drew their inspiration from, Anak Alam was against all ‘isms’. Their refusal to be easily pigeonholed led them to experiment with different media and disciplines. More importantly to them, it was the process, not the outcome that was pivotal for it is through processes that one understands and develops oneself. Their awareness of the political and cultural developments taking place on the international and regional stage gave them a broader perspective on art and life which were reflected in their actions. They mingled easily with anyone regardless of age, race, religion or political affiliations. They were all young nonconformists who were curious, eager to be exposed to different experiences and situations and sought inspiration from books, art films, the theater, music, even traditional performing and martial arts. They subscribe to the universal without sacrificing the personal.

And like the dadaists, Anak Alam was critical of the establishment. They saw how creeping institutional powers began to insidiously form a stranglehold on the social and private lives of the everyday people. The words and actions of the populace were monitored and then directed towards behaving in prescribed ways which simultaneously strengthen the influence of the authorities while undermining the individual’s sense of autonomy. Perhaps, given the situation at that time it was not surprising since the country had recently come out of the traumatic event which was the communal riots of May 13, 1969 while still battling the Malayan communist insurgency (which would end 20 years later). Here we have the previous authorities that had lost the election consolidating itself through the various governmental agencies and affiliated groups. The tentacles of bureaucracy were one of the issues tackled by the group through their experimental performances.

From conversations with the artist, one can still sense the enthusiasm for many of the concerns from his Anak Alam days. Furthermore, underlying his calmer exterior, the deep mistrust for authority had not mellowed with age though it is tempered by a more spiritual outlook. Anak Alam (Nature’s Children) had cultivated a sense of insaf (awareness, mindfulness, penitence, repentance) towards life from observing nature and appreciating the natural world. This attitude remained with Mohd Yusoff Osman as can be seen from his previous solo exhibitions which focused on landscapes but in abstracted form of course. Besides paying homage to nature, he engages in dialogue with as well as contemplation on the subject matter. Nature stands in as metaphor for personal memories of people and impressions of places in the past and present. In this latest series of paintings, the artist casts his attention to the wetlands, or to be more specific, the drying and dying of the wetlands of Malaysia. Though he laments the loss of biodiversity and the devastation of this unique ecosystem, Mohd Yusoff Osman is not an environmentalist. His works are not made from environmentally friendly materials nor does he actively campaign for environmental causes. Rather, as a continuation from his previous series, his latest efforts are (in a modest way) to bring attention to this grave matter. The series is also much darker as most of the paintings are presented as night scenes though there are a few pieces that takes place during the day. However, as with nature playing her metaphorical role, the works here highlights a more pertinent problem, and that is man’s lack of harmony with nature reveals the internal disharmony within himself.

The wetlands play important multiple roles. It serves as a filter which protects and improves water quality. It holds water during storms and prevents flooding and it is home to a large number of the world’s unique plants and wild life. Many of the threats faced by the wetlands are the results of human activities. They range from pollution due to human and industrial waste, mining, irrigating large scale commercial farms to clearing large swathes of land for development and tourism, just to name a few. This has much to do with consumption, involving both the supply and the demand. Our insatiable need to consume depletes limited resources and generates endless waste. The online dictionary for the word ‘consumption’ means a) the action of using up resources and b) a wasting disease. It is ironic, since the more we want, the more we lose. The constant need to consume (to eat, own or use) things is a sign of neurosis, of trying to compensate a deep loss on an emotional or psychological level. It could be anxiety, a sense of worthlessness or soul crushing boredom due to a lack of recognition, appreciation or existential meaning.

The destruction of the wetlands can also be read as a metaphor for our psychological, even spiritual disequilibrium. What if we interpret the situation taking place in the wetlands using the Taoist elements of Yin and Yang, a concept which members of Anak Alam and Mohd Yusoff Osman are familiar with. Some of the Yin characteristics are passivity, negativity, dark, earthy, cloudy, watery, softness, moisture, night-time, downward seeking, slowness, consuming and cold, exactly the characteristics we associate with the wetlands. Seen as cold, dark, mysterious and even dangerous, the wetlands are deemed some of the most unpleasant places to be. However, its destruction (which is led by an over driven Yang energy) will have extremely dire consequences for our future. On the psychological and spiritual level, the neglect of our Yin qualities will leave us operating solely on Yang energies (active, brightness, fire, hardness, dryness, upward seeking, restless, producing and dominant just to name a few) which will also result in another form of disorder due to its overemphasis on the active, materialist and productive aspects. Even though Yin and Yang are opposing forces, when they meet under the right circumstances, things flourish in equanimity. But when either force dominates, it results in an imbalance (either excessiveness or apathy) which leads to chaos or atrophy.

The key to regain and maintain stability between the forces is moderation, which means self-control. This will only come from an awareness of the consequences of one’s actions to the environment, the people around us and to ourselves. With a powerful realization of the essence of causality, a sense of insaf can arise. As a Muslim, Mohd Yusoff Osman sees nature as the Almighty’s gift to mankind. Nature provides completely for our species’ sustenance; therefore, it is our great responsibility to ensure that this gift is cared for and kept safe for the continuum of our future generations. That is the lesson that nature offers us, if we are humble enough to observe, learn and appreciate.