Ms. J: 

 

1. When did you curate the first Outsider Art exhibition? Could you tell us more about it?

 

Tan Sei Hon (TSH): 

 

My first properly curated outsider art exhibition would be ‘Dengan Cara Kita/ In Our Own Way: A showcase of works by self-taught artists and outsiders’ for the National Art Gallery (NAG) back in 2010. Prior to that, I managed to include a small section entitled ‘On the Corner’: an exhibition of Informal art, Naïve Style and Beyond’ into the contemporary art section of the NAG’s major exhibition Susurmasa/ Timelines in 2008. 

 

For your information, prior to my shows, there was the ‘Yugoslav Naïve Art’ exhibition at the NAG in 1987 which according to the Chairman’s foreword in the exhibition catalogue “was the first of its kind in Malaysia”. The show was made possible with the collaboration of the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, Gallery of Primitive Art (Zagreb) and Gallery of Naïve Art (Kovacica).  

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Ms. J: 

 

2. How many have you curated, thus far?

 

TSH: 

 

1. ‘WE ARE SELF TAUGHT ‘group exhibition featuring 15 self-taught artists, supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) and Arch Kuala Lumpur City Gallery. DEC 15th 2014-Jan 15th 2015

2. ‘SINGULAR RHAPSODY: A Celebration of Malaysian Outsider, Naive and Self-Taught Art’ Xin Art Space (23 Nov-15 Dec 2015)

3. ‘LAIN DARIPADA YANG LAIN: A showcase of Naive Style, Self-Taught and Outsider Art Malaysia.’ Galeri Shah Alam (April 2016) 

4. ‘In Our Own Way 2016/ Dengan Cara Kita 2016’ Creative Center, National Visual Arts Gallery. (June 18-10 July 2016)  

5. ‘ATOMIC CONSCIOUSNESS’ 3rd Solo Exhibition by Thangarajoo MA Kanniah. Creative Space 3, National Visual Art Gallery, KL (1st-25th June 2017)

6. ‘CHEEV: THE UNCONVENTIONAL SCULPTOR: THE WORKS OF VONG NYAM CHEE (1956-2017)’ Blue Space, National Art Gallery, KL (21st April-30th June 2018) 

 

*In 2019, I was working with Krishnan Karuppiah (1948-2022) a self-taught artist who adopted the humble ball point pen as his medium of choice since the 1970s for his 1st ever solo exhibition at the NAG’s Creative space when the SARS COVID 19 struck. The following 2 years became a waiting game and tragically this year, the artist had suddenly passed away. It is really frustrating because the show that was initially confirmed by the NAG was postponed twice and cancelled last minute without official reasons given. Krishnan who had relocated to Johor from KL to stay with his children due to a heart condition was actually looking forward to the exhibition before his passing and not being able to fulfil his wish is one of my deepest regrets.   

 

 

Ms. J: 

 

3. Why do you do it? Is there a reason that impels and compels you?

 

TSH: 

Like many others, my initial exposure to what I thought was akin to outsider art was through Yusof Gajah and his followers’ naïve style paintings in the print media and exhibitions. Later, I became a bit informed on the subject when I bought this magazine called Raw Vision, which claims to be the world’s only international journal of Outsider Art. I also came upon John Maizel’s Raw Creation: Outsider Art and beyond which provided an excellent overview on the subject.  What I noticed with outsider art was that it all began with the works of mental patients. These were the daily arts and crafts activities provided by the asylums to keep the patients preoccupied while having a seemingly calming effect on them. There were the patients’ unique artistry of course but most importantly, the works provide useful insights into their mental states. This got me interested in the psychology aspects of art making and art as therapy that led me to the writings of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung (1875-1961). I was very inspired by his ‘Mandala Symbolism’ as I was by Jose and Miriam Arguelles’s ‘Mandala’. Shortly after I produced a small series of my own mandala drawings and paintings in 1999/2000. 

After that, I was convinced that an individual’s journey from alienation to self-acceptance, empowerment and autonomy can be facilitated by art (and its various branches) in fulfilling and meaningful ways that is guided by intuition. This approach allows artmaking to be accessible to anyone who would like to explore it as part of their healing process, their journey to self-discovery and meaning to life. I believe Outsider art is about that and that is why I promote it through exhibitions and writings. 

 

Ms. J:

 

4. Do you have any favorite Outsider artists? (Please send me photos, if you do)

 

 

TSH: 

 

I do not have any favourites but here are a few that I would like to bring attention to your readers- 

 

• Liew Kin Chon (information unavailable), 

• Wan Jaafar Wan Derahman@ Waja (1955-2013), 

• Mohd Nasir bin Daud @ Avroco/ Abroko (1974-2011)

• Vong Nyam Chee@ Cheev (1956-2017) 

• Thangarajoo@ Raj (1957-2023)

• Shanthamathe 

• Krishnan Karuppiah (1948-2022)

• Fathullah Luqman@ Fathul 

 

Ms. J:

 

5. Do you think there should be a distinction at all between Mainstream and Outsider art?

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TSH: 

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The distinctions between the mainstream and outsider art as we are told is between making art for the market and making art out of an inner necessity. Most outsider artists do not see any distinction between themselves and other art practitioners operating in the art ecosystem. They have no qualms exhibiting anywhere be it at private or public galleries and will not refuse the support or the recognition given by official quarters.  

 

It all began when those (artists, art critics, curators etc) in the Avant Garde, the left leaning and the counter culture in 18th century Europe started to include and celebrate elements (children’s art, tribal objects, art of the mentally insane, folk art etc) excluded by the conservative culture gatekeepers who profit from peddling works based on outdated ideas about art and beauty inherited from the Renaissance. Fast forward to today, there are numerous exhibitions, annual festivals, new publications and documentaries about outsider art. Even the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013 was about outsider art with its theme The Encyclopaedia Palace based on the title of a work by self-taught and visionary artist Marino Auriti (1891-1980). 

 

Outsider art has been a part of the mainstream for decades now. 

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