Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation

This paper discusses the state of art criticism and art writing in Malaysia. Although Malaysian artists have moved into contemporary art practices, the exhibition strategies adopted by private galleries, including the national gallery have not changed significantly for the last fifty years. Curatori...

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Main Author: Abdullah, Sarena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia 2012
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.usm.my/28244/1/KAJH_19_2_Art_3_%2863-78%29-2.pdf
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author Abdullah, Sarena
author_facet Abdullah, Sarena
author_sort Abdullah, Sarena
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description This paper discusses the state of art criticism and art writing in Malaysia. Although Malaysian artists have moved into contemporary art practices, the exhibition strategies adopted by private galleries, including the national gallery have not changed significantly for the last fifty years. Curatorial practices have been regarded as unimportant, resulting in repetitive and limited ways of presenting art works. Consequently, art exhibitions tend to be a cluster of work assembled in gallery premises, and usually connected by very loose themes. Often art essays are published in conjunction with the exhibitions. Since research papers on contemporary art are limited, the essays or writings published in the exhibition catalogues become an important source of reference on Malaysian art, and they have been referred to as "art writings". Besides the lack of proper "art writing", there is also a problem with "art criticism" in the country. The lack of professional art critics and the multiple roles played by writers, artists, art historians and arts manager are among the main reasons for the present art criticism and art writing scenario in the country.
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spelling usm.eprints-282442017-09-20T09:55:56Z http://eprints.usm.my/28244/ Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation Abdullah, Sarena NX1-820 Arts in general This paper discusses the state of art criticism and art writing in Malaysia. Although Malaysian artists have moved into contemporary art practices, the exhibition strategies adopted by private galleries, including the national gallery have not changed significantly for the last fifty years. Curatorial practices have been regarded as unimportant, resulting in repetitive and limited ways of presenting art works. Consequently, art exhibitions tend to be a cluster of work assembled in gallery premises, and usually connected by very loose themes. Often art essays are published in conjunction with the exhibitions. Since research papers on contemporary art are limited, the essays or writings published in the exhibition catalogues become an important source of reference on Malaysian art, and they have been referred to as "art writings". Besides the lack of proper "art writing", there is also a problem with "art criticism" in the country. The lack of professional art critics and the multiple roles played by writers, artists, art historians and arts manager are among the main reasons for the present art criticism and art writing scenario in the country. Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia 2012 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://eprints.usm.my/28244/1/KAJH_19_2_Art_3_%2863-78%29-2.pdf Abdullah, Sarena (2012) Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation. KEMANUSIAAN, 19 (2). pp. 63-78.
spellingShingle NX1-820 Arts in general
Abdullah, Sarena
Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation
title Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation
title_full Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation
title_fullStr Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation
title_full_unstemmed Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation
title_short Art criticism versus art writing: the Malaysian situation
title_sort art criticism versus art writing the malaysian situation
topic NX1-820 Arts in general
url http://eprints.usm.my/28244/1/KAJH_19_2_Art_3_%2863-78%29-2.pdf
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