GELAGAT

ROHAIZAD SHAARI’S GELAGAT SERIES
BY MAHZAN MUSA

In August 2009, Rohaizad Shaari will launch his second solo exhibition. After his successful first solo exhibition in October 2003, Rohaizad Shaari continues to move forward with his creative output by producing watercolour paintings that to this day does not appear to be ending. With the current global economic challenge, Rohaizad is still committed and brave enough to continue with his professional career as a full time artist.

Rohaizad Shaari’s second solo exhibition appears to be a continuation of the Gerek series of watercolour paintings which he started exploring in the first decade of the 2000 millennium. Rohaizad seemed to be experimenting with the images of the bicycle or gerek in the Kedah Malay dialect when he first started depicting the bicycle image in his works. It appeared that this experiment with the bicycle image was successful and a hit with the collectors which led to the launch of his first solo exhibition, the Gerek series. Today, what is there in an old bicycle except to the antique collectors? More so in an old junk bicycle, backwards in many ways given the sophistication of today’s modern bicycle invention. That is the perception of most people. However, for Rohaizad Shaari as an artist, the old bicycle is no ordinary bicycle. He is excited with his bicycle images. His sensitivity prompted him to think beyond ordinary reach. The old bicycle, dilapidated and out of date is made the subject matter of his paintings. This is where Rohaizad has the advantage. He is overwhelmed with the old bicycle.

Aristotle once said that an artist produces art works by copying reality. There is truth to this statement, but Rohaizad’s copying of reality is not simply a mere act of copying. The copying by Rohaizad is a creative process which is not unlike that of a visual photographic recording. More importantly, the paintings from his second solo exhibition is a visual depiction of human lives and condition. The old bicycle as a metaphor, relates to the actions of man with numerous manners, behaviours and actions.

Living in the 2000 millennium is clearly becoming more challenging. From globalisation, world without boundary and sophisticated developments in the field of ICT have tremendously transformed our lifestyles which were unimaginable ten or twenty years ago. There are those who managed to adapt themselves and even welcome those changes. However, there are some who felt oppressed and found it difficult to face the ever changing modern lifestyles of today. Hence, there are those who are still shackled and comfortable with their outdated lifestyle, and are therefore left out and marginalised. This is the concept that forms the foundation of both the Gelagat and Gerek series.

From the Gelagat series of artworks in this second solo exhibition, a painting entitled Krisis displays an image of an old bicycle resting against a signboard post that faces towards a petrol station. As we are well aware, a bicycle does not need to be filled with petrol. However for those who possessed a motor vehicle surely there is a different. This is where the ‘crisis’ arises – cars will incur costs, amongst others, the cost of petrol. Bicycle only needs the use of ones energy by peddling it but of course this appears rather outmoded.

The image depicted in the painting entitled Hutang is obviously referring to the owner of the old bicycle resting against a big tree with an advertisement offering an opportunity to obtain financial loan from the loan sharks which currently, is infamously known as ‘Ah Long’, pasted on the big tree’s trunk. In a desperate situation, due to poverty, one is forced to obtain loans from these ‘Ah Longs’. However, to those who are unable to settle their debts, they will be forced to run away but they will continue to be hunted down by these ‘Ah Longs’. Hence, they became fugitives from these ‘Ah Longs’. Briefly, the creative compositions of Rohaizad’s paintings revolve around the pressures of living, poverty and limited options in life.

In the Harap painting, Rohaizad questions whether Vision 2020 can be enjoyed by the poor and those living in the rural areas. This painting clearly shows the differences of status between an owner of a luxury vehicle and an old bicycle. A question is hereby raised as to who is more powerful or more comfortable and contented with life, between the two owners of the vehicles? Powerful in the material sense? Comfortable with the old bicycle that is out dated? Do ponder on these issues.

The arrangement of the formalistic elements of the watercolour paintings from the 2009 Gelagat series at Rohaizad’s second solo exhibition emphatically shows the ability of Rohaizad in arranging the images of his artworks. Rohaizad’s fine artwork is getting more refined in creating beauty. Detailed arrangements as to the interplay of light and shadows in his paintings enable us to categorise these artworks as hyper realist. The images of the paintings make his artworks appear to be serious, laden of messages and social criticism.
Other works from the second solo exhibition, such as Sandaran, Utusan, Orang Kampung, Keringat and Beban are still focus on the traditional life of the farmers in the paddy fields, farms and plantations. These are Rohaizad’s trademarks since the Pemandangan series at the beginning of his appearance as a full time artist ie as soon as he completed his studies in fine art at UiTM in 1992.

The depiction of images of village sceneries and all forms of endeavours to eke out a living are reflections of Rohaizad’s true self. As an artist, he employed his own background of being brought up in a farmer’s family as the subject matter of his artworks. Today he still resides in Jitra, located in the northern part of Kedah. Rohaizad relates in visual language his own background, living experience, his observation of the physical surroundings and the farmer’s lifestyle that are very close to his heart. His experience in life became the aesthetics of his paintings and together they forge his identity as one of the outstanding artist of the fourth generation in the country.

The social criticism issues together with the formalistic elements of fine art imbued his paintings from the Gelagat series with a sense of seriousness, laden with messages and criticism on the conditions and lifestyles of the farmers in the rural villages. At the same time, there are many among us who are too absorbed with surfing the world without frontiers while oblivious to the frontier that is closest to us.

Mohd Mahzan Musa
Psychology and Counselling Graduates’ Department
UUM College of Arts and Sciences
Universiti Utara Malaysia
21 July 2009

Translated by Encik Razali Masrum

Bebanan, 74cm x 107cm, cat air. SOLD

Name : Rohaizad Bin Shaari
Born : Jitra, Kedah, Malaysia in 1969
Studied : Fine Art Department, School of Art and Design
Medium : Water colour

EXHIBITIONS

2009
Pameran Amal Palestin 2009, Balai Seni Lukis Negara, Kuala Lumpur.

2008
Pertandingan Cat Air Putrajaya, Annex Gallery, Sentral Market, K.L

2007

Pertandingan Cat Air Putrajaya, Balai Seni Lukis Negara, Kuala Lumpur

2006

Citra Terengganu, Muzium Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu.

2003

Pameran Sempena Ulang Tahun Hari Pentabalan Kebawah Duli Sultan
Kedah, Balai Besar Alor Star, Kedah.
Pameran Solo (Gerek) Metro Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur.

2001

Pameran Sempena Pelancaran Galeri PENA, PENA Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

1998

Treasures of Rainforest, Rusli Hashim Fine Art, Artist Colony, Taman
Bunga Raya, Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur.
The Journey of Malaysian Art, An Art Exhibition in Conjunction APEC
Business Summit, Putra World Trade Center, Kuala Lumpur.

1997

Elok Bistari Santapan di Mata, Nyata Pasti Tertusuk di Jiwa, Alunan
Seni Mahligai di Kalbu…”, Pelita Hati Gallery and Petronas Gallery,Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Images, Art Exhibition in Conjunction with The G15 Summit,
The Mines Resort City, Sg. Besi, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Show ’97, Shah Alam Gallery, Shah Alam.

1996

Inspiration I, Group Show, Metro Art & Isetan Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
From The Rainforest, Sculpture and Painting Exhibition, Petronas Gallery,Kuala Lumpur
Open Show ’96, Shah Alam Gallery, Shah Alam.

1995

Shah Alam Open Show, Shah Alam Gallery, Shah Alam.
Lembaran ’95, Malaysian Artist Association (MAA), Petronas Gallery,Kuala Lumpur
Landskap dan Seni Bina Indah Selangor, Drawing Exhibition, Shah Alam Gallery
The Young Ones, An Exhibition Introducing Eleven of the Country’s
Most primising Young Artist, Nanyang Gallery of Art, Kuala Lumpur.

On Our Own, Tradition And Change, Ilham ’95, ITM & Petronas Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

1992

Malaysian Open Show, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
Selangor Open Show, Shah Alam Gallery, Shah Alam.
APS Open Show, Kuala Lumpur.
Boat Show, Shah Alam Gallery, Shah Alam.

1991

Open Show, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
Selangor Open Show, Shah Alam Gallery, Shah Alam.

Young Contemporeries, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
Isetan, National Day Art Competition, Isetan, Kuala Lumpur.

1990

Keluarga Bahagia / Negara Sejahtera, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Open Show, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
Young Contemporeries, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.

1989

Malaysian Landscape Exhibition.
Open Show, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
Kelantan Open Show, Kelantan Art Gallery, Kelantan.

1988

Kedah Open Show, Kedah Art Gallery, Kedah.

1987

Keputeraan Sultan Kedah Exhibition, Kedah Art Gallery, Kedah.

1986

Kedah Open Show, Kedah Art Gallery, Kedah.

COLLECTIONS

Abdul Majid
Amron Omar
Datuk Hamzah Datuk Dr. Mohd Salleh
Datuk Mohd Khamil Jamil
Lim Edin Nom
Mohd Tarmizi & Sabariah
Pakhruddin & Fatimah Sulaiman
Tan Sri Dato’ Azman Hashim
Zulkifli Tahmali
Hong Leong Bank Berhad
Malaysian Timber Council
National Art Gallery
Shah Alam Gallery