Moca unveils extension and exhibits

THE Pahang State Museum Corporation (PSMC) officially launched an extension to the exist- ing Museum of Contemporary Art (Moca) building on May 18, accompanied by two exciting new exhibitions. The extension is now known as Moca Plus.

The launch was graced by the presence of Tengku Ampuan of Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah and Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Hajah Norashikin.

Other guests included State Investment, Industries, Science, Technology and Innovation Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Nizar Najib, who is also the Pahang State Museum Board chairman, and Pahang State Museum director Datuk Ahmad Farid Abdul Jalal.

Moca is located at the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Royal Museum Complex in Kuantan.

Tunku Azizah, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin and the guests also took time to view the artworks and various other exhi- bitions located throughout the complex.

The first exhibition, titled Nik Zainal: Wayang Dunia (Nik Zainal: The World as a Stage), features 40 works of the late artist. While he was primarily remembered for his wayang kulit figures, the current exhibition showcases his lesser-known works such as landscapes and abstracts.

The landscape paintings clearly showed his love for Kelantan’s culture and its coastal area, which he shared in the many exhibitions he participated in over the years.

A showcase of diverse art installations currently exhibited at the Moca Plus building in Kuantan.

The paintings on display are courtesy of the late ambassador Datuk N. Parameswaran, who was a prominent art collector.

The 40 artworks, arranged in collaboration with his daughter Sharmin Parameswaran, are currently on loan to the Pahang State Museum for this exhibition. Sharmin, who is a media consultant and independent curator, currently manages her late father’s art collection and has been actively collaborating with local museums as well as those abroad.

Additionally, the exhibition features a Jawi script showcase by Akademi Jawi Malaysia, alongside Tun Teja: A Tapestry of Heritage, Empowerment, and Artistry by Norfazlin Zulkifli.

The second exhibition, titled When Craft Becomes Attitude, features eleven new artworks by four of the country’s notable contemporary artists — Anniketyni Madian, Faizal Yunus, Saiful Razman and Zulkifli Lee.

The four of them have extensively held exhibitions in Malaysia and abroad, and their works have been in the collection of various local and international art institutions.

Craft-based exhibitions have been gaining significant recognition globally, especially in the past few years.

Exhibitions such as the ones being held at Moca Plus will help the public to understand the philosophy of craft and how it can be interpreted to reflect one’s life irrespective of their vocation.

The new extension of the Museum of Contemporary Art (Moca) building – called Moca Plus – was launched by the Pahang State Museum Corporation.

The two exhibitions will run from May 19 till Nov 30 this year. 

The artists featured are:

>Anniketyni Madian (b.1986, Sarawak): Anniketyni’s intricate sculptures are inspired by the Pua Kumbu, a unique textile design associated with the women of the Iban tribe.

She has been commissioned to create works for the United Nations (Rome), Google, Four Seasons Hotel and WOLO in Kuala Lumpur. She was also shortlisted for the Sovereign Art Prize in Hong Kong for 2017 and 2019.

>Faizal Yunus (b.1989, Pahang): Known for his airbrush technique and use of automotive paint, Faizal combines natural and industrial elements to create dream-like, textured landscapes that blend memory and fantasy.

He has received several awards including the Malaysian Emerging Artists Award 2019 organised by HOM and Galeri Chandan, Kuala Lumpur, and was the Resident Artist at art centre Rimbun Dahan in 2018.

>Saiful Razman (b.1980, Perak): Razman is known for using tissue paper and gauze to create abstract works that explore social issues and landscapes.

He has participated in local and international exhibitions, and in 2021, was awarded the South-East Asia ‘UOB Painting of the Year’, beating contestants from Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

>Zulkifli Lee (b.1978, Pahang): Zulkifli’s works primarily involve the use of natural, organic materials, juxtaposing the beauty and paradox of the relationship between humans and nature.

He has showcased his works both locally and internationally, and was selected for the SEA Artists Residency at Rimbun Dahan, Malaysia, in 2017 and Galeri Khazanah’s residency pro- gramme at the ACME Studio in London in 2019.