TOWARD THE UNDERSTANDING OF MALAY FORM AND CONTENT IN MODERN MALAYSIAN PAINTING

FOTOSTAT TIDAK DIBENARKAN
TOWARD THE UNDERSTANDING OF MALAY FORM AND CONTENT
IN MODERN MALAYSIAN PAINTING THRSIS
•thugian Perfchidmstan Pembaca &
Perpustrfkcum Tun Abdul Razak
Institiut Teknologi MAR&
Shah Alom
Selangoc.
A thesis Presented to The
Faculty of the School,of Art
and College of Fine Arts
Ohio University
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts
Mohamed-Ali Abdul Rahman
March, 1986

This thesis has "been approved
for the School of Art
and the College of Fine Arts "by
BahagUn Perkhidmatan Pembaca & Rujukt*
Perpustakaan Tun Abdu! Razak
Institiut Teknologi MARA
Shah Alam
Professor Robert D. Borchard
The Director, School of Art
11
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This thesis has been approved
for the School of Art
and the College of Pine Arts by
Professor Robert D. Borchard
School of Art
11
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My personal experience in going through the study
program (September 1984 - March 1986) at Ohio Univer-
sity's School of Art has taught me at least one strongly
felt philosophical fact of life: "No humanly possible
accomplishment could be claimed as the work of only one
person." Though obvious, an attempt to truly under-
stand it may not always be that simple. It demands
modesty and conscience more than just sincerity and sense
of purpose.
Contributions to my study accomplishment came from
the many people who invested in me, directly and
indirectly, intellectual insights, technical guidance,
moral, inspirational and financial supports. For this
reason, I extend my sincere acknowledgment and gratitude
to my advisor, Professor Robert D, Borchard, Professor
Clifford McCarthy, and Associate Professor Dr, Marilyn
Hunt from Art History Department.
The same gratitude for financial support goes to
Associate Professor Nik Abdul Rashid Ismail, the Director,
MARA Institute of Technology (MIT) who administered the
MIT faculty scholarship which support my study in Ohio
University, Ohio, U.S.A.
The continuous inspirational support which came from
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my wife, Sabariah, and my three children, Noor Aliza,
Ahmad Azdi, and Noormalis also deserve appreciation and
acknowledgment. An expression of gratitude too goes to
my wife, who patiently has lent her constant support and
encouragement during the years of my graduate education.
Additionally, she spent many long hours in typing this
thesis as well as other grueling manuscripts.
Finally, let Allah "bless all those who gave me the
inspirational and moral supports in the completion of
this study. Amen!
Mohamed-Ali Abdul Rahman
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ill
List of Illustrations ............... vi
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Background of Problem . . . . . . . . . 1
Statement of Problem and Purpose of
Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Scope and Limitation of Study . . . . . 11
History and Civilization of Malay ... 13
History of Modern Malaysian Art .... 18
2. MALAY FORM AND CONTENT . . . . . . . . . . 30
Definition of Malay Form and Content .0 30
Source of Malay Form and Content . . » a ^0
3. MODERN MALAYSIAN PAINTING . . . . . . . . . 59
Malay Form and Content in Modern
Malaysian Painting . . . . . . . . . . . 59
The Case Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
4. CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
National Congress of Culture in 1971 • • 103
Activities Toward Realization of
National Cultural Identity . . . . . . . Ill
REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Illustration Page
1. Burung Petala Wall (The Mythical Bird) ... 5
2. Dongson Bronze Drum . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3. Islamic Calligraphy in Wood Carving .... 41
k. "Naubat" Royal Musical Band . . . . . . . . 51
5. Interrelated Concepts in Malaysian Art
Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
6. Menjemur Kain (Drying Cloth)—Patrick Ng
Kah Onn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6?
7- Mandi Laut (Bathing in the Sea)—Syed
Ahmad Jamal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6?
8. Kelambu (Mosquito-net)—Dzulkifli Buyung . . 71
9. Semangat Tanah, Air, dan Udara (The Spirits
of the Earth, Water, and Air)—Patrick Ng
Kah Onn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
10. Hanuman's Visit to Sita—Syed Thajudeen . . 74
11. Puteri Daun (Leaf Princess)—Mustaffa Haji
Ibrahim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
12. Menora (Traditional Play)—Hoessein Enas . . 77
13. Nobat (Royal Drum)—Hoessein Enas . . . < , « 77
14. Seni Melayu (Malay Arts)—Nik Zainal
Abidin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ° .. 80
15- Wayang Kulit Kelantan (Kelantan Shadow
Puppets)—Nik Zainal Abidin . . . . . . . . 80
16. Drupadi—Nik Zainal Abidin . . . . . . . . . 82
17. Boats—Nik Zainal Abidin . . . . . . . . . . 82
18. Siri Dungun—Jendela Terbuka (Dungun Series
Window)—Ruzaika Omar Basaree . . . . * . . 84
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Vll
Illustration Page
19. Surface Painting—Ismail Zain . . . . . . . . 84
20. Kubunuh Cintaku (I Kill My Love)—Ismail
Zain .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
21. Garuda (Mythical Bird)—Ibrahim Hussein ... 86
22. Hang Tuah dan Hang Jebat (The Duel of Hang
Tuah and Hang Jebat)—Ismail Mustam . . . . . 89
23. Pak Utih (Uncle Utih)—Ibrahim Hussein ... 89
24. Gunung Ledang (Mount of Ledang)—Syed Ahmad
Jamal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
25• Kelahiran Inderaputera (The Birth of
Inderaputera)—Anuar Rashid . . . . . . . . . 92
26. Di Sebalik Awan Putih (Beyond the White
Cloud)—Haji Omar Basaree . . . . . . . . . . 96
27- Oh Moon Where Art Thine Stars—-Ahmad Khalid
Yusof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
28. Jawi and Nature 1984 V—Ahmad Khalid Yusof , 98
29. Tulisan (Writing)—Syed Ahmad Jamal ..... 98
30. Waiting for Godot—Sulaiman Esa . . . . . . . 100
31. Islamic Geometric Pattern—Sulaiman Esa . . . 100
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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Problem
In order to keep the younger Malaysian generation
aware of their own cultural heritage two institutions of
art were set up immediately after the independence of
Malaya (before Malaysia was formed) in 1957- The
National Museum and National Art Gallery (later called
the National Museum of Art) are responsible for the
collection, documentation and conservation of all
artifacts that reflect Malaysian values. Both museums
have their respective responsibilities in addition to
the common functions stated earlier. The former has
the responsibility to excavate and restore traditional ,
artifacts and document the history of Malaysia. On the
other hand, the latter is primarily responsible for
collecting, organizing exhibitions, and evaluating modern
artworks. Both institutions provide a wide range of
objects and aesthetic dispositions (Sabapathy &
Piyadasa, 1983).
The National Museum or locally known as "Muzium
Negara" has four galleries on both first and second
floors. On the first floor in both east and west wings
are located cultural, archeological, and historical
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collections and evidence of the existence of early
civilization from Neolithic age until present day.
All these items in the collection are from three
different areas which are considered to be the founda-
tions on which modern Malaysia is built and they have
been collected from all over Malaysia. In fact, in
addition to this, the National Museum, there are many
other smaller museums that are controlled by several
states such as Malacca, Perak, Kedah, Negeri Sembilan,
Johore, Penang, Sarawak, etc. They also have their own
local collections of artifacts and exhibits. On the
second floor of the National Museum, in the east wing
is located information pertaining to all the economic
resources of Malaysia. All species of vertebrated and
invertebrated animals that inhabit Malaysian waters and
jungles are located in the west wing.
In the east wing of the National Museum (first
floor) one may find a good collection of both arche-
ological findings and historical documentations. Among
those items displayed in the archeological section are
artifacts such as megalith, potteries of Neolithic age,
stone and bronze ornaments, brass-wares, swords and kris,
models of traditional palaces and mosques, wood-carving,
etc. The evidence of Islamic influences in Malaysia
since fifteenth century A.D. are also reflected in
various artifacts such as banners, wood-carvings of Koran
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3
verses, embroidery in golden-thread, and underglazed
china-ware with Islamic calligraphy and geometric
patterns. In the historical section are arranged
chronologically all evidence of the historical develop-
ment of the Malay peninsula since the opening of Malacca
by Parameswara in about the year of 1^03 A.D. until the
formation of Malaysia in 1963•
The most colorful section of the museum is the
cultural heritage section in the west wing of the first
floor. As one enters the main entrance of this gallery
he is confronted with a life-size statue of a young
royal couple in the "bersanding" or in the wedding
ceremony position, right in the center of the gallery.
This couple and the maid-servants who attend them are
dressed in the actual colorful ceremonial garments that
had been used by the royal family in Malaysia. They are
dressed in "kain songket" the traditional golden-threaded
cloth and jewelry.
In conjunction with this cultural aspect that is
inherited from the Hindu wedding ceremony (to sit in
state both the bride and bridegroom as "Raja Sehari" or
king and queen of the day)there are many other life-
size and smaller statues of Malaysian Malays to the left
of the dais. These sculptures are dressed in their
special clothes in certain cultural dances such as
"joget, inang and fishermen dance", in the position of
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"bersilat" the Malay self-defence art,"Menora and Mak
YongJ1
the cultural plays of the east coast states of West
Malaysia, and groups of young Malay lads involved in
joyful activities such as in top-spinning games and kite-
playing. Previously, on the right hand corner as some-
one passes the entrance, there is a huge collection of
"destar" the special royal headgear that are worn on the
heads "by rulers in every state in West Malaysia. These
head-gears are mostly made of "songket cloth" that is
folded into certain floral twists and patterns. Every
different fold and treatment of the cloth has a special
name.
As one moves along the right aisle passing the
"Bersanding ceremony1
* on his left and head-gears and
cultural dances by the commoners on the right, he will
come across another ceremony of "Berkhatan" of the
prince, or in other words, a religious rite to perform
circumcision. This latter section is adjoined to the
bersanding section. This ceremony is also depicted
with the figure of the prince riding a wooden "bird
"Burung Petala Wali", the mythological big bird that is
about twenty feet in height (Illustration 1). This bird
sculpture is used as the transportation to carry the
prince from his palace to another platform specially
made for the purpose of performing the ceremony of
circumcision by the "Tok Mudim diraja" or the person
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111. 1. Burung Patala Wall
( Th« «[ythical Bird )
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who is skillful and responsible to perform this ceremony.
The annex platform of the ceremony of circumcision,
another platform is erected so as to place various types
of Malay traditional musical instruments such as "Gendang
Raya"i the big drum, "Kecapi", a string instrument,
"Nafiri"; a woodwind instrument, etc. Among these one
may also find some Chinese and Indian musical instruments
that are commonly used by these latter communities in
their cultural ceremonies such as "dragon dance" and in
religious rite.
In the section that is opposite the mythological
bird image one may find various Chinese and Indian
cultural activities and artifacts such as a traditional
Chinese bedroom in ancient Malacca, examples of Chinese
opera, Indian dance, etc.
Finally, on the right hand side of the left aisle
as one moves toward the exit after passing all those
aforementioned items, a rich collection of shadow-play
puppets is displayed. From these varieties of puppets
one will find that the stories depicted are of Indian
origin and they are derived from the "Indian Mahabrata"
epic and several other stories about local rulers,
especially in the east coast states of West Malaysia
(Kelantan and Trengganu). From these shadow-play puppets
one can also find that the cross-cultural influences from
other neighboring countries such as Thailand and Indonesia
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FOTOSTAT TIDAK D1BENARKAN
7
appear in the puppets themselves, especially in the treat-
ment of the drapery design and body postures with elongated
arms attached to the shoulders and heads in the profile
positions.
With this brief sketch of our cultural heritage
that is situated on the west wing of the first floor
gallery of the National Museum of Malaysia, one can feel
how rich the Malaysian culture is and at any moment a
creative art student may easily choose and derive some
ideas from this wide range of cultural heritage motifs,
and thus render them into his own contemporary artwork.
Modern painting of Malaysia with cultural motifs to
reflect Malaysian identity can be displayed and viewed
in the next complex that is just on the other side of
the road that separates the National Museum of Art and
the east wing of the National Museum.
The National Art Gallery, (the first name of the
National Museum of Art) when it was temporarily part of
the Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman building, began in 195^
with the idea nurtured by the Federation of Malay Art
Council (Balai Seni Lukis Negara 1958-83, 198*0. In
his opening speech of the Third Annual Open Malayan
Artists Exhibition in March 1956, Y.T.M. Tunku Abdul
Rahman Putra (then Chief Minister) approved in principal
that Malaya should have its own National Art Gallery
(National Art Gallery Report, 1963) and again in March
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1958, when his excellency made his opening speech for the
fifth Annual open Exhibition of Malayan Artists, he
announced that the Federation Government would set aside
part of the Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman building as a
temporary premises of the National Art Gallery. Accord-
ing to the foreword to the catalogue for the exhibition
the building was a temporary home for the nation's work
of art which would offer "enjoyment and inspiration to
the general public and instruction for students", and
that "art expresses and reflects the spirit and
personality of the people who make a nation"j and that
it is the responsibility of the present generation of
Malaysians to build a nation which will gain some
inspiration from a fine collection of works of art,
worthly housed and accessible to all (National Art
Gallery, 1958).
Syed Ahmad Jamal, present Director of the National
Art Gallery in the introduction of the catalogue of the
National Art Gallery Exhibition 1958-1983 emphasized
that the National Museum of Art must be a model
institution of its kind, a cultural agency upholding a
tradition of serving society yet setting trends, a
preserver of the heritage and catalyst of the new,
working within the framework of responsibility and
integrity of its social role, leading with knowledge
and courage, aware of changes in society, in context of
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the reality of the living culture (Balai Seni Lukis
Negara 1958-83, 198^).
Unfortunately, all these aspirations to have works
of art that reflect a cultural identity of Malaysia has
rather gradually diminished. The traditional motifs,
whether those which have already "been salvaged and have
been kept in several museums throughout the country or
those which have not been recovered, are becoming alien
to the younger Malaysians. Both institutions, National
Museum and National Museum of Art which provide a wide
range of object and aesthetic despositions are generally
ignored and not fully realized. Ironically, cultural
motifs that were sustained and accumulated since about
3,000 - 4,000 years ago are gradually being engulfed and
relinguished by the modernization and influences brought
into the country by the British colonialism.
The British intervention into the politics of Malay
States in about the year 1?86 A.D. and the introduction of
western art styles about forty years ago had changed
considerably a large number of artist's attitudes toward
their roots. Some of the younger Malaysian generations
were easily influenced and adulterated their own
cultural heritage with all these western influences
as well as the so-called modern art-style. They tended
to forget their own cultural motifs and values, totally
adopting western values without considering the
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consequences of this action as it affected the younger
generation of artists around them.
1.2 Statement of Problem and
Purpose of Study
Those two institutions, namely the National Museum
and National Museum of Art, which provide a wide range
of cultural heritage and aesthetic dispositions have
generally been ignored. These sources of ideas and
expression for contemporary work of art have not fully
exploited by modern Malaysian artists. Wiser artists
are very selective with the new trends of art and
sensitive with their own cultural values, many of them
have still been carried away into the swift current of
the western norms. While the former study and keep to
their cultural roots, the latter, especially those
younger artists who underwent art training in Western
countries no longer recognize traditional form and
content. They have either poked fun at the society from
which they have removed themselves or have become so
self-centered and individualistic that they too have
lost contact with their own society.
They also feel that those motifs and symbols that
appear in traditional art have no materialistic gain.
Without judging the "essence" and "context" they define
"Fine Art" as superior than "Applied Art" or traditional
art. Gradually, they are influenced by western values
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11
and tend to forget their own cultural heritage. The
situation becomes more complex and deteriorates when some
of them rail against the implementation of "National
Cultural Identity" that is based on the homogeneous
culture.
This serious problem is due to the ignorance and
lack of understanding of Malay form and content in art.
It is the purpose of this research paper to help to find
or suggest a solution, or possibly a means whereby the
form and content of traditional art, with special
interest and emphasis on Malay form and content will
not be forgotten but be understood, not only by the
artists themselves, but also other audiences of modern
Malaysian painting. It is also the aim of this study
to identify those artists who cleverly use modern
technique and media in order to highlight and upgrade
the traditional cultural heritage of their country.
By referring to their works, it is hoped that Malaysian
values, especially those which relate to traditional
Malay art and culture will be understood. They are not
only known as the "rivivalists" in the Malaysian modern
art movement, but also they are the artists who set up
certain standards for other newcomers into modern
Malaysian painting.
1.3 Scope and Limitation of Study
Since this study is executed in Ohio University,
_________.—-——•—
FQTOSTAT TIOAK. DIBENARKA*
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Ohio, United States of America, the writer admits that
his research is "based on those available materials in the
university's library, personal experience and through
other general readings about relevant theories of art.
Although he is a Malay by origin, he will never admit
that he knows all aspects of Malay art and culture.
His statement may not be the opinion of any Malaysian
Cultural association or any higher learning institutions.
He will agree, however, that his comments and suggestions
may be considered for improving the betterment of the
traditional Malay form and content in the Modern
Malaysian art scene.
This research's scope which is limited within the
Malay form and content in modern Malaysian painting is
based on the answers obtained from ten questions
listed below:
1. What is Malay form and content?
2. Is there any Malay form and content in modern
Malaysian painting?
3- What are those sources of Malay form and
content in modern Malaysian painting?
4. Are new media used suitable enough for the
exploitation of Malay form and content?
5. How do Malaysian artists use the new media to
attract audiences to appreciate Malay form and content?
6. How do artists entwine Malaysian cultural values
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with western art styles?
7- What type of education will stimulate the
interest of the younger generations toward a national
identity in art?
8, Is the present Malaysian school curriculum in
art education promoting the cultural values amongst the
students?
9- What is the contribution of Malay form and
content in the implementation of the National Congress
of Culture's resolutions?
10, What are those steps taken in promoting the
cultural heritage in modern Malaysian painting?
1.4 History and Civilization
of Malay
In the Paleolithic age, from sometime after 10,000
years until about 4,000 years ago, the Hoabinhians, the
people who were at that stage of culture as hunters and
food gatherers inhabited the Malay Peninsula before they
travelled further southward as far as New Guinnea,
Australia and the Islands of South Sea. This race of
people, having physical characters suggesting affinity
with the present day Melanesians, left traces of their
cultures, especially in caves and rock-shelters in Malay
Peninsula (Tweedie, 1957)• They made rather rough stone
tools by chipping river pebbles to produce a jagged
cutting or scraping edge on the tools themselves, not by
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grinding or polishing them. These men knew nothing about
any form of agriculture.
The Hoabinhian people were then followed by another
group or race, namely, the Proto-Malays and the Deutero-
Malays. The migration of these early Malays from the
northern part of Southeast Asian region, especially from
Yunnan in Southern China, down to the Malay Peninsula
took place between 2,500 B.C. and 1,500 B.C. According
to Sardesai, this latter group of people is the largest
population group in today's Southeast Asia, inhabiting
Malaysia (Malay Peninsula and East Malaysia), Indonesia,
and the Philippines (Sardesai, 1981). This group of
people who are universally known as the people of the
Neolithic age in this region, brought along with them an
advanced material culture including the technique of
making pottery of high aesthetic, as well as
utilitarian merit and great skill in selecting and
working stone to make tools and ornaments (Tweedie,
1957). They also brought along their animistic beliefs
and cultures.
These Neolithic people, especially the Deutero-
Malay, were already peasants and produced an assured
food supply by some sort of cultivation. They settled
down once they found suitable places to cultivate their
crops. At the same time, they also domesticated animals
and formed some sort of community organizations. They, in
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fact, "built their houses in the open, much like the nipah
palm thatched roof wooden or bamboo houses of the farmers
and country people before the Second World War. These
simple communities consisted of parents and their children
which then grew in size as the numbers of this population
increased. Among them they were skilled and specialized
craftsmen. They made pottery of excellent quality, dark
and sometimes red in color, with smooth and polished
outer surfaces that could be produced by the application
of a clay slip before firing (Tweedie, 1957)•
The Malays also made contact with other groups of
Malays, who settled or shared the same rivers. Possibly
they began the barter-trade business once they had the
knowledge of how to carry their goods in their simple
dug-out boats.
The Deutero-Malay, the more advanced people of the
two Malay ethnic groups was also responsible to introduce
bronze and iron to this part of the world, in about 300
B.C. According to Tweedie (1957)> in the introduction
of his book entitled Prehistoric Malava; the transition
period from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age culture,
which is also known as the Dongson Culture, was gradual.
The only artifacts definitely referable to this age were
three bronze bells and two drums. The evidence of one
of the latter were found in Klang, Selangor (Illustra-
tion 2) and the other bronze drum was found in Tembeling,
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