Newspaper Feature on Our Caricatures
January 18, 2010Our caricature drawing practice were featured in a full page article in Berita Harian.
Click on image to see clearer or read the text below.
The article was written in Malay. For the benefit of those who do not understand Malay, I did a Google translation of it and pasted the translation below. Unfortunately the translation is very bad. The article extracted from their website:
http://cyberita.asia1.com.sg/mrencana/story/0,6879,157264,00.html
15 Jan 2010
EKSTRA!
DUNIA KARIKATUR
Dunia humor
Sekeping lukisan karikatur yang indah lagi mencuit hati memalit seribu pengertian bagi yang empunya diri. HARYANI ISMAIL menjengah kehidupan tiga pelukis karikatur termasuk sepasang suami isteri untuk merasakan nikmat yang ditebar menerusi karikatur peribadi.
MATA jurufoto Berita Harian, M.O. Salleh, serius terpaku pada insan kreatif di depan matanya yang tampak relaks menggerakkan jari-jemarinya, melakar potret karikatur pada sekeping kertas.
M.O. Salleh yang menggelar dirinya ‘Tok Janggut’ itu sesekali mengusap janggut putihnya yang dibiarkan meringga sambil mencari ilham bagaimana merakam foto terbaik sang pelukis yang tatapannya berlegar-legar antara kertas dengan wajah si jurufoto.
Inilah kali pertama saya melihat sesi fotografi berjalan dengan subjeknya, Encik Mohamed Kamal Dollah, tidak duduk diam, bahkan meneruskan kerja kreatifnya. Sedang M.O. Salleh memetik foto Encik Mohamed Kamal, bekas Presiden Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (Apad) itu pula sibuk menghasilkan karikatur ‘Tok Janggut’ dalam masa lima minit.
Mereka begitu khusyuk mempamerkan seni artistik masing-masing sehingga tidak sedar saya sudah berada di muka pintu flat empat bilik di Serangoon Central Drive, menanti masa untuk mewawancara Encik Mohamed Kamal, 42 tahun, dan isterinya, Cik Ye Ruoshi, 36 tahun, juga seorang pelukis.
Memandangkan sudah lebih sedekad tidak menemui Encik Mohamed Kamal, seorang pelukis sepenuh masa dan pensyarah sambilan di Universiti SIM (UniSIM), maka banyak lembaran kisah dan penglibatannya dalam pelbagai projek seni luar dan dalam negeri yang sempat dikongsi.
Lebih menarik perhatian saya ialah penglibatan Encik Mohamed Kamal dengan Persatuan Antarabangsa Seniman Karikatur (ICSA) yang berpangkalan di Amerika. Persatuan tidak mengaup keuntungan dengan lebih 550 anggota serata dunia itu ditubuhkan untuk mempromosikan seni karikatur, mendidik awam dan media tentang seni ini.
Ditubuhkan pada 1989 oleh Wallace ‘Buddy’ Rose sebagai wadah untuk pelukis karikatur bertukar-tukar fikiran, ICSA turut mengadakan sidang karikatur tahunan di mana seniman karikatur bersaing untuk merebut gelaran Seniman Karikatur Tahun Ini. Seniman terpilih yang karyanya mendapat undian terbanyak di kalangan peserta sidang, menerima Piala Golden Nosey dan diberi pengiktirafan sebagai Seniman Karikatur bertaraf Master.
‘Sewaktu mendalami pengajian seni, ibu saya bimbang saya tak boleh cari makan sebagai pelukis sepenuh masa. Namun, segalanya bergantung pada usaha seseorang individu, sama ada dia nak mencuba atau tidak. Mujurlah, menerusi kemahiran grafik, grafiti dan karikatur, saya ke sana sini untuk persidangan antarabangsa,’ katanya.
Beliau mendaftarkan diri untuk Sidang Seniman Karikatur anjuran ICSA di Nevada, Amerika Syarikat untuk diselubungi suasana lakaran karikatur spontan.
‘Penggiat karikatur lain di sidang ini profesional. Tak sampai lima minit, karikatur dah siap,’ kata Encik Mohamed Kamal, membuka cerita, sambil mengalihkan pandangannya kepada saya untuk dijadikan ‘mangsa glamor’ selanjutnya.
Pemilik ijazah Sarjana Latihan Seni Kontemporari dari Universiti Huddersfield, United Kingdom, itu kini mengendalikan laman Cartoon.Sg yang memaparkan karikatur beliau, isterinya dan teman mereka, Encik Luthfi Mustafah (Killergerbill), hasilkan.
Selain khidmat melukis karikatur untuk hadiah hari lahir, majlis persandingan atau ulang tahun perkahwinan, mereka juga terlibat dalam pelbagai pertunjukan berkelana (roadshow), rumah terbuka muzium dan projek kemasyarakatan menghasilkan karikatur orang awam yang melintasi kawasan Esplanade.
Menyentuh tentang penglibatan anak muda dalam seni ini, beliau merasakan ada juga yang ‘perasan’, menyangka mereka sudah sampai ke tahap yang dibanggakan.
‘Kita masih ketinggalan bukan sahaja dari segi ketangkasan dan kespontanan pelukis karikatur profesional lain, bahkan, kita dahagakan kemahiran untuk menyisipkan humor yang benar-benar melucukan dan buat yang menatap pecah-pecah perut,’ jelas bapa tiga anak lelaki berusia antara empat bulan dengan empat tahun itu.
Fikirannya menerawang mengingatkan karikatur mendiang Presiden Richard Nixon dan penyanyi serta gitaris kumpulan Nirvana, Kurt Cobain – antara karikatur pertama yang beliau lakar untuk majalah 8 Days.
Faktor kejayaan seorang pelukis karikatur, katanya, terletak pada ketangkasannya ‘menangkap’ ciri-ciri yang menyerlah pada diri seseorang.
‘Sama ada hidungnya besar ke, giginya jongang atau senget ke… semua ini dijadikan bahan humor dalam karikatur. Kadangkala hal ini timbulkan masalah juga.
‘Sesetengah orang yang tiada daya humor memerhatikan hasil kerja kita dan mengharapkan karikatur mereka kelak cantik-cantik belaka. Selepas dilukis, mereka payah menerima dan mengadu – apa dah jadi? Biasanya ni, orang perempuan!
‘Mereka tertanya-tanya mengapa karikatur mereka tak cantik dan orang lain pula cantik? Jadi, kalau kita tahu perempuan ni kaki melawa, kita sengaja buat karikatur ala-ala teknik karikatur Jepun dengan watak-watak berwajah comel dan mempesona. Itulah antara cabaran yang kami hadapi sebagai pelukis karikatur,’ katanya, tergelak menatap karikatur wajah saya yang hampir siap.
Alahai… ada yang melucukan ke? Sedang dalam hati ghairah tertanya- tanya bagaimana agaknya rupa saya selepas dikarikaturkan, mata saya beralih pula pada kad-kad karikatur kontemporari Cik Ye, Flowerism: Hua Dan Series.
Selain pernah mengadakan pameran solo 100 lukisan cat minyaknya, wanita ramah yang murah dengan senyuman ini rupa-rupanya adalah penggiat opera Kantonis amatur sejak usianya 28 tahun. Menarik bukan?
‘Saya minat menyelongkar budaya zaman-berzaman dan mengumpul barang kodi (kotak berisi subang dan kerongsang) serta anak-anak patung termasuk boneka bermata kaca yang galak memandang dan bertukar-tukar warna matanya. Tarik saja tali di belakang kepala boneka Blythe ini, akan bertukar warnalah matanya.
‘Kerana minat sangat dengan barang-barang nostalgik ini, maka saya gabungkannya dalam siri karikatur saya yang menggunakan watak berwajah nakal ala boneka Blythe dan dipalit mekap opera sebagai protagonisnya. Terdapat tujuh set semuanya dengan tema pertentangan budaya Timur dan Barat, keadilan, keinginan materialistik dan feminisme diulit dalam karikatur,’ katanya pula.
Melihat keseriusan Encik Mohamed Kamal dan Cik Ye memperjuangkan karikatur, dapatkah kita melihat sebuah Persatuan Seniman Karikatur Singapura dibentuk di sini?
Encik Mohamed Kamal berfikir sejenak sebelum menjawab: ‘Saya tidak fikir perlu ada persatuan karikatur di Singapura. Setiap pelukis ada stail dan gayanya bukan? Mengapa tidak kita fikir di luar lingkungan Singapura? Ada persatuan antarabangsa seperti ICSA.
‘Harapan saya satu peraduan karikatur beramai-amai seperti Olimpik Karikatur (sebagaimana di ICSA) dapat diadakan di sini,’ katanya, sebelum memberikan hadiah istimewa untuk saya bawa pulang.
Di depan mata tercoret karikatur saya mencatat nota dengan senyuman lebar berlesung pipit, pipi tembam dan dagu berlekuk macam nenek kebayan. Bagaimana pula wajah Tok Janggut kita? Macam Santa Klaus funky berambut panjang dan berjanggut putih!
‘Bagaimana? Cantik?’ tanya Encik Mohamed Kamal. Saya tertawa seraya memberi jawapan spontan: ‘Oh… cantik sekali!’ Sedikit pun tidak berkecil hati. Bukankah karikatur sewajarnya menghiburkan?
‘Itu bererti daya humor awak tinggi!’ tambah sang pelukis, sebelum saya minta diri pulang ke pejabat.
Lungsurilah laman web beralamat www.cartoon.sg untuk tinjau warna-warni dunia karikatur.
English version courtesy of Google Translation.
(I’ll fix this terrible translation when I have the time).
January 15, 2010
Extra!
WORLD OF KARIKATUR
World Of Humor
A beautiful piece of caricature drawing could humour a thousand hearts salve for understanding the patents themselves. Haryani ISMAIL looks into the life of three caricature artists, including a husband and wife team to feel that favor the spread through personal caricature.
EYE Jurufoto Daily News, M.O. Salleh, glued on the serious human creativity in front of the eyes appear to move the fingers briskly, drawing caricature portrait on a piece of paper.
M.O. Salleh who called himself ‘Tok Janggut’ occasionally touched my beard white left meringga while searching for inspiration on how best picture recording artists sang the lobby tatapannya hovering between paper-face with the Jurufoto.
This is the first time I saw photography session running with the subject, Mr. Mohamed Kamal Dollah, not sitting silent, but continue working kreatifnya. Recently M.O. Salleh cited foto Mr Mohamed Kamal, former President of the Armed Painters Aneka Daya (Apad) is also busy producing caricature ‘Tok beard’ within five minutes.
They were humble showcase their artistic so I did not realize is on the front door four room flat in Serangoon Central Drive, waiting for time to interview Mr. Mohammed Kamal, 42 years old, and his wife, Ms. Ye Ruoshi, 36 years old, also a painter .
Given more than a decade have not found Mr Mohamed Kamal, a full-time painter and part-time lecturer at SIM University (UniSIM), shared so many stories and involvement in various projects inside and outside the state of the art, which have shared.
More attention is my involvement with Mr. Mohamed Kamal Karikatur Artists International Association (ICSA) based in the United States. Mengaup not profit association with over 550 members around the world was established to promote the art of caricature, educate the public and media about the art.
Founded in 1989 by Wallace ‘Buddy’ Rose as a platform for artists to exchange ideas caricature, caricature ICSA also hold an annual conference where the caricature artists compete to grab the title Karikatur Artists of the Year. Selected works of artists who get the most votes among conference participants, received the Golden Nosey Cup and given recognition as a Master Artists Karikatur class.
‘While studying art studies, my mother worried I can not find food as full-time painter. However, everything depends on the efforts of an individual, whether he or I tried. Fortunately, through graphic skills, Grafiti and caricature, there here for me to international conferences, ‘he said.
He enrolled in a Conference organized by the Artists Karikatur ICSA in Nevada, the United States to be veiled caricature sketch environment spontaneously.
‘Caricature other players in this professional conference. Not until five minutes, the dah caricature is ready, ’said Mr Mohamed Kamal, open the story, while moving his eyes to me to be’ glamorous victims’ further.
Owner Training graduated from the University of Huddersfield Contemporary Art, the United Kingdom, is now handling this Cartoon.Sg featuring caricature he, his wife and their friend, Mr Luthfi Mustafah (Killergerbill), produce.
Besides drawing a caricature service for birthday gifts, anniversary ceremony persandingan or marriage, they are also involved in various performances Voyage (roadshows), museum open house and community-based project to produce a caricature of the public across the Esplanade.
Touching on the involvement of young people in this art, he felt there is also a ‘notice’, think they have reached the level of the proud.
‘We are still lagging behind not only in terms of agility and kespontanan other professional caricature artists, but we hungry skills to insert humor that really funny and was gazing at the broken-broken stomach,’ explained the father of three boys aged between four months to four that year.
Mind soar remind caricature late President Richard Nixon and singer and guitarist group Nirvana, Kurt Cobain – who was among the first caricature to lakar magazine 8 Days.
Success factors of a painter, caricaturist, he said, lies in ketangkasannya ‘capture’ feature that highlights the person.
‘Whether large nose, or crooked teeth jongang to … all materials used humor in this travesty. Sometimes this problem also timbulkan.
‘Some people who have no power of humor observe our work and hope they come caricature beautiful sheer. Once drawn, they are difficult to receive and complain – so what dah? Ni Usually, those women!
‘They wondered why they do not caricature beautiful and others are beautiful? So if we know women ni ft bids, we deliberately create cartoon-style caricature-style techniques with Japanese characters face Cute and fascinating. That is the challenge that we face as a painter, caricaturist, ‘he said, gazing tergelak caricature of my face almost ready.
Alahai … to have a funny? Is in the hearts of passionate wondered how I probably look after dikarikaturkan, my eyes are on the switch cards contemporary caricature Ms. Ye, Flowerism: Hua Dan Series.
In addition to ever hold a solo exhibition cat 100 oil paintings, female friendly with a smile is an inexpensive look-appearance is longstanding amateur Cantonese opera since age 28 years. Interesting is not it?
‘I-era cultural interest menyelongkar ages and collect goods score (box filled earring and brooch) and children statues including glass-eyed doll that looked fierce and exchanging color eyes. Just pull the strings behind the puppet head Blythe this will change warnalah eyes.
‘Because interest is with goods nostalgik this, then I gabungkannya in the series using cartoon characters of my face and mischievous style doll Blythe dipalit as protagonisnya opera makeup. There are seven sets all with the theme of contradiction Eastern and Western culture, justice, feminism and materialistic desire diulit in caricature, ‘also reported.
See the seriousness of Mr Mohamed Kamal and Ms Ye fight for caricature, could we see a Karikatur Singapore Society of Artists was formed here?
Mr Mohamed Kamal thought a moment before answering: ‘I do not think it necessary to have associations in Singapore caricaturist. Each painter is style and style is not it? Why do not we think outside the range singapore? There are international associations such as the ICSA.
‘I hope a caricature contest Assembling amai as Olympic Karikatur (as in ICSA) can be held here,’ he said, before giving a special gift to bring me back.
In front of my eyes tercoret note caricature with a smile wide berlesung pipit, pudgy cheeks and chin berlekuk kinds kebayan grandmother. What we face Tok beard? Santa Klaus kinds of funky long hair and white beard!
‘How? Beautiful? ” asked Mr. Mohamed Kamal. I laugh while giving spontaneous answers: ‘Oh … wrap ‘ Not a little offended. Not appropriately entertaining cartoon?
‘That means higher power humor you! ” add painters sang, I ask themselves before returning to the office.
Lungsurilah website address for review www.cartoon.sg colorful cartoon world.
haryani@sph.com.sg
Community Batik for 690 ITE students
January 13, 2010It’s the beginning of the academic term for ITE students from all over Singapore that gathered at ITE Macpherson campus where they had a chance to experience various art activities after the address by their school administration. It was a festive mood where three batches of 230 students came to work on their community batik for 1.5 hours each. In anticipation of the large crowd and rapid engagement, we deployed three batik artists and four assistants.
Caricature Workshop At Tampines ITE
December 17, 2009Tampines ITE recently invited us over for cartoon caricature workshop. Conducted by Mr Luthfi Mustafah over 4 sessions, the students get to experience and learn the techniques on drawing cartoon caricature while maintaining the likeness of the subjects. By the end of the 4 lesson, everyone got the chance to draw funny caricatures of everyone with amazing results while having good laughs.
Graffiti Workshop At Presbyterian High School
November 24, 2009Presbyterian High School had us for a 2 sessions graffiti program over the school holidays conducted by Mr Dino Hafian & Mr Luthfi Mustafah. As usual the students have to go through the theory lesson to ensure everyone understand what it is to know about graffiti art. 2 big group of students then were seperated to paint a long stretch of white hoarding and staircase at the entrance of the school with positive school value themed murals. Everyone including some of the teachers pull off some nice characters despite the blazing hot sun which artwork will be there to stay for awhile.
Art In Education Symposium At Civil Service Club
November 18, 2009The symposium for teachers and art enrichment providers is an annual affair organised by World Prime. This year I was invited to be amongst 3 other distinguished speakers to share about our methods in art education. The auditorium was full and I casually talked about the three programs we run in schools which drew a lot of laughter for the caricatures and later enquiries for our ‘Community Batik’ programme from the teachers. Here is an extract from the publication:
Presenter: Kamal Dollah, Artist & Arts Educator
Improving the Practitioner, Innovating the Practice.
As art-educators, how certain are we about what we teach?Kamal Dollah constantly questions artistic practices and out of curiosity went in search of answers from every possible source, often finding himself in the most amazing situation around the world. Examples: From trying to learn how to paint with spray cans so that he could teach his ‘Graffiti’ programme that nobody initially dared to purchase, he ended up completing Singapore’s biggest graffiti wall mural. For trying to understand American caricatures, he ended up in USA and Japan, and the first South East Asian artist accepted into the International Society of Caricature Artists and founder of Cartoon.SG; and for constantly shaking up the age old practice of batik-painting, he became Singapore’s only member in the World Batik Council and a special guest at the Pekalongan Batik festival in Indonesia recently.
His sharing of experience is to highlight the necessary struggles of a practitioner to improve himself to add value to our art education system, despite the many challenges.
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Panel Discussion One:
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The Country’s Direction for the Arts in Education
Panellists: Panellists: Paul Lincoln & Kamal Dollah
Moderator: Dr Gooi Tah Choe, Music Lecturer, Raffles Institution (Junior College)
