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Tan Zi Hao

Last week lecture, Mr. Tan a.k.a Mr Tan Zi Hao was invited to our lecture class to talk about his artwork. The first thing I saw from Zi Hao was his spectacle! I am interested with people wearing round shape spectacle. I mean I was wondering why he chose the the round shape spectacle instead of rectangle shape one? I wanted to ask him, but somehow feel like I am out of topic. There must be a reason, I guess? Because myself is now wearing round shape spectacle, and the reason was because I am bored with wearing the rectangle one. Okay, I know, it is a lame reason.

Alright, now let's talk about Mr Tan's artwork. An artwork he shown to us that I found it quite interesting was the one rejected to publish in Publika's toilets. God is everywhere, God of course in the toilet, he said. Yeap! I agree what he said even though sounds a little funny. God is just as same as human, just the place of God living is different. Later on, he said his artwork were separated into four elements, not separated, but based on four elements? AHH, whatever. The four elements were:

1. Not sure what it was because I was dreaming that time
2. Thematic: language
3. Body
4. Contradiction - Myth of a myth

A hand shake could be a contradiction. It may be a symbol of relationship, or one of the way to express the feeling that I am watching you, sounds creepy? Zi Hao told us during his talk, he told people that the gesture of hand shaking was as similar as Xenophora**. After people heard about that, they stop shaking hand with Zi Hao. "Refrain from shaking hand to protect you and the people around you for the health". That is the way!

** Xenophora commonly called as carrier shells, it is a genus of medium sized to large sea snails.

Zi Hao's Xenophora

What is a Xenophora to you?

I think toilet is a xenophora to me. When I want to do "business", I will think of toilet, because I need it. But when I do not, toilet is just a "bacteria" area to me. I shouldn't write toilet as bacteria area, because normally I will get some brilliant ideas while I am bathing. So this shown, there was a contradiction. 

After read through tanzihao.net, the post I liked the most was attempting conflict (2012). 

link: http://tanzihao.net/Attempting-Conflict-2012

TAN ZI HAO, a person made up with curiosity and randomness......?
tanzihao.net

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21.07.2015

I do not want to put "untitled" as my title, so a date will do.

2 types of art

1. Art for art's sake
2. Art for engagement
    - with other artists
      - with society
        - with issues

Art for art's sake is people who do art just for his or her own interest. The art for engagement is people who do art to convey certain message to a specific group. As time goes on, people who know about art were getting lesser and lesser, in short decrease. What makes this happen? Probably would be the education system in Malaysia. Students who are in primary and secondary school are compulsory to take at least once drawing class for eg. Pendidikan Seni Visual. YES, I mean simply just a drawing class.

Why?

During the period of time, we did not taught to describe, analyze, interpret and judge the artwork. Not to say it is a must to judge the artwork, unless you are an artist. But at least to teach us to analyze like aesthetic, formalistic, material considerations. Or maybe the schools can organize a trip to visit to some art gallery.

I am blessed that during my university life, I get the chance to meet up with people who know art. I, myself love to look and act as an art people. I think art people are kind of cool and they have very strong personality, that is the reason I love them. They do not care what people think of them, they just do whatever they think is correct. It might sounds stubborn, but YOLO! You only live once. Do not live your life under people's expectation. Be yourself :)

Yay!