Art, Product or Both?

An installation by an unknown artist.

I guess this more of a quick post - more of an observation of installation that I've encountered located within a concourse space while rushing to an event.

Down South, Upper East

 

Larkin Bus Station,  Down South in the states of Johor, Peninsular Malaysia 

el'Reflecto

_
A self reflection, two decades ago

To Major Tom

The last picture of Tom, the fearless explorer.

Major,

We hope our transmission of this message would somehow able to reach you in the void of the intergalactic space. Its' have been 6 month now (earth time) ever since we last received your final transmission. All of us from ground control wishes for your safe comeback. I, personally believed that you are always well in your journeys and I believed that you just want to keep on going, exploring.

Ever since the early days of your presents in the academy, your performance reflected the hunger for explorations and discovery. The unknown and the possibilities of failure never seems not to frighten you. It's as if it's was not even there. What impressed me the most is that you enjoyed every steps of the training. Your wittiness, high spirited and energy, you make it's seems like child's play (or kitten, no pun intended) whenever you stepped into that shuttle. Most cadet's would be peeing in their pants (or err the kitty litter box, no pun intended) by now but not you. I'm sure you just wanted to be launched into space if we give you the green light.

Major, we wanted you to know in how much you inspired us back here on earth. That through the enjoyment in whatever we are doing would be a key to success. You stressed out the importance in finding what we love and never to be overwhelmed by fear of the unknown to ever stopped us in our path.

Do you remember when you injured your right paw during the training? All of us were surprised that despite the setback, it somehow seems didn't stopped you from making your presence felt in the training facilities on the next day each day (even though we have to called the security and put you under kitty house arrest until you fully healed).

Your preparation and the understanding for risk and failure as apart of each mission discovery, have changed how we trained new cadet's back in the academy. We never have the chance to thank you for all that you done for earth, the academy and personally, me.

We wishes you well Major, wherever you are.


This is ground control, signing off.

I accidentally locked myself out

<

Revisiting Pasir Puteh #1

A year of Documenting

... and for more to come.


Asasku Blog layout (formerly known as 'Mencari Bunyian Elektrik'), a year ago.

To those who are tuning in, thanks for reading.. wherever yu are.

Zaha Hadid / Singapore Exhibition

A tribute to suburbia & a band

"Setiap geometri mempunyai pelbagai kisah/ ruang/ hero dan antihero. Walaupun, dari jauh ianya seolah-olah seperti sebuah gabungan landskap statik - tidak bernyawa/ kontang/ sepi.

Sesuatu yang kita (mereka yang mereka) sentiasa terlupa: Sifat kemanusiaan didalam setiap geometri alam bina."  
- Words by Hadi Of Laila Lounge.


....
Back in the suburbia of Johor Bahru, I've made a promised to a group of friends that I will design a cover for their long awaited EP. Sadly, during our days together that day never comes. Season goes by and we soon departed into our own ways.

What linked me back to them, are their music & our memories of friendships. Ahh, those days of staying up late discussing about what we are passionate about, scouring through the suburbs for a drink at 3 A.M. and listening to the beautiful sounds from their jamming session at home.

It is in this suburb, I spend most of my entire youth life. I still can’t escape the feeling of lostness and alienation despite over the years staying there. During my stay, I'm counting the days and figuring out ways in getting out from there. Yet, it's always there for me, repeatedly offering me a fresh new start from all my failed attempt.

Dear suburbia,

Yu might thought that its was only yu who revitalized me, but actually it was also by the people who lived in your harsh faceless, standardized, decaying roads, lots & abandoned backlanes.

Sometimes I wonder if yu even knew the diversity of your occupants and what they offers to the world. Sometimes, I wish if yu could ease down the stress that yu imposed upon them. Depleting the 'perfumed odor' from your oxidation pond, sheltering us from the sun rays and heat during the day, so that we don't have to squint our eyes whenever walked pass through your space and roads. Mostly, I wish the traffics in your streets to be less congested and safer *(No more accidents involving undergraduate students being hit by some car in any poorly designed junctions or by a lorry from the nearby factory).

Therefore, ... I dedicated this composition to yu: Taman Universiti, Johor Bahru.

All these years in the back of my mind, I always wanted to capture my experience living in your environment, but I couldn't quit grasp for any point to began with (Even tough there are tons of subjects within your sprawls). It's only after listening to these demo tracks from one of your occupants that it becomes clearer for me to begin. Somehow, it feels like the circle is completed. These sounds captures the mood of your lonely nights and hectic days.

I hope that you like it (while reconsidering my request).

I (heart) February

I'm trying to find an element that we all could relate towards the celebrated event within this month. And what will that be? The Mandarin Orange. I particularly love this month because somehow in someway, the freely distributed mandarin orange will always makes it way to me through someone.

Either its from the faculty office, friends and even students. I hope this traditions continues for years to come. To everyone who are celebrating this festive event:

Happy Chinese New Year!