Opening night with the artist – Thursday 28 August 2014, 7pm
Chan Hampe Galleries in partnership with HOM Art Trans are pleased to announce the third solo exhibition by Ruzzeki Harris. Ruzzeki has been actively exhibiting in Southeast Asia for over ten years. Moved by what strikes him as ironic or poignant, both world events and personal encounters prove worthy subject matter for his reflections. While his earliest works were abstract, Ruzzeki’s stylistic preference have evolved into Figurative Surrealism. Animals, fruits, and human skulls meld into totem-like representations and provide a gentle commentary on contemporary life despite their often cynical appearance.
Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Director of HOM Art Trans, says of Ruzzeki, “His works are an extension of his psyche and represent his effort to exist and to be heard. Neither to preach nor to teach, his works are like graffiti on the wall… staring point blank at the passer by.”
In the Point Blank series, Ruzzeki’s subjects appear in isolation, floating on slate grey backgrounds almost as though the imagery were plucked from a nearby alley. The artist cites street art as one of his many influences and his extraordinary technical mastery of the figurative speaks to a facet of that aesthetic. While sociopolitical or cultural critique may be a subtext of the work, most serve primarily to document and solidify the artist’s response to the world around him. Reflective of the surrealist mindset, these paintings represent the unadulterated thought and emotion of the artist.
A graduate from Universiti Teknologi MARA (2007), Ruzzeki’s previous solo shows include Gravitate, HOM Art Trans (2008) and DICTUM, RA Fine Art Gallery (2011), while group exhibitions include Dazed in Mazes, Valentine Willie Fine Art (2009). He has participated in a number of artist residencies including the MalihomAiR, Penang and NAFAS, Jogjakarta, Indonesia. In 2009, he emerged as one of the finalists in the Malaysian Emerging Artist Award.
The exhibition continues until 14 September 2014.
