Latest news with #ThenBlue
The Star
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Malaysian artist breathes new 'blue' life into broken shipwreck porcelain
Bathed in a serene indigo glow, artist-sculptor Alice Chang's Me, Then Blue solo exhibition at Lai Lai Art Gallery and Studio in Kuala Ampang, Selangor feels like being gently immersed in the deep blue sea. Running until July 29, this is Chang's fifth solo show – a tribute to memory, imperfection, and transformation, brought to life through 11 sculptural works and 20 oil paintings. Stepping into the gallery, you'll find her new exhibition deeply anchored in maritime history. Chang's works draw inspiration from the Wanli shipwreck, a 17th-century Portuguese trading vessel that sank off Terengganu's coast in 1625. The ship carried delicate blue-and-white porcelain from Jingdezhen, China's famed porcelain capital. Named after Ming Dynasty's Emperor Wanli (1573–1620), its remnants were first discovered by local fishermen in 1998, with more of the wreck found in 2004. While intact porcelain pieces ended up in museums and private collections, the broken fragments were mostly discarded as 2019, Chang came across a social media post asking if anyone wanted the broken pieces salvaged from the wreck. 'Wave 8' (2024), an installation by Chang, crafted from Wanli shipwreck porcelain fragments and organic cement. Photo: The Star/Yap Chee Hong 'If nobody wanted them, these pieces would simply be discarded, which felt like such a waste. Just because they're broken doesn't mean they've lost their value – they still carry the same story and history as the intact ones," says Chang, 56, who is known for her sculptural works using porcelain shards. 'So I reached out, because I felt I could create something meaningful from these fragments and give them a second life,' she adds. For most people, Chang is best known for her mosaic sculpture The Lady, which is still on display in one of Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown tourist areas. With Me, Then Blue, Chang finds a broader 'canvas' to express and expand her artistic vision. Looking below, from above After arranging for the fragments to be transported to her studio at Lai Lai Art Gallery and carefully cleaned, Chang found herself surrounded by nearly 50kg of weathered porcelain shards – each bearing traces of the sea and centuries of history. 'To be honest, I wasn't sure what to do with the pieces at first, so I just sat on them – figuratively, of course – for about five years. Then last year, I realised that the 400th anniversary of the ship's sinking would be in 2025 and thought it would be nice to do a show to commemorate it, so I started working on the sculptures," says Chang. Flashlights are available for visitors to explore the artworks in detail. Photo: The Star/Yap Chee Hong For the sculptures, Chang used eco-friendly organic cement, carefully piecing the fragments together in their original form out of respect for their history. Some of these sculptures are displayed suspended above a mirror, adding another layer of reflection and depth. 'I designed them like this so that when you look at the pieces through the mirror, it's as though you're looking at it from above the sea's surface, down into the depths of the ocean,' she explains. While working on the sculptures, Chang became curious about the motifs she saw on the shards. "Many of them reflected everyday life in ancient China during the Ming Dynasty. There's a lot of flora and fauna too, like peaches and deer. I wanted to put myself in their shoes, but with a contemporary twist, so this led to me creating the oil paintings,' she says. During a recent gallery tour, Chang pointed to a box filled with sand and scattered porcelain shards. Apart from the porcelain works, Chang has also created a new painting series for her new solo exhibition 'Me, Then Blue'. Photo: The Star/Yap Chee Hong 'Even after spending hundreds of years under the sea, the porcelain is still in very good condition, thanks to the quality of the clay used. Jingdezhen is one of the few places you can find large deposits of high-quality Kaolin clay, which is why the city is so well-known for its porcelain," says Chang. 'The blue comes from cobalt. Back then, the people who painted these pieces weren't professionally trained. They just drew from the heart, naturally creating something so beautiful,' she adds, turning a piece around in her hand. A tribute to history Chang emphasises that this is more than just an art exhibition for her. 'I wanted to share the story of the Wanli shipwreck because I feel that not many Malaysians know about it. Some 400 years ago, before Malaysia became the Malaysia that we know today, it was part of the Maritime Silk Road, a thriving trading hub within a global network of commerce. This is part of our history," she says. 'Who knows what other shipwrecks still lie on the ocean floor in Malaysian waters, quietly waiting to be discovered." Visitors are free to pick up and examine the loose porcelain pieces that fill the sandbox set in the middle of the exhibition. Photo: The Star/Yap Chee Hong Next to the sandbox filled with porcelain fragments is Chang's copy of The Wanli Shipwreck And Its Ceramic Cargo (2007), a 360-page tome published by marine archaeologist Sten Sjostrand and Sharipah Lok Lok Syed Idrus, assistant curator of Malaysia's Department of Museums, Conservation Division. To date, it's the most comprehensive book on the Wanli shipwreck and its treasures. Though its pages are worn from her frequent use, Chang still encourages visitors to leaf through the book to learn more about the Wanli. 'I hope this exhibition will encourage everyone who visits to look deeper beyond the surface and find beauty in the broken,' she concludes. Me, Then Blue is showing at Lai Lai Art Gallery and Studio in Kuala Ampang, Selangor until July 29. Open: 10am-5pm, closed on Monday and Thursday.
The Star
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Weekend for the arts: 'Me, Then Blue' exhibition, YSDAF visits Subang Jaya
EXHIBITION: ALICE CHANG'S 'ME, THEN BLUE' Venue: Lai Lai Art Gallery, Ampang, Selangor Date: ends July 29 In her fifth solo exhibition, Me, Then Blue, artist-sculptor Alice Chang shows us that there's beauty even in the broken, taking viewers into "the deep sea" by immersing the gallery in a mesmerising blue light. The exhibition was inspired by the Wanli shipwreck, discovered by fishermen off the coast of Terengganu in the 1990s. After learning about it in 2019 and acquiring several bags of broken porcelain salvaged from the wreck, Chang decided to breathe new life into the fragments by transforming them into new sculptures. The exhibition features these sculptures, alongside a series of expressive blue-and-white paintings that reflect Chang's personal interpretation of these centuries-old artefacts and their enduring journey through time. More info here. Two new works by Ain from her 'Atas Pagar' exhibition- 'Melangkaui Pagar 03' (Past The Fence), left, and 'Melangkaui Pagar 02' - both crafted with ash and pigment on paper. Photo: The Back Room EXHIBITION: AIN'S 'ATAS PAGAR' Venue: The Back Room, Zhongshan building, Kuala Lumpur Date: ends July 20 Newcomer artist Ain takes the spotlight at The Back Room gallery with her second solo exhibition, Atas Pagar. Quiet and contemplative, the show is filled with the ashes of memories, comprising a series of new works in Ain's ash painting series, which sees her creating small paintings out of ceramic ash and pigments. The fragile nature of the paintings and their vulnerability to disintegration are part of the artist's ongoing concerns with memory and family history. The exhibition takes its cue from an incident not too long ago when her grandmother's house in Kuantan, Pahang, was broken into. The way the burglar had cleanly cut through the metal grille over the kitchen window to enter the house stuck in Ain's imagination, which is why she also included said grille as part of the show. Born in Bangkok and raised across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Japan, Ain draws on her diasporic upbringing in a practice that spans video, sculpture, painting, and installation. As a bonus, the Malaysian Design Archive (located in the same building as The Back Room) will also be presenting an artist talk by Ain titled 'Ashes And Access - On the Fragility Of Belonging' at 3pm this Sunday. More info here. YAYASAN SIME DARBY ARTS FESTIVAL 2025 - URBAN TOUR Venue: PARC, Subang Jaya, Selangor Date: July 5 The Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF) Urban Tour heads to the PARC in Subang Jaya this Saturday, bringing the diverse world of performing arts, music, dance and more to the lakeside venue. Expect everything from outdoor theatre and live buskers to dance workshops and art installations - all set against the laid-back backdrop of the PARC venue. Highlights include Young KL Singers, MyDance Alliance, Orang Orang Drum Theatre, and The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat, alongside special acts like a traditional Jikey troupe from Penang and a Mandarin children's theatre piece by Hongjiejie Work Station. YSDAF runs from 11am to 5pm, featuring over 330 artists and 80 activities. No parking stress - free shuttle vans run from 10am between LRT Subang Jaya and The PARC. Round up your friends, take a stroll, and see how a green public space - with ample food choices - transforms into a creative playground for all ages. Admission is free - just bring your curiosity. More info here. A close-up view of Lyne's cymatic installation titled 'Water' - a live work created using a subwoofer, water basin, LED lights, and video loop to reveal the unseen patterns of resonance in motion. Photo: Lyne Ismail EXHIBITION: LYNE ISMAIL'S 'CAT TOWN: ENERGY, MATTER, AND THE ART OF BECOMING' Venue: Temu House, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Date: July 5-27 Here's an exhibition - opening this weekend at Temu House - that brings science and art into thoughtful, immersive dialogue. Visual artist, material scientist, and academic Lyne Ismail invites viewers to explore abstraction, sensory perception, and expansive ideas through the lens of resonance and transformation. On view is a new series of large abstract paintings alongside a live cymatic installation, where water responds to sound and vibration by forming intricate, mandala-like patterns. By making resonance visible, Lyne encourages viewers to feel their way into meaning, rather than decode it intellectually. The exhibition also expands on her book Musings Of The Spring Water, launching in tandem with the show. Together, they offer a sensory and reflective journey into energy, intuition, and the act of becoming. An 'In Conversation' session with Lyne takes place this Saturday (July 5) at 3pm, with the opening reception and book launch scheduled for Sunday (July 6) at 4pm. More info here. As part of her solo debut 'Sesuatu Yang Something', Binti invites art lovers to join a collaborative art project 'Teman Buat Something' this weekend at KL's Cult Gallery. Photo: The Star/Glenn Guan EXHIBITION: BINTI'S 'SESUATU YANG SOMETHING' Venue: Cult Gallery, Taman Tunku, Kuala Lumpur Date: ends July 14 In her debut solo show, Binti, a zany multidisciplinary artist, presents seven distinct series that weave together text, photography, collage, drawing, and even AI-generated imagery. Her work is rooted in deeply personal themes - self-acceptance, emotional honesty, and the challenges of navigating life as a young creative today. Binti's sharp writing, inventive compositions, and fearless use of materials give each piece a distinct voice and presence. Drawing from family histories, layered language, and a disarming sense of humour, Binti creates a space where vulnerability meets protest, and joy shares the stage with reflection. This exhibition isn't just a viewing - it's an invitation to connect with her world. Want to contribute to an art piece? In conjunction with her show, Binti is presenting 'Teman Buat Something', an interactive installation where visitors can be part of the artwork this weekend (July 5 and 6). At the heart of 'Teman' is a sofa you can sit on, draw on, write on and help transform into a living artwork of community expression. Visitors are invited to co-create alongside Binti, turning this everyday object into a shared canvas that grows with each contribution. More info here.
Borneo Post
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
Malaysian artist draws inspiration from legacy of Chinese porcelain painters
Born in Malaysia, Alice Chang has carved a name for herself in the international art scene. – Photo from KUALA LUMPUR (June 27): From her studio tucked away in a quiet corner of Kuala Lumpur, Alice Chang, a Malaysian artist, carefully blends her color palette using various shades of white and blue, which she meticulously uses to form intricate paintings of various objects and animals. At first glance, one might think these pieces are very similar to traditional Chinese porcelain, and it would be right. Chang, inspired by those artisans of centuries past, specifically the blue-and-white porcelain wares from Jingdezhen — China's famed porcelain capital during the Ming Dynasty — created her fifth solo exhibition, 'Me, Then Blue,' reinterpreting the same style for a modern audience. 'Remember that many of these painters had no formal training, being employed to hand-paint porcelain. Thus, they were not clouded by the thoughts of others and expressed themselves in the purest possible sense. They painted what they felt, what they saw in their everyday lives, each of them in their own unique way,' she told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview. Ranging from the conventional to impressionist pieces, Chang who sculpts as well as paints, demonstrates through her work the versatility of the style and the colors most often associated with it — minimalist paintings as well as complex works cover the walls of her studio, which also doubles as an art gallery. The discovery of the 'Wanli Shipwreck' off Malaysia's east coast, with valuable artifacts being found and salvaged alongside large amounts of broken porcelain pieces regarded as having little value, despite the story they told of the region's maritime history, had struck a chord with Chang. 'What truly moved me were the broken porcelain pieces; they shared the same historic value as those that ended up in prestigious auction houses. I wanted to give them a new lease of life, to transform what was once considered worthless into something meaningful and beautiful,' she explained. 'Even as fragments, they shared the same history and told the same story as part of the region's maritime history from the Portuguese sailors who were transporting them, the people and traders of pre-independence Malaysia, and the Chinese artisans who created them,' she said. In addition to the paintings, Chang also incorporated porcelain fragments into sculptures that she has created as part of her collection. 'There's quiet poetry in working with what's broken. Through art, I hope to honor not just the objects, but the resilience and forgotten stories they represent,' she said. The exhibition features 20 paintings and 11 sculptures, each a meditation on memory and transformation, bridging art, archaeology, and a chapter of Malaysian history long overlooked. Chang also spoke of the value of art as a bridge between people of different countries and groups, having met and collaborated with people from all over the world as part of her 15-year journey as an artist. 'We have an affinity for one another. There are no boundaries in our shared passion for art, not just in admiring it, but also in creating it. When I travel to Indonesia, I can stay in a fellow artist's home. It's the same anywhere I go. Art really brings people together,' she said. – Xinhua Alice Chang artist China porcelain
Malaysia Sun
26-06-2025
- Malaysia Sun
Feature: Malaysian artist draws inspiration from legacy of Chinese porcelain painters
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Xinhua) -- From her studio tucked away in a quiet corner of Kuala Lumpur, Alice Chang, a Malaysian artist, carefully blends her color palette using various shades of white and blue, which she meticulously uses to form intricate paintings of various objects and animals. At first glance, one might think these pieces are very similar to traditional Chinese porcelain, and it would be right. Chang, inspired by those artisans of centuries past, specifically the blue-and-white porcelain wares from Jingdezhen -- China's famed porcelain capital during the Ming Dynasty -- created her fifth solo exhibition, "Me, Then Blue," reinterpreting the same style for a modern audience. "Remember that many of these painters had no formal training, being employed to hand-paint porcelain. Thus, they were not clouded by the thoughts of others and expressed themselves in the purest possible sense. They painted what they felt, what they saw in their everyday lives, each of them in their own unique way," she told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview. Ranging from the conventional to impressionist pieces, Chang who sculpts as well as paints, demonstrates through her work the versatility of the style and the colors most often associated with it -- minimalist paintings as well as complex works cover the walls of her studio, which also doubles as an art gallery. The discovery of the "Wanli Shipwreck" off Malaysia's east coast, with valuable artifacts being found and salvaged alongside large amounts of broken porcelain pieces regarded as having little value, despite the story they told of the region's maritime history, had struck a chord with Chang. "What truly moved me were the broken porcelain pieces; they shared the same historic value as those that ended up in prestigious auction houses. I wanted to give them a new lease of life, to transform what was once considered worthless into something meaningful and beautiful," she explained. "Even as fragments, they shared the same history and told the same story as part of the region's maritime history from the Portuguese sailors who were transporting them, the people and traders of pre-independence Malaysia, and the Chinese artisans who created them," she said. In addition to the paintings, Chang also incorporated porcelain fragments into sculptures that she has created as part of her collection. "There's quiet poetry in working with what's broken. Through art, I hope to honor not just the objects, but the resilience and forgotten stories they represent," she said. The exhibition features 20 paintings and 11 sculptures, each a meditation on memory and transformation, bridging art, archaeology, and a chapter of Malaysian history long overlooked. Chang also spoke of the value of art as a bridge between people of different countries and groups, having met and collaborated with people from all over the world as part of her 15-year journey as an artist. "We have an affinity for one another. There are no boundaries in our shared passion for art, not just in admiring it, but also in creating it. When I travel to Indonesia, I can stay in a fellow artist's home. It's the same anywhere I go. Art really brings people together," she said.
