Art: Sometimes It Is About Looking Closer.

Last Saturday, Significant Other Half and I went to a photography showcase in KLCC, of the the Sony 2009 photography competition at Petronas Galeri, KLCC Level 3. She was sure I would love it and Boy was I  amazed by what I saw.

After signing in as visitors, we slowly ambled through the gallery and looked at the award winning photos on display. Let me say this upfront, I have never really enjoyed galleries and such (mainly on account of I never really gave it the time of day). And my experience of actually going to them is very very far and few in between, I recall once during my highschool years going to the Islamic Art & Civilisation expo and maybe another time going to a gallery viewing painted artworks (I think with a cousin or quite possibly my sis).

As it were, I do enjoy the occasional art, when it does capture my eye. Not one to actually seek out art. Mistake not, I do enjoy them, but I never been really able to understand the artist's message and motivations. Some I love rather excessively, like wonderfully expressive 'The Scream of Nature' by Edvard Munch, which resonates with my heart and soul so well (I feel like that person on the bridge in the painting most of the time!)

Munch describes his feelings in his diary in 1892 while out with friends that eventually led to the art,

 I was walking along a path with two friends — the sun was setting — suddenly the sky turned blood red — I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence — there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city — my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety — and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature.

Reading this, I fall even deeper in love with the artwork. And in a separate but related incident, we actually stumbled upon a jigsaw puzzle version of it. Soon, when (or is that, if?) my GF actually manages to piece it together, I will have it framed and hanged in my room for posterity (Thanks Luv!).

Anyways, back to my photography showcase, the both of us were awestruck by how even photographs can actually capture the same measure of intensity and spirit in all it's nuances. In that instance we were ripped out of our comfortable realities and thrown into the pictures ourselves. Some pictures made us laugh, some caused tears to well in our eyes, some incited anger while others turned us pensive.

There was this particular image that stuck with me of this dead mice on it's side floating in dark water. Obviously watching death makes us uncomfortable but to me, the mice in the water, dotted with pale white flowers around it, seemed somehow contented. The finality of death was framed by the ripples the flowers caused. Death, in juxtaposition with Beauty and transitory nature of Life. Brilliant! No wonder the artistic photograper won herself a 1st place award for the Natural History category.

GF, was however captivated by a series of 4 monochromal photographs of desolate dunes of sand (could be snow though, my memory fails me in this one). This too won an award.

The both of us felt almost sad to have to leave the gallery behind when we were done (we spent a good hour in there!), akin to having to say goodbye to a good old friend.

Somehow, the feeling remains to this day and is slowly collecting momentum, pushing me to start enjoying taking pictures more. I have a good feeling I will.....

Found this photo I took some years ago, while I was on a day-tour in LA, with friends on a short refreshment pit-stop at a deli frequented by locals.

As I was preparing to take the shot, the man looked up with this smile. It wasn't as if he new I was snapping a picture of him, I posit he is one of those few people who always have a happy face on, no matter what. This picture cheers me up instantly, the combined effect of radiated light, a joyous soul and awkward angles of human inventions.

Cheers!