The exhibition entitled ‘MY GOD IS MY TRUCK ‘- Heroic Portraiture from the Far Side of Paradise’ has been in the making for the last two years and sees the artist presenting fifteen new painting installations.
With this new body of work, Anurendra Jegadeva has continued to develop a range of narrative tools in his works – recurring motifs, text, color symbolism, the framing devices of temple carvers and stain-glass makers and comic book artists – which are the vocabulary of a multifarious existence.
A Malaysian artist of Indian descent Anurendra Jegadeva has lived and worked in both Malaysia and Australia.With a broad perspective of home and the world beyond he deftly combine his views on the world with the autobiographical which stems from his own personal response to or experience of his subjects.
Portrait of my father as a discarded cow head, oil on canvas.
He strongly believes in the enduring power of the painted image, and has worked consistently over the last twenty years to forge effective and fresh narrative approaches to contemporary and historical themes.
As he aptly puts it:
As an artist, I am interested in depicting moments of truth with equal measure of intensity and tenderness, of hope and despair.
Whether dealing with the post-colonial realities of multi-cultural Malaysia, Asian immigrant life in Australia or the war in Iraq witnessed on my TV screen, these versions of the truth are also perceived through layers of satire that disarm the complex realities I seek to capture.
In conjunction with this major exhibition,there will be the launch of a series of important publications documenting Anurendra Jegadeva’s illustrious artistic journey to date.
The main publication is a 160-page artist’s monograph that brings together an expansive selection of significant works from 2000 – 2010. The publication will also include substantial essays by local and international writers.
The artist monograph will also be accompanied by a 60 page limited edition alphabet book – The ABC According to a Third World Malcontent – that attempts to construct illustrated parodies of the world since Enid Blyton.
The contents of both these publications will have a crucial art historical value both as far as their aesthetic and academic merits are concerned.
The monograph on Anurendra Jegadeva promises to be a compelling one as it will be rich with social commentary for the works contemplate many of the issues contemporary Malaysians are faced with on a daily basis.
MY GOD IS MY TRUCK-Heroic Portraiture from the Far Side of Paradise features at Wei-Ling Gallery from 13th September -13thOctober 2010.
Wei-Ling Gallery is located at No.8 Jalan Scott, Brickfields,Kuala Lumpur.
Pls call 03-22601106/07, 0178877216 or email [email protected] for more information.
*Wei-Ling Gallery is open Mon-Sat (Mon-Fri,12-7pm,Sat 10-5pm.Closed Sundays and Public Holidays)
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