The MEA (Malaysian Emerging Artist) Award Showcase is set to be held from September 15 to October 2, 2012. This would be the highlight of the contest that will exhibit the works of the 5 winners of the event.
The exhibition will be held at White Box MAP @ Publika, one of the latest and most exciting art spaces in Kuala Lumpur where it will honour the most promising young Malaysian artists through this biannual event.
This showcase will put the works of the winners of the 2011 edition that have seen the most remarkable talents being recognized and acknowledged for their cutting-edge artworks. The winners of this rounds contest are Chong Ai Lei, Muhammad Syahbandi Samat, Ng Swee Keat, Siund Tan, and Sun Kang Jye.
Their works were selected from a total of 75 entries in the competition which was organized by Galeri Chandan and HoM (House of Matahati) from the initial 91 received. From there, a panel of judges went through a rigorous exercise to pick the 5 best artworks to receive this recognition. The event was also held in collaboration with SGM (Soka Gakkai Malaysia) and supported by the 30 Artfriends movement, which is a loose collective of 30 prominent art collectors of Southeast Asia.
According to Nazli Aziz, the Director of Galeri Chandan, the 5 winners were selected because they were unique and had the potential to expand further. Winning the competition meant that the artists each received cash prized, a 10-day travel grant to Manila in the Philippines, cash vouchers for art materials as well as a dedicated showcase for their works.
In doing so, viewers would be able to first appreciate the works independently before pulling all together. Each of the artists bring with them a compelling and original theme of their own and this is where you will be able to actually recognize and discover some very interesting ways of expressions.
