Hamir Soib: Art Is How We Express Ourselves
Hamir Soib, an artist from Malaysia, he expresses his feelings through his art. He’s 54 years old, and Hamir Soib been working on a new art project for the past six months called “Merchandise.” This project is all about small wooden cubes with clown faces on them. You can open the boxes using the clown’s red nose as a handle.
Hamir Soib: Working with Pinkguy Gallery
Hamir is teaming up with Pinkguy Gallery in Bangsar to make these special art cubes. They’re giving each one a unique finish that makes them even more collectible. Normally, Hamir works on big canvases, but this time, he’s trying something new with these small art pieces.
Hamir Soib: “Cabinet of Jokers”: Expressing Frustration
Hamir is calling his art series “Cabinet of Jokers.” He’s making these clown cubes to express his frustration with the way things are in Malaysia, especially with politicians switching parties after the 2018 general election. Hamir believes that art shows what’s happening in our society, and he’s using these cubes to share his thoughts.
88 Paintings Become Cubes
This art series has 88 paintings, and Pinkguy Gallery is turning them into these cool cubes. They chose the number 88 because it’s a lucky number, and they want this art to bring double fortune.
Art Challenges in Malaysia
Hamir thinks there aren’t enough big companies or support for young artists in Malaysia. He’s worried that artists are making art just to sell it, rather than creating meaningful and thoughtful work. He remembers a time when artists like him focused on important ideas and didn’t worry about making money.
Hamir’s Art Values
Even with these challenges, Hamir sticks to his principles. He’s concerned about how art is becoming too focused on making money. He believes art should be valuable because of its ideas, history, uniqueness and the artist’s connection to it.
A Diverse Portfolio
Hamir is known for many different kinds of art, like huge surreal paintings and self-designed calligraphy. He’s got a lot of talent!
“Merchandise”: A Mix of Symbols
In “Merchandise,” Hamir combines his early love for clowns with thoughts about Malaysian society in 2023. He didn’t use calligraphy in this project, but he did include a verse from the Quran that talks about life being like a game. He’s showing that our world is like a play, and the clowns represent that idea.
Unveiling “Merchandise”
You can see Hamir’s “Merchandise” art series on Saturday, November 11, at 4 pm at Pinkguy Gallery in Bangsar. If you want to buy one of these cool art cubes, they’ll be for sale at RM1,188.
Hamir Soib’s “Merchandise” is going to make you think about art, society, and what’s happening in Malaysia. With this new project, he’s pushing the boundaries of art and sparking conversations about the world we live in.
