Much Ado About Art
Wish to learn more about and appreciate art better? Zena Khan, curator for The AFK Collection, which features the most prodigious collection of Malaysian contemporary art, gives us some expert pointers
What’s the best way to begin appreciating art?
Art is a visual medium—to appreciate art, you have to see art! Visit museums, galleries, the homes of collector friends, and really think about what attracts you to an artwork. Are you drawn to portraits, or more abstract styles?
At the same time, you have to grow your art history knowledge then try to learn as much as you can about the artists who are the masters of each medium. Conversations with collectors, curators, gallerists and even friends who have a passion for art is another great starting point.
How do you figure out what kind of art do you like?
You will be instinctively drawn to an artwork—try to think why that is. Is it the colours that are drawing you in? Perhaps you prefer realism paintings to abstract expressionist
Who are Asia’s most mportant artists?
This is a tough question. You have the artists who have broken into the international art scene in a big way (think of Yayoi Kusama or Mona Hatoum). Equally important are those artists who produced the canon-defining art in their own art ecologies. In Malaysia some important artists you should be aware of include Ahmad Fuad Osman, Ahmad Shukri, Zulkifli Yusoff, Fauzan Omar, and Tan Chin Kuan. Out of Pakistan, female artist Hamra Abbas is my top pick.
Should someone ever go into art collecting purely for investment reasons?
As with any asset class, you need a lot of knowledge to make a solid investment. Having said that, contemporary art, when intelligently and thoughtfully acquired, tends to be a great investment. Why not buy wellresearched works that you love, which you think have a great future? Then appreciate your investment appreciating (on your walls).
Where are the best places to discover art?
The AFK Collection has set up a website to allow for a discovery of Malaysian contemporary art. It’s an extensive list of artists and artworks, detailed with practical information, tons of photos and biographies. For the social media savvy, the @afkcollection on Instagram allows you to instantly absorb images and short stories on different Malaysian contemporary artworks, and learn more about who are the country’s top artists.
What are the most important art events to know?
The art world calendar is a really full one, but Venice Biennale, Documenta, Art Dubai and Frieze London are some art events I really enjoy that you should be aware of. I also love checking out the Tate Modern’s annual Hyundai commission—kara Walker’s 2019 installation Fons Americanus is one of the timeliest artworks I’ve seen.
Rome is a city that endlessly fascinates—its citizens even more so. So in a series of black and white street portraits, photographer Bruce Gilden successfully captures the soul of the city through its inhabitants, rendering them in unforgiving, harshly lit high contrast images. Among those featured are Italian musician Achille Lauro, actress and model Benedetta Barzini, and American fashion model Bethann Hardison. This limited-edition art book is jointly conceived by Gilden and Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele, who both share the same passion and obsession with expressions, personalities and looks. It is available at Gucci Garden in Florence and the Gucci Wooster Bookstore in New York.
This mob classic is a viewing you can’t refuse.
A marriage coming apart and a family staying together.
A film ahead of its time, exploring universal human concepts that are still relevant today.
What song in the album was the hardest to make?
I think we spent the longest time writing Congratulations. It was tricky to make a fun break-up song! I tried to make the lyrics fun and sarcastic and cynical without being ridiculous.
A Nam Good Time
Speaking of fun and sarcastic, you have a great personality onstage! How did you learn to engage the crowd so well?
During my shows, I think that a lot of my commentary comes in the heat of the moment and it comes from an honest and sarcastic place which is why it is oftentimes relatable and engaging. I do sometimes think of things that are going on in my life and see if there are funny angles to them that people would find entertaining.
How has touring helped you in making music?
Time spent on the road can be inspiring because of the beauty of the places you’re visiting, but also because it can be an incredibly lonely experience. A lot of time spent alone just thinking to myself—i think those moments really inspire my music.
What do you wish you could do more of and what do you want to do less of in your career?
I think I would love to just spend more time writing songs. I don’t have a lot of time to write because I’m always doing a million projects in a million different places. I would love to just write all the time. But I have more projects coming up like TV and podcasts, we will see how it goes!