Homecoming King
‘Pago Pago’, a visual dialogue by renowned Malaysian artist Latiff Mohidin, travels across Europe and Southeast Asia, and challenges the dominance of Western modernism in the 1960s. Emmilyn Yeoh speaks to the artist as the exhibition travels home from Par
Over a span of six decades, Latiff Mohidin, Malaysia’s most sought-after poet-painter has stood the test of time. In May 2013, his ‘Pago Pago’ series sold for RM612,480 at Christie’s Asian 20th Century Art auction, a record price that further sealed the significance of Malaysian art on the global map. Mohidin’s work has remained central to Malaysian art ever since, but his defining moment was in February earlier this year, when Mohidin had the singular honour of being the first Southeast Asian to have a dedicated solo exhibition at Centre Pompidou in Paris. Now, the ‘Pago Pago’ series, a compilation of the many symbolic forms of Southeast Asia, has journeyed from Europe back to Malaysia, opening new dialogues with young artists and pushing boundaries. How momentous is it for you as a Malaysian to be the first Southeast Asian artist to have a solo exhibition in an institution like Centre Pompidou? It is amazing taking a series that is more than 50 years old, and presenting it in a contemporary time. This collaboration was conceived when the chief curator of Centre Georges Pompidou, Catherine David, was looking for an interesting Southeast Asian artist. She was very enchanted by the ‘Pago Pago’ paintings in ‘Reframing Modernism’, an exhibition held in National Gallery Singapore two years ago. We went through more than 40 works, got in touch with private art collectors, looked at pieces that I’ve not seen since the ’60s, and collected stories behind the various works. What inspired the rich imagery in the ‘Pago Pago’ series? When I was an art student in West Berlin, I visited Dahlem’s Ethnological Museum of Berlin, where I encountered Thai and Cambodian relics. Everything started with my fascination on the shape of a pagoda. When I came home, I travelled to Thailand, Cambodia, Nusantara, and eventually I returned to my homeland Minangkabau. I observed that the traditional houses had shamanic figures to protect the house, which they call pagar-pagar. I liked what I saw from the handicrafts in Laos and Thailand—they were unique and rich in cultural shapes. Put all of these elements together and you have the ‘Pago Pago’ ship. These things are familiar to Southeast Asians and it has rarely been highlighted in art. Fifty years ago, these symbols sought to create new dialogues when the art industry was saturated with European influences. How is ‘Pago Pago’ a tribute to the Southeast Asian region? As simple as the fact that ‘Pago Pago’ was showing on the same floor as masters such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. You might ask, “What does this mean?” It’s a breakthrough for us. It means that the curators are telling the world that Southeast Asian art does contribute to the modernism of Europe. Does ‘Pago Pago’ speak to young people today? People tend to say that successful work is old, but to me, “old” is just a subjective word. Everything can be seen from a contemporary perspective and art is futuristic. When you look at Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Shakespeare, these people are alive, because their works are still relevant. When you read about them, you are looking at a work of art. They’re old presents, old memories that shape you, and they’re always with you no matter how much time has passed.
‘Latiff Mohidin: Pago Pago (1960-1969)’ is until December 30 at Ilham Gallery, Level 5, Ilham Tower, 8, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2181 3003. www.ilhamgallery.com