Accessible and affordable art
Social media and virtual spaces spark new interest in print art.
IT is no secret that exhibitions dedicated to printmaking are regarded as an afterthought in Malaysia.
But since the pandemic hit last year, casting a dark shadow over the homegrown art gallery landscape, there seems to be a newfound interest in printmaking, especially art prints, among a younger demographic.
Platforms such as online concept store Outlet KL have played a role in creating some buzz for art prints.
“We’ve had past conversations with friends where they talked about how it’s quite difficult to buy or even look for art prints here.
“When we ourselves were looking for prints to buy, we would usually end up on Instagram, looking at artist profiles to check if they’re selling their art in any form. We put ourselves in our prospective customers’ shoes, and we then thought, ‘why not start a platform where we can sell a variety of work from different artists’? Not only can people discover artists, but also buy their work,” shares Dana Kaarina Zainal Abidin, Outlet KL’S co-founder.
Outlet KL began in October last year and operates on Instagram, showcasing five young artists in their 20s and 30s.
The artists currently featured are illustrator/printmaker Ika Sharom, mixed-media artist Afi Sulaiman, graphic artist Sherwan Rozan, artist/designer Shan Shan Lim and Mexican photographer/ illustrator Jousi Fabiola, who is based in Kuala Lumpur. More collaborations with local and international artists are in the works.
Outlet KL carries prints that range in style such as digital prints, serigraph and lino prints. The artworks sold at this one-stop centre range between RM20 and RM200, depending on size and medium.
“We think that art prints here need more of a push to create demand and we believe that in order to sell or create this demand for prints, we need our brand to stand out and be as inviting as possible,” offers Elina Zainal Abidin, the platform’s other co-founder.
Trendy, vibrant, personalised
“We are aware that the younger generation are very much influenced by what they see on social media, which is why we also prioritise content that we put out to be visually appealing, engaging and relevant to our audience,” says Dana, 31.
This is something indie art space Hom Art Trans’ in-house curator Elizabeth Low realised during artist-run printmaking studio Chetak 12’s annual print show called 3rd Edition: Love Song in February this year.
“What I found special about the show was that we dedicated time towards creating content on our ‘daily stories’ feature, educating our audiences with educational posts.
“And because we used those interactive features on Instagram, we were able to see our audiences engaging with our educational content, which means they were listening, reading and absorbing,” offers Low.
She agrees that more and more people are becoming aware of the medium via social media exposure. And because of this, print works are now easier to collect, making them “more accessible and attractive”.
“This is because a large number of print works come in editions, which make it possible for more than one person to own a copy, unlike with paintings and sculptures, where the artworks are in most cases not made to be reproduced,” says Low.
What’s important now, says Low, is to keep the interest going, especially when art galleries reopen.
“This pandemic has allowed us to focus on building an audience online – it can only help rather than hurt the art scene so there is no reason to go back to solely focusing on presenting it only physically. Why not both?” says Low.
Indeed, building a new market for print works is as much the responsibility of galleries as that of online platforms.
With this newfound awareness and curiosity for print works among Malaysians, Liza Ho, founder of art gallery The Back Room KL, believes art galleries should also push for more printmaking art exhibitions.
Last year, The Back Room hosted the Wonderwall group exhibition featuring various types of print works by 12 artists. The gallery hosted another print-based group exhibition this year entitled Copy, Paste, Displace featuring works by Amanda Gayle, No-to-scale* and Studio Karya.
“Limited edition art prints have never been popular in our country, and it could be because these are paper-based artworks and the humidity in Malaysia is a big consideration when it comes to collecting paper-based artworks,” says Ho.
But she believes that platforms like Outlet KL are definitely changing the narrative.
“It’s a good alternative platform to promote limited edition prints and making it more accessible to wider and new audiences that would otherwise not look at art,” she adds.
Woodcut warriors
During the pandemic, Sabahan art collective Pangrok Sulap launched its new website (pangroksulap.com) in an effort to streamline its woodcut print sales and to reach out to an even wider audience.
“We continued working with galleries and shops as these collaborations are very important for the continuity and sustainability of the arts. The galleries often take up our big works and they are the link to collectors who are interested in our work.
“And through the website, we can reach out to the everyday art lovers who are looking for affordable artworks and products. We are happy that it has been going really well,” says Rizo Leong, one of Pangrok Sulap’s founding members.
A website helps to centralise content, especially with a series of iconic Pangrok Sulap prints such as Di Belakang Saya Ada Orang Kampung, Di Belakang Orang Kampung Ada Saya and Beads Not Dead made available online.
It is a one-stop shop of sorts: a place where Pangrok Sulap lists all available artworks (woodcut posters at RM60) and related merchandise. Some of the works sold on the website are part of its campaign to raise funds for community and charity projects the collective has been involved in throughout the pandemic.
The community has always been something close to Pangrok Sulap’s heart, as evidenced in the woodcut artworks.
“But community engagement during a pandemic has to take on a different form. Where in the past we could meet people at festivals, exhibitions and workshops, this isn’t possible during a pandemic.
“Instead, we shifted our focus to online methods and doubled our efforts in virtual engagement and activities,” says Bam Hizal, another member of Pangrok Sulap.