An investigation of Malaysian narrative painting addressing changes and adaptations in negotiating socio-political issues Vol. 1 / Jalaini Abu Hassan

Malaysian art landscape resulting from the impact of the 12th General Election in 2008 triggered new interest among Malaysian contemporary art practitioners. The art production was consciously derived from this observation and translated into artworks in solo exhibitions from 2008 to 2022. The first objective was to lead the production of new bodies of artwork that respond to the shift toward new sentiment within Malaysia's socio-political climate, where the new artworks elaborate and interpret intrinsically and symbolically through my knowledge, and experience of my social surrounding, and manifests within the relevancy of form and content. Next was to manipulate the role of allegorical figurations in reflecting the agenda of change and dislocation in my artworks and take full advantage of figurative language to translate characters and meanings in my story of artworks. Lastly, I was to utilise the potential medium in dominating the body of artworks, and it is my main concern to adequate the characteristic of this different medium regarding the narrative of the painting and the relevancy of the material in my storytelling is one of the major emphases. The methodology was guided by the framework and process of studio research, which addressed the specific methods linked to the making experience and was engaged with the entry point and gives the research context through observation that responds to the social-political event. The permissible discourse was then closely involved with the thematic discourse, which strategised, explored, and identified the appropriate approach. Finally, studio art research and application occurred when the studio's ontology transitioned from concept to concrete, involving studio inquiry and process (material and experimental work on medium and technique) guided by theoretical and practical knowledge.