Azrin Mohamad Sold at Auction Prices

AZRIN MOHAMAD (b. 1969) THE CHAIR, 2013, Mixed media

The shifting power dynamics racked by political deceit is explored in Azrin Mohamad's wallpapered multi-panelled assemblage work, The Chair (2013), which references Malaysia's 13th general elections where the ruling Barisan Nasional Government won by a simple majority.Here, the popular bad boy, Pinocchio, known for his elongated long nose on account of his persistent lies, is prominently featured in a full-panel in the centre, flanked by an array of nine terracotta warriors each in their respective orderly recesses. The famous marionette created by Italian Carlo Collodi is seated on a very high chair, which shows power, loneliness as well as a precarious stand. The terracotta toy soldiers from which were astonishingly uncovered from a Qin Dynasty tomb in China, were given labels in Bahasa Malaysia such as Benci (Hate), Hasut (enflame), Kuasa (Power) , Janji (Promise), Wang (Money), Dengki (Jealousy), Gila (Crazy) and with one, unusually of faded-crystal orange, even with the head lopped off. The warning is clear, but unlike the Pinocchio fable, there doesn't seem to be a happy ending here. The work was first presented in the nue4 four-man show at the Pace Gallery in Petaling Jaya in 2013. Azrin is reputed to be the first from the 20-odd Ara Damansara artists' enclave under the guidance of Nizam Rahman, to be shown in a 'Fergana Show,' namely Boundaries of (Dis)beliefs at Whitebox Publika, Kuala Lumpur. He had taken part in the Art Expo Malaysia since 2013, and was Galeri Chandan's Cheritera exhibition at the START Art Fair in London in 2014. He first gained notice when he won a Special Award in the National Art Gallery's painting exhibition in 2009. He received his MA (Fine Art) and BA (Hons, Graphic Design) from the Universiti ITM.