Solo Kedua

“Solo Kedua” exhibition of Samsuddin Lappo

Since last making his mark with his first ever solo exhibition five years ago (2009), the young artist Samsuddin Lappo will return for another exhibition of his latest painting in G13 Gallery, Kelana Jaya, Selangor slated to officially open this coming 20^th of December 2014.

Samsuddin, or fondly called “Suddin” is a 1997 Bachelors graduate from the School of Fine Arts, MARA University of Technology (UiTM) Shah Alam. He also holds a Diploma in Education from Kent Teaching Institute, Sabah. He was originally from Sabah having been born in the sleepy town of Tawau on 28^th of May 1977.

Ever since his undergraduate years perfecting his arts in the university studio, Suddin exhibited his active interest by participating in numerous shows such as Figure Painting Exhibition (2001), Peninsular and Island Exhibition, TAKSU Singapore (2008) and culminated in a collective show with his group Di Kala Jingga titled “Dari Kerana Mata” in 2009 at a prestigious gallery, right in the heart of KL. In 2013, Suddin managed to be selected for a regional arts fellowship programme South East Asian Group Exchange (SAGE) Residency in Manila, Philippines and has been on the same programme two years prior in Jogjakarta, Indonesia.

Suddin is one of the founder and the backbone of the arts ensemble Di Kala Jingga established in 2001.  Among the other notable members are young artists that has already made their names within the local arts scene.

This show simply-titled “Second Solo” is a significant continuation of and pays homage to his earlier show, “Kepingin” in 2009. Suddin will exhibit atleast ten of his latest masterpieces using mainly two mediums, oil paint and acrylic. These two mediums are the most suited to his style and has been associated with him through all his previous paintings.

Simply put, Suddin’s imagery could be said as akin to painting it straight from memory.

Eventhough he tries to highlight the figure as his main subject, nevertheless the figure itself is nothing more than a symbol for him to unlock the memories within to be projected in front of our very eyes via romantic arrangements. Even from the very beginning, Suddin could be regarded as the torch bearer carrying the flame that has been passed down from the previous figure-realist greats such as Hussein Enas, Ibrahim Hussein, Amron Omar all the way through the likes of Bayu Utomo Rajikin and Jailani Abu Hassan. He is their latest reincarnation—the new generation.

He continues the practice of long-held traditions of painters depicting themselves as the primary model; especially in portraiture. This style is probably due to the belief that the painter is inseparable from his own reflections on himself and his image ~ as has been all the master painters as early as the Greek civilization up to the contemporary arts of this day. It is here that Suddin managed to find and record “memories” as the force to view his surroundings. The memory itself has blossomed into something very romantic indeed.

With more than five years in the making, this Second Solo of his will surely entice the public to get to know his latest style of paintings, and even more so his maturity in deliberating issues at hand.

With the advent of technology from the earliest invention of the camera from the bygone eras to the computer, printer, etc of today, it is a rarity to find an artist that still practices the conventional tradition of fine arts without relying on modern gadgetry. Whilst this is a minute issue, the world history of fine arts up until this very night has proven time and time again that this is the very strength of fine arts that is not easily subdued. And Suddin is at the epicenter of this unyielding tradition.

By HASMI HASHIM (BuddhiHekayat),

• Suddin Lappo