BAPAKU PULANG

Growing Up with Art - Selected works from the collections of Nazura Rahime & Sharmin Parameswaran

7th - 29th October 2023

temuhouse, 49, Jalan 16/9e, Seksyen 16, 46350 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Petaling Jaya, 25th September 2023 - BAPAKU PULANG is a visual art exhibition featuring selected Malaysian artworks from the collections of Nazura Rahime and Sharmin Parameswaran, daughters of the late art collectors Rahime Harun (1954 – 2008) and Dato’ N. Parameswaran (1948 – 2022). The exhibition features modern and contemporary art works by 39 Malaysian artists, offering a glimpse into the artists and topics/themes favoured by both Rahime and Dato’ Parameswaran who actively participated in the local art scene from the early 1980’s, which also marked the early preschool years of both Nazura and Sharmin.

Incidentally, Rahime and Dato’ Parameswaran were close art friends of the time where Rahime founded A.P Art Gallery in 1983 with his late wife Zarina Ariffin located at Anak Alam Art Space, Padang Merbok, subsequently setting up a small kiosk-like shop in KL Hilton, Jalan Sultan Ismail. It was here that both art enthusiasts met and developed a friendship which saw Rahime recommending and introducing Dato’ Parameswaran to many artists of the time, including Nik Zainal Abidin, Malaysia's foremost wayang kulit artist.

Both Nazura and Sharmin are single children who grew up within their father’s journeys in art collecting. Coincidentally, both work and met in the media industry where in 2003, Nazura established her production company, Manggis Group, with her husband Fauzee Nasir, and in 2018 embarked on her own journey to restart A.P Art Gallery. Sharmin has 17 years of working in media, and from 2012 also dedicated her time to curating and organising visual art events, having done more than 40 projects/exhibitions. Currently she is also organising and managing Dato' Parameswaran's collection and archives since his passing in June 2022.

“Inheriting an art legacy swings between daunting and exciting. My father has passed on for more than a year, and I'm still going through his collection attempting to understand his reasons and passion for collecting. BAPAKU PULANG, featuring Malaysian works, is just the start of this process, where I do intend for the collection to move onto where it would be appreciated and best resonate as art will mean different things to different people” shares Sharmin on the collection.

Nazura offers a sentimental insight to her collection, “Anak Alam & Central Market were my playgrounds when growing up. Art museums & galleries across the country were my holiday destinations, where most often I would be throwing tantrums in front of these museums as I did not appreciate art as a child. Looking back on these memories, I realise that this love-hate relationship I have with art is what I treasure now, each artwork a reminder of my life. For BAPAKU PULANG, I’m looking to pass on the artworks knowing it will give a new meaning to others”.

Curated by Sarah Abu Bakar, this selling exhibition features 53 artworks spanning from the Wednesday Art Group (established 1952) contemporaries Peter Harris, Grace Selvanayagam and Dzulkifli Buyong, to the Anak Alam artists of the 1970’s with Mustapa Haji Ibrahim, Maryam Abdullah, and Ali ‘Mabuha’ Rahamad. Additionally, covering early works and drawings from Ahmad Zakii Anwar, Eric Peris, Juhari Said, Nik Zainal Abidin and Yau Bee Ling.

"The essence of BAPAKU PULANG is the father-daughter relationship anchored by art. This project is personal because I have built friendships with Dato' Param, Sharmin as well as Nazura, though I did not have a chance to meet the late Rahime Harun whom I learned about in Malaysian art history. The title' Bapaku Pulang' is adapted from the classic Malay nursery rhyme 'Bapaku Pulang Dari Kota' to symbolise familial memories," said curator Sarah Abu Bakar.

‘BAPAKU PULANG, Growing Up with Art - Selected works from the collections of Nazura Rahime & Sharmin Parameswaran’ exhibition will be held at temu house from 7th - 29th October 2023 with opening hours 10am - 5pm, Saturday and Sundays.

In conjunction with the exhibition, there will also be additional programming including:

1. Panel Discussion with Nazura Rahime & Sharmin Parameswaran

3pm, Sunday 15th October at temu house

2. H3ROpulang: Storytelling, short films & songs

A collaborative project by Hasnul J Saidon & Anderson Ee featuring Ainina Hasnul & Eidi Teman Lelaki 9pm, Friday 20th 9pm, Saturday 21st October at AP Art Gallery

3. Panel Discussion with current collectors (speakers TBC)

3pm, Sunday 22nd October at temu house