KUCHING: Sape’ musician turned artist Alena Murang held her first art show at the Hoan Gallery, La Promenade Mall, here yesterday (March 18).
Alena, who has been inspired by Van Gogh since she was in primary school, has also been greatly inspired by her Kelabit culture, along with her conversations with and love for her aunties, her passion for music, and most importantly, her love for painting.
A stream of people came to the gallery for an hour before opening at 7pm, and they continued to stay on to visit the beautiful display of art by Alena.
Her love for painting began when she was still a child. Painting became a pastime in her later years as a working adult. She started painting again after a random foot surgery that prevented her from walking and working at the time.
Alena explained that painting has given her so much energy that it led her to resign from a corporate job in Kuala Lumpur before pursuing a ten-month art course.
She also revealed that the paintings displayed at the Hoan Gallery were a collection of 51 paintings over ten years of art work.
“Hoan Gallery contacted me, and we started discussing this exhibition about a year ago, and that’s why I created some pieces recently, but also because the music industry is quite quiet from January to March.
“It was nice to have the time for the headspace, the time to focus on painting day and night in my studio in Kuala Lumpur,” she told reporters at the gallery yesterday.
When asked whether she intends on specialising in a specific type of painting, Alena said she was still on a journey of learning and exploring the art world.
“I guess I’m still developing as an artist; I don’t think I’m young, but I consider myself a young artist.
“A lot of my time has been spent focusing on music, so I have a lot more to explore and learn in the art world,” she added.
Following that, Alena also said that her favourite painting at the exhibition was Pu’Ayam (Dear One) because of the child in the painting, who comes from her village and looks happy and content.
Alena’s show is a “mixed medium” show, with ink, chalk, acrylic, watercolour, canvases, paper, audio recordings, and ashes from a burnt longhouse.
Also present at the art show were Hoan Gallery owner Hoan Kee Huang and Sarawak Artist Society president David Chew.
