MALAYSIAN CITIZENSHIP
Hiroki was invited to a residency programme, supported by A+ Works of Art in 2017. The current exhibition, like many Hiroki’s projects, is the result of a long investigation; in this case, the artist spent a year with Malaysia as the centre of attention, exploring the country’s history, anthem and certain pivotal moments in the formation of the identities of its peoples.
Hiroki’s research process often sees him rifling through archives on multiple levels, from Malaysia’s National Archive to basement-level flea markets. While searching for materials surrounding our anthem, “ Negaraku”, Hiroki encountered Tan Sri Mohamed Suffian’s book, malaysian citizenship, which details the laws defining a Malaysian citizen. Through this year-long research process, Hiroki subsequently developed a connection between himself, his finding and the people of Malaysia.
The exhibition at A+ Works of Art features a reproduction of malaysian citizenship, which is also the title of the show. This new installation follows from the artist’s exhibition Sound of Silence (2005), which was held at Bangkok University Gallery, and showcased a recreation of the manuscript of Thailand’s Royal Guards March. The artist had found a copy at the Music Library of the National Archive of Thailand. Part of the exhibition included a piece of music composed by His Majesty, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and rearranged by legendary composer, Phra Chenduriyang.
At A+ Works of Arts, the uncannily convincing reproduction of malaysian citizenship is hung, isolated on a single wall, each double-page framed and displayed as if pieces of art, suggesting a disassociation from its artifact-ness as a book. Hiroki spent nine months meticulously copying the true-to-size, hand-copied text, which invites the viewer to come close and inspect for flaws and presence of the artist’s hand.
For Hiroki, the act of reproducing is a way for him to directly engage with the found object, one that encapsulates the history of Malaysia. The process highlights the material and aesthetic qualities of the object over its symbolic and therefore national and political significances.
Artist: Kentaro Hiroki
Agency: 3nity
