Aboud Fares talks about his artistic journey in Penang and why immersing himself in local culture is important as a foreign sculptor.
By Emilia Ismail
While some might struggle to integrate themselves into a new place’s art scene, Aboud Fares seems to do it with ease, carving a name for himself in his newfound home – Penang. Working as a sculptor, Aboud’s earlier pieces upon arriving on the island were esoteric abstract sculptures. Lately, he has been working on a series of functional sculptures ranging from chairs, chandeliers, and even a bike, showcasing a sculptor discovering his true potential and, in the process, garnering a following.
Aboud diversified his portfolio from abstract to functional sculpture.
From Damascus to George Town
Not long after Aboud graduated with a B.A. in Sculpture from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Damascus University, the Syrian Civil War broke out in 2011. Many of the country’s galleries and studios had to either cease their businesses or relocate to Lebanon and the Gulf States, leaving professional artists like Aboud little choice but to venture outside to continue their arts.
George Town, on the other hand, was experiencing an exceptionally thriving arts scene in 2015, the year Aboud relocated permanently to Penang. In fact, the city was still reeling from the success of George Town Festival 2012, when Ernest Zacharevic’s series of now iconic murals had placed the heritage enclave on the global travel map. The streets came alive with boutique hotels, quirky cafes and recognisable street art, and the sleepy town transformed into an Instagram rabbit hole.
Aboud says that being an artist in George Town during that time was inspiring as arts-related events were on the rise and many urban spaces were revitalised.
“The art scene was relatively new back then, and I became one of the earliest members of the booming arts community.”
“That was four years ago, but now, it seems everyone’s an artist. There are no clear standards to the term ‘artist’. Emerging photographers and people in digital media are called artists. It is getting more difficult to separate the hobbyists from the real artists,” he opines.
Fortunately for Aboud, sculptors are considered a rare breed in Penang’s art scene. And even rarer is a sculptor who has the masses in mind when thinking about the appeal of his creations. All this works in his favour, helping him to stand out amongst a scene that is highly focused on street art.
Local acceptance and success
Since becoming a full-time sculptor, Aboud had showcased his works in various exhibitions throughout the country. In 2016, he was commissioned by Pahang State Museum to create five polo-inspired sculptures, probably due to the former Sultan of Pahang’s love for the sport. In 2018, he held a solo exhibition at Keeni Kessler Gallery as well as debuted his functional bike masterpiece at the Penang International Science Fair (PISF) later in the year.
And with his work exhibited at the ArtEDecor Art Fair at MATRADE Exhibition & Convention Center in Kuala Lumpur as well as 3 Elements Group Exhibition at Penang State Gallery and REKA Exhibition at Hin Bus Depot in the first quarter of 2019 alone – Aboud has quite a formidable portfolio for a foreign artist in Penang.
Aboud’s profound respect for local artists and deep cultural awareness may have helped desensitize the growing sentiment on foreign artists getting more commissioned jobs from corporate giants and museums. “I think foreign artists should try to be part of the community, instead of looking to compete with the locals. It’s all about mutual respect,” he says.
It is interesting to note how Aboud has seamlessly assimilated himself into the local community. He eats local food (nasi lemak is his favourite), he learns local lingo from his Malaysian girlfriend and enjoys sneaking ‘lah’ in his conversations. He spends a lot of time hanging out at mamak joints and knows George Town and Tanjung Bungah roads like the back of his hand.
“I live here now, and I prefer to immerse myself in the Malaysian experience as any local does, rather than identify myself as a Syrian living in Penang.”
Aboud says that integrating into the arts scene would only be harder for him if he keeps identifying himself as a Syrian or foreign artist here in Penang.
What’s next?
“Creating functional sculpture is something I want to pursue further,” he said, showing me the IWB30 – a functional bike sculpture dubbed ‘the perfect example of combining art and engineering’ by the folks at Penang International Science Fair (PISF) 2018. He added that although there was a lot of trial and error involved in bringing IWB30 to life, which was time-consuming and labour intensive, he still found joy in “creating a sculpture that works.”
“Everyone from all walks of life gravitated towards this bike. They were curious about the design. So many people took it out for a ride. I didn’t even care if anybody crashes the bike. I want people to experience the transformational nature of my creation.
Before and after photos of the IWB30 functional sculpture.
Aboud finds satisfaction in appropriating an existing idea through various processes to form a functional sculpture. As he continues to explore his work in this direction, he hopes to broaden his repertoire to keep himself and his audience interested. “I’ll still be working on abstract sculptures, but diversity is important if I want to continue to challenge myself and intrigue my growing audience,” he says.
All photos courtesy of Aboud Fares
Emilia Ismail is a writer and publisher. Her articles can be found in The Star and Penang Monthly. Her publishing company, Flatplan Publisher, worked on artist Thomas Powell’s debut book Chinese Zodiac and More.