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EXHIBITED
Arrival, Ernst & Young, Singapore, 2009-2010.
Art Triangle III, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, 2010.

A fine example of Hamir’s familiar use of bitumen in creating grotesque and claustrophobic compositions, The Burning Bush conceals figures in desperation and disdain among the clouds of smoke, with contours of what seems to be mountains or blurred figures hidden in the background, lingering beneath a heavy cloud of smoke. Its subject matter seems to contradict the peaceful and serene horizontal composition, that may seem like a Chinese landscape of lush mountain view at first glance.

“I believe in pushing the limits of the mind so that people can read messages between those lines, and to see things beyond just beautiful paintings”, Hamir once said.

Burning Bush is a common term used to describe an investment failure in the financial world. With this, the artist wishes to address misperception of art collecting and art investment, that selection should be made based on the potential of an ‘investment grade art’ as opposed to its cultural and heritage bonds.

The artist describes the trend and focus of Malaysian Art to a particular genre once an apparition which has lost its relevance to the now due to the foolish strategies and make believe commotion of collectors and investors. The monopolisation of the art market constantly addressing a similar theme or similar copycat-strokes would suffocate the growth of any art industry. Hamir intends to awaken and expose his audience to look above and beyond a wider horizon.

Hamir graduated from UiTM (Universiti Teknologi MARA) is one of the founding members of the progressive art group MATAHATI. Having worked on numerous large-scale pieces as a result of undertaking commissions to paint backdrops for theatre productions, Hamir’s own paintings are mostly executed on ‘larger than life’ canvases. He won the award of Best Art Director (with Zuraini Anuar) in the 14th Malaysia Film Festival and Young Artists Incentive Award from Galeri Shah Alam in 2005. He is a finalist for Sovereign Art Award, Hong Kong in 2007 and a non-resident artist at Malihom, Penang in 2007.