Wei-Ling Contemporary kicks off 2014 with the presentation of Azliza Ayob’s first solo exhibition, All That Glitters. Azliza Ayob is synonymous with the burgeoning Malaysian contemporary art scene and has exhibited her works both locally and internationally in countries such as Japan, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The title All That Glitters ties back to the artist’s extant fascination with shiny, sparkling objects. As a child, the artist seemed to find herself drawn to such items, picking them up as she would stumble upon them while out playing, adding them to her growing collection of like objects. On a much deeper level however, it explores the basis and concept surrounding the well-known saying “all that glitters is not gold”, basically meaning that not everything that looks precious or true turns out to be so.

Known for her collage work, the artist’s main aim with this particular mode of media is to give new meaning to existing popular images. She believes the formation of collage art to be one which involves a well thought out plan and process, in order to effectively produce striking visuals and deliver effective and meaningful narratives from the simple acts of cutting and pasting. This is a challenge she takes on whole-heartedly with every piece of artwork that she dives into.

Azliza Ayob began working on her artworks to form her first solo show in 2011 and midway through, she was awarded with a 3 month art residency at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. In addition to completing her art residency project entitled TUMPANG, she also began collecting printed material and Hakodate shells from Fukuoka and Tokyo which would later contribute to the piecing together of her artworks, to then form part of the body of work to be featured in All That Glitters.

Azliza Ayob gains inspiration from the mere simplicity of life and obtaining validation out of her ability to inspire others with her work, by reviving old items/objects through the act of recycling and injecting new life into them. Azliza strongly retains the belief that art is truly a way of life, not solely subjected to the making of artwork, but also recognising and acknowledging its presence within her daily affairs. Primarily, the artist’s intent lies in converting any form of existing negativity into the execution of a beautifully powerful piece of art.

-Wei-Ling Contemporary

Image: © Azliza Ayob