Q&A: Carolyn Lau

What is light? And how can it be made out of discarded materials? These are the questions which may or may not be answered at The Light Show ’09 which opens at the Annexe Gallery on 16 April and then Galeri Tenaga on 7 May. Exhibition coordinator and landscape architect Carolyn Lau answers a few questions of our own.

How did the Light Show come into being?

About a year ago whilst surfing the web when we should have been working, Farah Azizan and I ogled at amazing light creations made from found objects and recycled material by people from all corners of the world. After some time thinking “we need that!” or “we can do that!” we became inspired to walk the talk and mount our very own light show based on the concepts that we had seen. Of course, it was a very daunting thing, us never having any experience in organising a show, let alone showing ourselves. But we came up with a few names of people whose works we had seen and the list started adding up. We were also very aware that we didn’t want to hold a women’s art show as our show didn’t have anything to do with gender or that type of commentary. So we opened it up and now we have a range of participants such as Bernard Chauly (film director), myself (landscape architect and one-time set designer), Farah Azizan (architectural graduate), Fabian Tan (architect), Lisa Foo (designer and architecture graduate), Jazmi Izwan (multimedia artist), Loh Kok Man (theatre practitioner), Mah Su Sim (landscape designer), Richard Lau (production design lecturer) and Aida Redza (choreographer) whose performance on the opening night will be played back for the duration of the show's run, edited by Nazim Esa.

What were the criteria for picking your participants?

There were no real criteria except that the works had to be based on light, light installation or the expansion of the perception of light made out of found objects or recyclable material. We knew some people already who had been working on this concept such as Lisa and Su Sim, my brother Richard, and also Fabian. Also with my brief background in theatre many years ago, I knew some excellent lighting designers who would be perfect for the show. We just wanted a whole range of ideas and I think the whole multi-disciplinary platform of the show just works.

Were the pieces in the show specifically made for the exhibition?

Some of them are totally fresh ideas such as Bernard Chauly’s work as well as Farah’s and Kok Man’s. Others like myself, Jazni, Lisa, Richard and Fabian had already some works in the making or have been playing with certain ideas, but we’ve adapted them to be more appropriate to the brief of the show.

Tell us more about the dance that Aida Reza will be performing.

When we first started talking about the show, I said we really needed an opening performance, I guess that must have been the theatrical background in me. But what I envisioned was really something to tie the whole light theme together and again, bring in a different dimension to the exhibition. Performance art adds to and exposes ourselves to other means of expression which might inform our own experiences, and so when I heard Aida Reza was in the country, I contacted her and she said yes! She hasn’t performed in Malaysia for such a long time so of course this was really thrilling for us and lucky too. Being a romantic, I asked her to choreograph a contemporary response to the Tarian Lilin and Terinai which has such strong imagery. Aida will be dancing with Seven Skins and with some luck, her mother too, who will represent the seven senses whilst responding, reflecting and relating to the space and its installations. It is going to be visually beautiful.

What can people expect from this exhibition?

I think people will see a good range of ideas for how to use unconventional materials to create something, especially something as common as light or the receptacle of light. We found that the architect types tended to be more object-driven while the others were conceptually-driven, very much looking to “find” light in its experience and perception of it. Every participant has a different perception of light, the ideas are quite amazing and exciting—what light can be, where you can find it, how it relates to us. I hope they will see some humour in what we’re doing and also learn and expand their own ideas.

Speaking of learning and expanding, you’re also holding two workshops in April and May. What are they about?

We wanted to share our ideas on how to make pieces out of found objects and everyday items that are deemed to have no value to us. Some people ask us how we make the things that we do, so these workshops will demonstrate methods to work with materials such as plastic water bottles and plastic bags to make lampshades. We just want to carry on our personal message of reusing and recycling while finding value in something creative that we can make.

What next for you and The Light Show?

We’d like to see the show become an annual show, but of course that depends on a lot of things especially sponsors. But first we need to wait and see what the response is towards the show. Either people get it or they don’t. But I believe that the show has a lot of potential for educating students, children, and even the general public on a social level. We are hopeful that people who come and see it will get something out of it. On a personal note, Farah and I are thinking of basing our next show on industrial garbage. But whatever it is, it’ll always have the element of light!

Email Carolyn at tlsers09@gmail.com or check out Facbook group “TLS09” for more information.

Text Alia Soraya

Article taken from KLue Magazine April 2009, Issue 126