You might have heard of the story about a young artist who painted only eggs for many years to perfect his technique and eventually become a great painter. But what happens when you crack the egg?

When the Telur Pecah exhibition first debuted in 2021, it mainly featured artwork produced by local artists during the pandemic. Now returning for its second year, Telur Pecah 2.022 takes on new voices and adventurous themes that aim to break convention and barriers in art.

Organised by founding curator Phillip Wong and curator of GMBB Lim Ying Xian, Telur Pecah 2.022 is an exhibition that shines the spotlight on over 300 artworks created by 128 amateur and veteran Malaysian artists.

According to Wong, the exhibition is inspired by the experiences of being in a lockdown, and the economic impact it had on artists. Even though there were online art exhibitions during the pandemic, many artists found it difficult to support their livelihood.

“The theme this year – ‘Together We Make a Difference’ – is to gather everyone together to showcase their artworks or creations of art,” he told Eksentrika.

The diverse pieces range from paintings to sketches, sculptures, and art installations – all categorised into 10 different themes. We took a crack at checking out some of the exhibits featured at Telur Pecah 2.022.

Exhibit: MUSE

The first room showcases the work of nine seasoned artists who found inspiration during the lockdown.

Wong likes the concept of MUSE as it gathers senior artists together in a group show.

For some, these artworks drew upon memories and experiences from beyond their four walls. Senior artist Ismail bin Baba, for one, expresses the light-hearted side of Malaysians in the pandemic with two vibrant and whimsical paintings.

Others used art to reinterpret our rapidly changing world. The Co-Exist Series by internationally acclaimed artist Dr. Choong Kam Kow drew our attention with colourful geometric elements, depicting the co-existence of contrasting ideas – old and new, art and science, East and West.

Exhibit: INDIGENOUS

INDIGENOUS offers a voice to Orang Asli artists in Malaysia, giving the public an insight into their oft-overlooked worldviews.

The small collection showcases artworks of varying mediums, such as pencil-drawn portraits by Leny Maknoh and Lyn Luvya, paintings by Ramlan Koyok and sibahjeffrey, as well as photography by Ronnie bin Bahari.

While contemporary indigenous art often highlights the social issues faced by the Orang Asli community, this series focuses more on culture, folklore and beauty. This seems to put the indigenous experience in a softer light, seeking to redefine what it means to be Malaysian.

Exhibit: Media

The artists featured in MEDIA incorporate innovative mediums like digital art and Augmented Reality in their work.

There are QR codes you can scan to see the pieces through a different (literal) lens, from tech-driven mixed media to 3D artworks that come to life.

Exhibit: Gifted

GIFTED is dedicated to artworks created by special needs children from Wong’s own classroom, giving visitors a glimpse of their lives and perspectives of the world.

In one painting, the artist traces the unique curvature of his hands, which was caused by a rare muscular condition, and gives it a splash of vibrant colours. It is this vision to promote inclusion and diversity in art that drives Telur Pecah.

Exhibit: Solo

Among the exhibitions, SOLO is a standout. It highlights 11 independent artists who use unconventional mediums to create bold artworks and installation pieces.

From 3D printed sculptures to recyclable items, soot, and glow-in-the-dark UV paintings, it was eye-opening to see how art can be in everything around us.

SOLO is also one of Wong’s personal favourites, as every exhibit had to be specially arranged with each artist to capture their individual style and unique subjects.

In one, light sculptures cast colourful dancing lights in the space for an under-the-sea atmosphere. In another, tree vines and discarded rainforest materials form a symbolic portal.

Some of the exhibits are spearheaded by creative professionals who are established in their fields. Designer toy artist oodplex features his works in various forms such as miniature toys and a large sculpture, while veteran fashion designer Eric Choong uses natural dyes to create mixed media artworks.

Exhibit: Both

BOTH is the largest showcase at Telur Pecah, featuring a total of 45 artists and 96 pieces of artworks.

Instead of grouping the pieces into men and women exhibits, BOTH brings together pieces by many established artists between the ages of 35 to 59, regardless of their age, gender and ethnic identity.

The collection aims to introduce visitors to a broader creative community; hence you can find a range of artists from as far as Sarawak and Sabah. The artworks also tell their stories in various mediums, styles, and subjects.

Exhibit: Inside Out

Graffiti used to be a controversial genre that pushed the boundaries of self-expression and socio-political issues. Telur Pecah inverts this once-subversive medium in INSIDE OUT.

Down a corridor at the exhibition, four budding artists were given the chance to paint in the building, instead of outside.

A Platform to Support Local Artists

At the end of the day, the driving force of Telur Pecah is to encourage the appreciation of the arts.

Wong shared that the exhibition is a way of warming up Malaysians to the idea of buying art and supporting local talents.

The pieces come in a price range that caters to both amateur and professional art collectors, between RM159 to RM98,000.

“Telur Pecah 2.0 is a platform not just for artists but also for the public, art lovers and collectors as well. It is an encouragement between artists and buyers. We encourage them to buy art that they like and own them.” he added.

Telur Pecah 2.022 runs from now until 13 November 2022 at GMBB (Kesana-Kesini Shared Space, L3A). Free admission to the public from 11am to 8pm.

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Cover images by Rachael Lum.