Hatta of DIA

Recently, a public lecture which hosted by PAM where it was held in the Black Box of Publika, Kuala Lumpur on 8th of February. The speaker is a Kuantan based full time artist as known as “Atta” in local place, his real name Mohamed Hatta Ismail who had a talk and sharing about some of his work with ideas played in the public lecture.

Hatta’s rule is that there are no rules with no formal art education, he always tend to learns from his environment which to him can be virtually and interesting in everything around him. Sometimes he might just get some inspiration by just thinking while “Termenung” (staring) to something even not important.

The popular style of “Termenung” (staring)

is well known as Hatta's Trademark.

He traveled and discovered a lot in many countries to have better understanding about the universal order. Besides that, He loves to read books on philosophy and thesis about many other race’s religion and culture, especially Japanese style, Islamic, Balancing of Feng shui. These had adapted some certain elements which can be seen in his work where he applied in his architecture work as well.

He works by “feelings” rather than by any strict formula, he focusing primarily on the intellectual functions of objects and visual expressions of colour and texture. In the photo above shows the tone of material are raw and with water reflects back the same.

"Silalima" one of his architecture work.

With carving knife and chisels, he carves out bowls and slabs from raw material wood like Pulai and Jelutong, exploring its simple forms of its inner qualities rather trying to transform them to unfriendly shapes.

Though he has had early background in mental relief work using carving, as the paper mache works could be time consuming because of the curing and drying processes. Therefore this bowl making require greater skills and thought and longer processes.

Other process like sizing, carving, lacquering, painting and texturing.

Some of the bowls are deliberately to show its imperfections like cracks or the “natural” process of corrosion or erosion.

He regards his work as symbolic, aesthetic and functional. Anything as waste to Hatta is mean as valuable, it can make them function to their needs. For instance, charcoal can be used as fuel or as an material for art drawing. The same principle he used to applied to all his artwork, using the natural raw colours to represent his ideas.

On some of his bowls and drawings are trademark of “ Four-line”. Signifying earth, wind, fire and water, all these are elements of Feng Shui study. On his drawing, always tend to giving an impression of three or four bars and different lines, which Hatta said it’s a hidden abstract in image form.

He finds the simple geometry therapeutic, he creates an interesting double image of mountains and the edge sits with woman, probably naked, just by drawing four lines.

Conclusion, In his point of view, not many people are willing to hold on to their interest to do what they want as he did. From Hatta’s work spirits can be seen to credits environment as his best teacher. Meaning to say, every artist should be conscious of the things having around, anything could be any form of art.