I curated Foo May Lyn’s solo exhibition 10,000 Mosquito Hearts, 27 Jan – 17 Feb 2019, at OUR Art Projects.
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OUR ArtProjects proudly presents 10,000 Mosquito Hearts, a visual art exhibition based on the popular Malay legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang. It is Penang-based artist Foo May Lyn’s first solo show in Kuala Lumpur.
Featuring over 140 intricate drawings, as well as textiles and soft sculpture, these works represent the artist’s attempt at fulfilling the demands that the fabled Princess gave to Sultan Mahmud Shah, who sought her hand in marriage:
A bridge of gold and silver that spanned from Malacca to Mount Ophir;
seven trays of mosquito hearts;
seven trays of midges’ hearts;
a vat of the juice of young betel nuts;
a vat of the tears of virgin maidens;
a cup of the Sultan’s blood, and
a cup of his son’s blood.
Weaving myth, personal journey and current affairs, Foo May Lyn retells the timeless tale of Puteri Gunung Ledang as a contemporary epic. Her elaborate handicraft considers the story from below — from the perspective of the ordinary people whose labour would have been required in order for the Sultan to fulfill his desire.
The exhibition is curated by fellow artist Sharon Chin.