By Delia Zamir | June 10, 2010
The artistic life with Core Design Gallery
The exterior of Core Design Gallery is quite unassuming. It is a nondescript double-storey terrace house tucked in a rather sleepy residential area in the Subang Jaya township of SS15. But then, one is greeted at the gate with red brick steps laid on grass that leads to a Balinese door entrance.
The interior is stripped off the usual separation walls and is reconstructed into an airy, whitewashed loft filled with paintings. The minimalist look is complete with cement flooring, exposed ceilings laced with repurposed wire mesh and even a tree house-like wooden platform walkway towards the bedroom on the second floor.
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| And the living's easy: the gallery's living area is installed with African-esque paintings by Keng Seng Choo. |
You heard that right – there’s a bedroom in the art gallery. In fact, there’s also a cosy living room and even a fully equipped kitchen. Core Design is an art gallery and residence of the owners and husband-and-wife team Scarlette Lee and Chun Hooi Tan.
“Nowadays, you can’t afford to have both at the same time due to circumstances,” says curator Lee, 32, of the couple’s gallery. “We couldn’t have a house and also run an art gallery at the same time so we decided to make do and combine both.”
Chun, an architect by profession, is responsible for the deconstructed look of the gallery/house, though the conceptualization of Core Design was a collaborative process. “It's an art gallery idea, or concept. It’s (an experiment on) how we could accommodate living into an art gallery,” explains Lee of the three year old gallery.
The feel of Core Design Gallery is certainly relaxing. Lee’s playful nature is revealed in her choice of artwork arranged throughout. Egyptian-themed nudes with strong colors by Ong Ho Hup Hoe are placed in the kitchen and dining area, whereas romantic charcoal figures of ladies ‘berkemban’ (in batik sarong) by Pranoto and African-like artwork depicting rural scenes by Keng Seng Choo are exhibited in the living room area. Upstairs, ethereal silk screens by Zulkiflee M Zainul Abidin are suspended in the bedroom.
Core Design Gallery’s blend of art and lifestyle is effortless and unpretentious. It’s a remarkable example for anyone who wants to integrate art into their homes, and Lee is an advocate of adding flair to daily living through the addition of artwork throughout one's home, and not just one designated area.
“We want to (show how you can) integrate art into your living space, how you can make it warm and creative (at the same time),” enthuses Lee. “Here, you can get some ideas. You want to just sit down or laze, just admiring the art pieces and receiving comfort from it. If you can bring art into the living space that you are in, (you will) definitely make life much more different. That's what we believe in.
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| The art of sleep: Silk screen painting by Zulkiflee Zainul Abidin suspended on wires in the bedroom. |
“Rather than hang a poster, it's so much better to hang a piece of art. The value will appreciate within five to ten years’ time,” she says.
Lee gives some basic tips on how to decorate your home with paintings. “Don't (expose) your art to direct sunlight. Find a piece of whitewashed wall (for the painting). And lighting is important. Choose halogen lights or spotlights - something that shines directly on the art. Get a dimmer wattage for your home because you don’t need your art to be so brightly shown.”
What kind of art to choose for the home? "Always go for positive artwork," Lee advises. "When you see it, it makes you happy. That's what art is all about! It's to make you feel what the artists feel (during the painting process). If (the artist) feels happy, we feel happy."
Core Design Gallery is currently hosting a group exhibition titled "Garis-Garis Penghayatan" featuring figure artwork by the artists Ong Oh Hup Hoe, Pranoto, Zulkiflee Zainul Abidin and Keng Seng Choo. Paintings are for sale, and are priced from RM3000 onwards.
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Core Design Gallery |
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+603-56334348 |
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87, Jalan SS15/2A, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor |
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www.coredesigngallery.com |
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