Dasar

Dasar was the second artwork after Beyond Textbook Narratives in the same call for submission.

I wanted to do a smaller piece focusing on the same red, yellow, blue and grey as colour palette.  I decided to play with pattern arrangement. Other than that, I realised that I have unused empty jigsaw puzzles which I always had a vague idea to use them for artworks related to identity.

It took me a few rounds to think of the concept. In my readings, Malaysia has been shaped by many policies, hence the word dasar. Dasar has two meanings in the Malay language. The first one is foundation, and the second meaning is policy. Do these policies benefit the diverse Malaysians equally? I wanted to show how these policies only benefits a few groups, and the jigsaw puzzles on different height represents the different classes among Malaysians, and realistically do not unite.

When I bought my 24 x 30cm stretched canvas, it was an unusual size, especially after working with many A4-sized artworks. However, it was a blessing in disguise as it was easier to measure. Both 24 cm and 30 cm can be divided by 6cm, and I managed to create 20 squares to add in patterns. Due to the dimensions, I could divide the edges equally to 6 cm.

The edges are measured and painted accordingly.

Once I had measured and drawn the grid on the canvas, I decided to experiment with patterns and colours on the dot grid paper. The ratio is one dot grid square = 1 cm.

I added a variety of patterns and used Zebra Midliner and correction tape for the colours. I mapped out the colours so that each square is distinct. I also did that for the edges, which is seen on the 1 x 6 dot grid squares on the edges.

The dot grid sketch to experiment with colours and pattern.

After painting the patterns on the canvas, I decided to work on the jigsaw pieces, which comprised 24 puzzle pieces. 

Here is the process:

1. Labelled the back of the jigsaws with numbers and which part is the left, right, top and bottom.
2. Labelled the colours on the jigsaw so that there are no same consequent colours.
3. Apply about three layers of acrylic paint to the jigsaw puzzles, as the paint does not adhere properly to the pieces.

The painted jigsaw pieces after labelling.

Since there are 24 pieces, I decided to test out different heights of the jigsaw on my cutting mat. Each square represents a jigsaw piece, and I use 1-4 layers of foam tape to create depth. It was too tedious, and it would be better to buy pre-cut foam tape if it were available in the DIY shops.

Testing the different heights of the jigsaw pieces with foam tape and cutting mat.

While the foam tape gives an idea of how different heights can create depth but I would be wasting a lot of foam tape to achieve a certain height. I had to rush to a DIY shop and buy strips of foam insulation. I am glad that I went because it was easy to measure. The measurements are 6 cm (W) x 1 cm (D) x 1 cm (H), which means I can cut into six cubes from each strip. Since the height is 1cm, I cut some of the foam pieces to 0.5 cm for shorter height.

As the foam was blue, I spray-painted it with Satin Fossil colour from the Rust-Oleum brand.

Testing with the blue foam which I spray-painted and added more foam tape to stick on both jigsaw pieces and the canvas.

Sticking the foam to jigsaw pieces. Quality of screenshot is bad because I was working with limited lighting.

The video above shows the final steps of the artwork. I measured approximately 4.5 cm from the sides and placed the masking tape as a reference. Then, I placed my jigsaw pieces within the perimeter of the masking tape. Finally, I flipped my artwork upside down and placed a heavy book on top, allowing the foam to adhere to the canvas as much as possible.

While I intended it as a portrait piece, I realised that it could also be hung horizontally due to the squares. If I ever sell this work, you could hang it based on the space you have. Landscape or portrait? No problem. Just flip it.

The two main challenges involve jigsaw puzzles.

The first challenge is experimenting with blank jigsaw puzzles. As the surface was glossy, it was hard to paint it smoothly with acrylic paints. It requires about three layers of paint and varnish to seal the colours.

The second challenge is creating different heights for the jigsaw pieces. I was testing it out with foam tape, but it didn’t provide enough depth. Eventually, I managed to find pre-cut foam insulation for car doors, which makes it easier to cut according to the various heights.

I am glad to use some of the things around the house. I recall a period when I was buying more art materials than actually using them. Finally, I let go of my perfection, which frees me to create a mixed-media piece like Dasar. I also learnt about using different materials, and I hope to create more mixed-media art in the future.