artist report on The three graces, by Ken Yang

The ERWIN PANOFSKY’s three level of art

analysis report on Ken Yang’s “The Three Graces, Satu Malaysia”,

The ERWIN PANOFSKY’s three level of art analysis report on Ken Yang’s

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2.) A study and field trip to National Visual Art Gallery, KL

On 12th

November 2013 I had pay a visit to National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. To

conduct a study of a artwork or painting which done by a local Malaysian artist. The National

Art Gallery is Balai Seni Lukis Negara is located at 2, Jalan Temerloh Off Jalan Tun Razak

53200 Kuala Lumpur. The Contact number is 03 – 4025 4990 , Fax 03 – 4025 4987. The

Gallery is open at 10:00am until 6:00pm which is daily. This Gallery established since

1958, and it already exhibition of over 2600 pieces of artworks that came around the

world, and every years the theme for the artworks is changed. The artworks that

paintings and other amazing artworks. There are numerous of collections and artworks

exhibited in different themes and most of the artworks is done by our Malaysia artists,

some of the artworks is done by the foreign artist from around the world

In the month of November, most of the galleries are opened and are full with several of

exciting and vibrant artworks and paintings. However, the exhibition that capture my

attention the most is the paintings done by, Mr. Ken Yang. The exhibition was held on the

first floor of the gallery. It is mostly on Portraits and drawings styles referring to the 14th

to

18th

century from Leonardo Da Vincci to Baroque style. The title of this exhibition is called,

"KEN YANG SOLO EXHIBITION : PARIS - Kuala Lumpur"


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2.) Selected painting

“The Three Graces, Satu Malaysia” by, Ken Yang, 2013

Medium used is Oil paint. Size, 180cm x 130 cm

Fig 1. The Three Graces and me, photo

taken at National Art Gallery,KL


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3.) Biography of Artist, Ken Yang

““Life philosophy must be serious = All fine art need huge amount of

serious work, including thinking of the artist. Non serious art,

never consider Fine Art.”

Fig 2. Artist Mr.Ken Yang, photo taken

at National Art Gallery,KL


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The work of Ken Yang is rare. His discourse is unique. Painting for him is a form of

asceticism. Art, is a deliberate choice. Born in Malaysia, a country of luxuriant nature where

many traditions, cultures and communities live side by side, his talent revealed itself very

early. As soon as he was able to hold a brush or a pencil he began drawing, painting and

calligraphy. He liked to take solitary walks in the nearby forests, which brought him

inspiration and serenity. He was awarded many prizes during his school years and studied at

the Malaysian Institute of Art (M.I.A.) in Kuala Lumpur, which exhibited his paintings and

photographs in the first solo show of a single artist in its history. He graduated in 2000, after

which he experimented with different media and artistic styles and received a number of

prizes.

Always drawn to the masterpieces of the European painters, he decided to take an initiation

trip and headed to Paris in 2002. On the day after he arrived, the first thing he did was to visit

the Louvre museum. He was amazed, almost ravished, by the tableaux of the Masters. His

fingers and his soul could finally touch the paintings he had long known from afar. Thanks to

his piercing sensibility and to the various study visits he has undertaken to European

museums and major art galleries, he became intimately acquainted with European heritage,

especially with Fine arts. He is also interested in antiquities and crafts. His Parisian atelier is

a real cabinet of curiosities.

Member of the Maison des Artistes (the French Artists' Union) since 2004, he is a painter, a

portraitist and a miniaturist. With patience, he develops his language. His paintings, with

their symbolic bent, are not framed by a subjective conceptual construct. They are means for

him to exaltation through craftsmanship. An aesthete and a collector, loyal to his calling, not

only does he celebrate Beauty through the quasi-iconic, yet real, characters of his figurative


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paintings and the wealth of noble materials which cloak and surround them (silk, velvet, lace,

fur, leather, mother-of-pearl, wood); but he apprehends it above all as the fleeting, formal

manifestation of an otherwise invisible, transcendental Beauty that is difficult to grasp.

His „old style' technique is demanding. At times, it is reminiscent of Leonardo's sfumato ; at

others, it recalls Caravaggio's chiaroscuro or the realism of a Dominique Ingres fond of

fabrics and drapés. Many months of daily work are necessary for a painting to be completed.

“A monastic work” as the painter describes it. Ken Yang is an inspired artist whose

wellspring runs deep. He paints not with his emotions, but with his heart.


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3) Panofsky’s three level of art analysis

Fig 3,Title of painting: “The Three Graces, Satu Malaysia”

Medium: Oil on Canvas, Size: 180x 130cm, year , 2013


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My field trip and study to the National Art Gallery Kuala Lumpur, has capture my interest

in study this painting from The Ken Yang Solo Exhibition, which has a very interesting,

beautiful and famous title; it is name as, The Three Graces “Satu Malaysia”. For this art

report, I decided to study and analyze this painting using Panofsky‟s three levels of

iconographic and iconological analysis.

Fig 1. The Three Graces and me, photo taken

at National Art Gallery,KL


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4a) Formal Analysis

The title of this painting is, The Three Graces and added with a malay title “Satu

Malaysia”. The artist choice of medium is using oil paint on canvas. This painting is

believed finish and complete in year 2013, before his solo exhibition in Kuala Lumpur.

This painting is dimension at 180cm x 130cm, it is in a rectangle shape. As refer to

(Fig.1), the height of this painting is as high as two heads above of my height. It is

painted almost in real size of a human height. This breath takings painting is drawn by

Mr. Ken Yang; a Malaysian who is now based in Paris; where, he practices several master

pieces in this land of neoclassicism and renaissance style as his major drawing techniques

in his drawings. This artwork is currently exhibited in Ken Yang‟s solo exhibition at the

National Art of Kuala Lumpur.

The main subject matters of this work consist of three young and beautiful ladies,

standing under a tree. It is about a portrait of three young females which pose like

dancing together with their hands holding to each other‟s. The background was painted

with an outdoor landscape scenery, close to nature which surrounded by trees, green

grass, lakes, mountain and flowers as the background and some are painted in the

foreground. Overall the mood of this painting is full in the mysterious stake. As this

artwork presents a very pleasant mood just like the titles, The Three Graces, it‟s strongly

depicts three beautiful female which hold hands performing a dance together. These three

female figures were position in side by side in a triangular gird which were favors by

most of the Renaissance portrait. As in this position, with (fig 4), the triangular grid


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clearly shown the principle of Dominance, to grabs to attention from the audiences, and

have another two female figures position slightly higher to balance in this painting.

The principle of Balance in an artwork results from placing the elements so that the

visual weights will be seem evenly distributed. In this painting, the entire three female

figures was drawn in almost the same or equal weight in visual literacy, therefore, it is

also consider as asymmetrical balance, throughout the composition. If place an

imaginary line, that drawn vertically down to the center of this artwork, it would give

both side in the equal and like an mirror to the other as refers to (fig 4).

The brushwork of this painting is carefully craft and paint, thru layers over layers. As the

artist draws and paint in an old traditional style like the Renaissance period of drawing

method with the chiaroscuros blending techniques used to create a mysterious yet

gracious females figures here. As this old style method of paint requires full and high

(fig 4, study of the

triangular grid used.

Principle of design,

Dominance, balance

and Asymmetrical

balance is achieved, by

placing an

Imaginary line.)


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concentration. This process is describes by Ken Yang as a “A monastic work” where,

many months of daily work are necessary for a painting to be completed.

According to the artist, it above all as the fleeting, formal manifestation of an otherwise

invisible, transcendental Beauty that is difficult to grasp the realism of a Dominique Ingres

fond of fabrics and drapes.

The high details in the Drapes and fabric‟s design and has shown the artist‟s skills and

fine and patience craftsman ship. He has blended it with realism style. A intense and high

acquire attention needed to study the motifs, sequences, beads on the tone is to make the

fabric to look at real as possible. Value and lights are another element used quite

consciously by artists. By using the gradual tone from the very dark to very light this can

be represented by means of a value scale. Also with carefully craft highlights on the

fabric, this make the painting looking like a realistic. Behind the fragility of the figures,

the spontaneity of their poses and the tranquility of faces and attitudes lie an unexpected

strength and a masterful mix of precision and subtlety. Nature, a contemplative lever par

Fig.5, Drapes painting and details on the

frabrics designed


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excellence, is always present somewhere, in the form of a flower, a little rabbit or a firefly

delicately laid on the canvas as a signature. In this case for Three Graces, we can spot a

black crow and some flowers on the ground. One point perspective and focal point can be

seen in this artworks. Color is one of the prime or main elements used in this artwork.

The foreground, standing three young beautiful ladies holding hand in hand. These three

ladies were wearing different costumes. On the left panel is dressed in red color dress, the

middle lady is wearing a white and ivory transcended long dress and on the right lady is

wearing a yellow color long Sari. These three tones are considered warmer tone and

colors on the main subject matter. For the background, the artist used slight dimmed and

dark tone on the green and forest. The color used in this painting is a blend of both warm

and smoky effect from Leonardo‟s sfumato technique. Sfumato in Italian, is “to tone

down” or “to evaporate like smoke”, in this painting, the three graces were render with

the fine shading that produces soft, imperceptible transitions between colors and tones.

The artist has made subtle gradations, without lines or borders, from light to dark areas;

the technique was used for a highly illusionistic rendering of facial features and for

atmospheric effects.


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4.2) Iconographic Analysis

This artwork drawn by Ken Yang is inspired and can be associated with The Three Graces,

painted in 1482 by Sandro Botticelli the world famous Renaissance artist. It is Botticelli's

Mythological Masterpiece. La Primavera or “Springtime” is one of the best-known works of

art of the Florentine Renaissance., the painting is believed to have been privately

commissioned by Lorenzo di Pier francesco, a member of the Medici family who hung the

painting above a sofa in an anteroom to his bedchamber. Today the painting resides in the

Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. The Three Graces, it is a very famous phenomenon in the

world. Many artists are fond and love to draw the three graces, since the Greek Mythology.

The Three Graces were the daughters of Zue the King of the gods that symbolized beauty,

delight, and blossom. For Ken Yang, his Three Graces shown the three young and beautiful

ladies are the main races from his homeland, Malaysia. They are the Malays, Chinese and

Indian. One can distinguish, each of them by the costume that they wear. The Malay, is the

Fig.6 The Three Graces, painted in

1482 by Sandro Botticelli.


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female figure in the middle, is recognizable as a young Malay lady, in white dress or more

precisely is called the “baju kurung” . This is the traditional costume for the Malay women. It

is paint in white and ivory tone. White color here, show purity, the most original of the group

amongst the other ethnic group in Malaysia. On the left panel the other young female, can be

recognize as a Chinese, as she is wearing in light red tone dress, which is recognizable as, “Qi

Pao.” This is the traditional dress wear by the Chinese. Red color, generally is the most

popular and adore color amongst the Chinese community as it means bringing great fortune

and lucks to one and it is the signature and auspicious color amongst the Chinese. Followed

by, the female on the young female on the right panel, she is recognizable as an Indian young

lady here. Sing a she is wearing a light yellow Sari, which is the traditional Indian costume

and dress. Yellow color, to the Indian community means brings new energy, vibrant and an

auspicious color amongst the Indian community. The body gestures suggest that, the three

graces are dancing together with the folding hands. Dancing is a joyous movement, the three

graces are coming together to show unity, share their joy to the people. In the expression and

eye contact on the Malay lady, she is looking at the audience, this gesture implies that she

may be the first to lead the dance and follow the Chinese and continue by the Indian lady.

In the recent years, the People of Malaysia and other politic parties and the activist in this

country has raise their concern over the cultural, issue of nationality, equal rights,religion and

emphasis ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance. The complex and

discrimination issue is still on. The Three Grace, Satu Malaysia, will be perceived and

reflects as a continued growth, harmonious, reunited and off course beautiful people and

nations in this country.


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4.3) Iconological Analysis

Fig.6, The Three Grace “Satu Malaysia”. The intrinsic meaning is, “To Rejoice, To Reunited

and To Transform. The Folding hands and Dancing, perhaps implies the body gesture

dancing with joy, is the tolerance of the people in this nation has cherish over the

generations.The intrinsic message can be said by the artist, in title of this painting. The Three

Graces and added in this phrase, “Satu Malaysia”. Which is a Malay phrase, in Malaysian

context means “One and united Malaysia.” The title, Satu Malaysia, or is known as

1Malaysia. As this phrase and it‟s ideology and its intrinsic meaning say about our national

unity and ethnic tolerance in this country. These values of 1Malaysia as articulated by the

Malaysia Prime Minister, Datuk Najib Razak are perseverance, a culture of excellence,

acceptance, loyalty, education, humility, integrity, and meritocracy.

Fig.6 , The Three Grace “Satu Malaysia”. The intrinsic meaning is, “To Rejoice, To

Reunited and To Transform”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Najib_Razak

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meritocracy


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As an artist born from this country Ken Yang, Three Graces, reflects his patriotic vision and

his love to his homeland, Malaysia. These three beautiful females resembled the three main

races in this country. As, Malaysia is a multi-cultural, ethnic groups that exist in this country.

Among the three largest Malaysian groups are the Malays, Chinese and Indian.

This painting of The Three Graces is intended to show the world that the people of Malaysia

are living with pleasant moments and want to continue to cherish our harmonious and unity

and new growth in the futures.


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Reference

1) Exploring Art, 2008, by Lazzarri and Sclesier, published by Thomson

Wadsworth.

2) A World of Art, 2004, by Sayre, , published by Pearson Prentice Hall

3) Online Resource from Wikipedia ,title 1Malaysia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1Malaysia.

,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1Malaysia

artist report on The three graces, by Ken Yang

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