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Bibichun

b. 1983, Penang, Malaysia
 

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2003  Diploma in Mass Comm, Major in Graphic Design, College Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Bibichun Artist Profile Pix

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Since emerging onto the Malaysian art scene in the late 2000s, self-taught artist Bibichun has exhibited extensively both domestically and abroad, and has been involved in artistic endeavors that have been described as being “clandestine interventions”, in and around George Town, Penang, as his way to better understand issues such as authorship and identity, plus pushing the boundaries of what’s considered “public space”.

Although he got his start (and notoriety) in Kuala Lumpur, George Town is the artist’s current home ground, arriving on the island sometime around 2012. His interventions have included visual “conversations” with the handiwork of other artists, notable among them Cloakwork and Ernest Zacharevic.

Some have even gone as far as describing him as a “terrorist in Penang armed with a paintbrush”! His interventions have both irked and amused. But his notoriety aside, Bibichun is an astute critic, often presenting his observations, opinions and thoughts on events and issues with pointed, humor-tinged intelligence.

His involvement in visual art began on the streets, and Bibichun is acknowledged as being part of the early generation of street artists who brought a more localized aesthetic to street art. His pairing of localized imagery and word-play provide critiques that hit close to home. Eva McGovern, in her essay for “Ape Cerita”, has described what Bibichun produces as ‘visual one-liners’, immediately recognizable and instantly understood.

The transition from street-to-gallery is never an easy one for artists. Bibi, however, enjoys the benefit of living in both worlds, enabling him to enrich all aspects of his multifaceted art practice. His current focus is on sustainability, both in its currently trendy environmental meaning, as well as for himself as an artist.

And while that means he necessarily has to continue with taking on commissioned work, the most fulfilling part of his career as an artist is still producing art on his own terms, and the sense of “freedom” it provides.

Solo Exhibitions

2015

Expectation, Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

Group Exhibitions

2022

Art For All, GMBB KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (with Artemis Art)
Art@23, 23Lovelane, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2021

Langur, Penang State Art Gallery, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Kecik-kecik, Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
PAUSE, Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2020

Letter to Basquiat, Artemis Art, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Conversation with Basquiat, Artemis Art, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Art Gwangju 20: From Ordinary Past, online exhibition, South Korea
Belang, Penang State Art Gallery, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Pink!, Rumah Tangsi, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2019

What Are You Afraid Of?, The BackRoom KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Vice Versa 2.0, Artemis Art @ Badai Art Studio, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
DUA ALAM, Artemis Art, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kecik-kecik, Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2018

REIMAGINEKL, Urbanscapes House, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2017

Collective Individuals, Urbanscapes House, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Collective Individuals, Hin Bus Gallery, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2016

Mural Exhibition, MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Gaul, Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Kayu, Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2015

Ayam What Ayam, Ernest Zacharavic x E&O, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2014

Eating Wind, VT Artsalon, Taipei, Taiwan

2013

Eating Wind, Run Amok Gallery, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Urbane Folklore, Kunstraum, Innsbruck, Austria
13, The Warehouse, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Ape Cerita, MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2012

12, The Warehouse, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Weapon of Mass Change, G40 @ Art Whino, Oxen Hill, Maryland, USA
Urban Art, Pelita Hati Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2011

Cats & Dogs, Studio At Straits, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Beautiful Junk, AWAS Artspace. George Town, Malaysia.

2010

Rantai Art Fest: Gravity, Balai Seni Visual Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Rise Up, New Meta House, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Energy Trap: Painting & Sculpture, Valentine Willie Fine Art (VWFA) @ The Annexe Gallery, Central Market, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2008

Man and God, Art4Soul Russian Dolls project

Festivals

2020

International Container Art Festival, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2015

DA+C, Penang State Museum, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2014

Urban Xchange, Hin Bus Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2012

Beyond Pressure: Festival of Contemporary Art, Yangon, Myanmar

Major Projects

2021

Sasaran Art Gallery, Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

2020

Mondelez International, Penang, Malaysia

2017

Splash & Burn, Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia

2016

Penang House of Music, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2014

Taska D’Komtar, George Town, Penang, Malaysia

2013

Altera Corporation Malaysia, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
The Gym Box, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

2012

Renoma Café Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2010

Hotel Leisure Inn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

In The Media

2022

The Elusive Gallery Representation: Two Case Studies – Penang Art District, February 10 2022

2020

Artist Bibichun revels in the freedom of the internet and the streets – Penang Art District, July 22 2020
Penang International Container Art Festival (PICAF) 2020 – Chief Minister of Penang’s Office (Press Release), January 20 2020

2019

How Penang’s art scene was killed by Instagram tourists and gentrification, sparked by a single mural – South China Morning Post, October 20 2019
Sesi Seni with Alvin Chia & Bibichun – Penang Art District, September 17 2019 (video, via YouTube)
Kecik Kecik arts group to promote up and comers – Penang Hyperlocal, September 1 2019

2018

Street Art In George Town – Goethe Institute, October 19 2018

2017

In The Background? Artist Talk: Bibichun (2017) – Five Arts Centre, August 18 2017 (video, via YouTube)
In The Background? Artist Talk: Q&A with Mac Chan & Bibichun (2017) – Five Arts Centre, August 18 2017 (video, via YouTube)
No hard feelings, artist says after mural defaced – Free Malaysia Today, August 3 2017
Penang attempts world’s tallest mural on Komtar – Malay Mail, March 9 2017

2016

Bibichun, A Terrorist In Penang Armed With A Paintbrush – Eksentrika, September 30 2016
Mural war in Penang – The Star, September 29 2016

2015

Ayam What Ayam @ EZ X EO Gallery, Georgetown – Pokok Kelapa, August 20 2015
Incorporation And Exploration Of Local Imageries And Identities In Malaysia’s Graffiti Art – Journal of Visual Art and Design, July 2015 (via Researchgate.net)

2013

Bibichun Presentation for Urbane Folklore – bibichun khor, July 5 2013 (video, via YouTube)

2011

Behind the scenes: Making of ‘Stoic’ by Bibichun – Time Out KL, July 28 2011 (video, via YouTube)

2009

THEY x Bibichun – Graffiti ‘Takutkan Bayang’ – Mahathir Masri, December 28 2009 (video, via YouTube)

National Visual Art Gallery, Malaysia (Balai Seni Visual Negara) 

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