b. 1992 in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
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Syahbandi Samat
Self-taught artist
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Drawing from personal experience and observation, plus fairy tales and folklore, the stupefying technical skills of this young artist never ceases to amaze. Exclusively using the ubiquitous ballpoint pen, Syahbandi Samat has been gaining wide attention from the Malaysian art scene in recent years, particularly since winning the 2011 cycle of the Malaysian Emerging Artist Award (MEAA).
His keen interest in art began while still in secondary school, experimenting with various mediums before settling on using the ballpoint pen, catalyzed by his discovery of artworks by Spanish artist and poet Juan Fransisco Casas.
Syahbandi takes the ballpoint pen well beyond the implement’s typical role as a writing instrument, fueled by his determination and hard work, continuously improving his skills as a visual artist, and is definitely a talent to watch in the coming years.
As is widely accepted, folklore, proverbs and myth are stories that have been created and retold time and again for the sake of entertainment and education. They were passed down from one generation to the next and whilst many of the tales are related to human behavior, the examples in these stories are often illogically nonsensical – especially in today’s circumstances.
But, what if examples from these tales really come true? What if a cat could really grow horns? Or if the moon could really fall onto someone’s lap? If the noses of liars really grow as long as Pinocchio’s, then this world would surely be filled with people walking around with long noses.
Solo Exhibitions
2020
Museum Mimpi, MONOCHROME (six in one solo), Breeze Art Space, BSD City, Tangerang, Indonesia (Art Serpong Gallery X Artemis Art)
2018
Dichotomy, Galeri Titikmerah, Art Row, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2017
Bond, Boundaries & Bondage, Galeri Titikmerah, Art Row, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2016
Moral Compass, Hoopla Lounge, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Group Exhibitions
2023
Volta Basel 2023, Klybeck 610, Klybeckplatz, Basel, Switzerland (with Artemis Art)
Rekindle the Child Within (Titikmerah Collective Group Exhibition), Hin Bus Art Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Art Fair Philippines 2023, The Link, Ayala Center, Makati, Philippines (with Artemis Art)
Xavier Art Fest 2023, Xavier School, San Juan, Metro Manila (with Artemis Art)
2022
Asia Now Paris Asian Art Fair 2022, Monnaie de Paris, Paris, France (with Artemis Art)
Art Jakarta 2022, Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), Jakarta, Indonesia (with Artemis Art)
Simulacrum Titikmerah Collective Group Exhibition, Zhan Art Space, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Art For All, GMBB KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (with Artemis Art)
Art Future 2022, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Taipei, Taiwan
2021
Intuitive Perceptions, Artemis Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (virtual exhibition)
2020
Letter to Basquiat, Artemis Art, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
OPPO Art Jakarta Virtual 2020, Online virtual art fair, via https://artjakarta.com/ (with Artemis Art)
Gallery Weekend 2020: Right Here! Right Now!, Artemis Art, The Backroom KL, Core Design Gallery, Richard Koh Fine Art, and Suma Orientalis – in Kuala Lumpur & Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
UNTHOUGHT KNOWN, Greydea Studio, TTDI, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Conversation with Basquiat, Artemis Art, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2019
Art Jakarta 2019, Jakarta Convention Center, Jakarta, Indonesia (with Artemis Art)
Hotel Art Fair Bangkok 2019, W Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand (with Artemis Art)
Melukis, Balai Seni Menara Maybank, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
AArt Citizen Art Shanghai 2019, Twelve at Hengshan, Shanghai, China (with Artemis Art)
#SKULL, G13 Gallery, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
It’s Lit, Segaris Art Center, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Art Tainan 2019, Tayih Landis Hotel, Tainan, Taiwan (with Artemis Art)
Darah Muda, A.P. Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2018
Sanubari (Art Expo Malaysia 2018), MATRADE Exhibition & Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (with Artemis Art)
Publika Art Show, The Boulevard, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Merah Putih Biru Kuning, G13 Gallery, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia
Masks and Stories, Artemis Art, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Sembilan Art Residency Group Exhibition, Kedai K7, Malacca, Malaysia
2017
(Im)Possibilities, Galeri Chandan, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Primer For A Language, Artemis Art, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The White Mask Visual Art Exhibition, White Box, MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mampu Art Market, ChinaHouse, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
We Are 5 Artemis Art 5th Anniversary Exhibition, White Box, MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Collective Individuals, Hin Bus Art Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Mimpi Jadi Landskap, Taksu KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
XS, Galeri Titikmerah, Art Row, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Collective Individuals KL, Urbancsape House, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mampu Art Market, Hin Bus Art Depot, George Town, Penang, Malaysia
Private Affairs 2, Galeri Chandan, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Journey: Inaugural Group Exhibition by Sembilan Art Residency Program, Creative Space 2, Artiseri @ Seri Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2016
Sembilan Art Residency Season 4 Exhibition : Exploration x Expression, Port Commune, Petaling Jaya
A Raya Celebration Of Generations In Art, Henry Butcher Curate, Kuala Lumpur
In Our Own Way 2, Balai Seni Visual Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Versus Animal, ChinaHouse, George Town, Penang
Lukis, Ruang Sementara, Publika, Kuala Lumpur
Eh Wau Bulan Art Showcase, Whitebox, MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur
2015
X-Individuals 02, Art Accent, Bangsar Village II, Kuala Lumpur
Extreme Potrait, Gallery Chandan. Publika, Kuala Lumpur
Stories of 11 Artworks, HOM Art Trans, Kuala Lumpur
Melukis Puisi : Sebuah Pencitraan Puisi-Puisi Pyan Habib, White Box, MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur
2014
Siti: An Iconic Exhibition of Dato’ Siti Nurhaliza, Atellier Gallery, Publika, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Eye Project, Organized by Parallel Contemporary Art
READrawing, Galeri Petronas, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur
Singapore Affordable Art Fair, F1 Pit Building, Singapore
2013
Locals Only 2013, Taksu KL, Kuala Lumpur
NAFAS Residencies Cycle 2 Showcase, Langgeng Art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia & Gallery Chandan, Publika, Kuala Lumpur
X-Individuals 01, Art Accent, Bangsar Village II, Kuala Lumpur
M50 Selamat Hari Malaysia, White Box, MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur
2012
Locals Only 2012, Taksu KL, Kuala Lumpur
MARS Transit A4 Exhibition, House of Matahati, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Emerging Artist Award Winners Showcase, White Box, MAP@Publika, Kuala Lumpur
2011
Life and Nature, Pelita Hati Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Emerging Artist Award 2011 Finalist Showcase, Pusat Kebudayaan Soka Gakkai Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
2010
Artriangle by House of Matahati, National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Awards
2016
YOUNG GUNS Award, HOM Art Trans, Kuala Lumpur
2011
Winner, Malaysia Emerging Artist Award (MEAA), Kuala Lumpur
Residency Experience
2015
Sembilan Art Residency Program (Season 4), Seremban, Malaysia
2012
NAFAS Residency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
In The Media
2023
What’s in store for Art in 2023?, The New Straits Times, January 8 2023
2022
‘Simulacrum’ shows the artists’ representations of truth, The Malaysian Reserve, July 9 2020
2020
Right Here! Right Now! in Kuala Lumpur, Art & Market, October 8 2020
2018
Kreativiti zahir perasaan kasih, Harian Metro, July 5 2018
The Jungian Persona: “Masks & Stories” @ Artemis Art, Publika, Tailored Raw, July 4 2018
Masks And Stories: An Art Exhibition On Our Many Faces, The Daily Seni, June 30 2018
2017
Group show focuses on connections between making and reading art, The Star, September 12 2017
The White Mask: The Visuals Of Cyberpunk Malaysia, The Daily Seni, August 24 2017
The collective spirit, The Star, May 3 2017
The Borak-Borak Sessions: The Kilometrico Master, Masses Magazine, April 28 2017
Young Guns exhibition series features 16 hotshots, The Star, January 14 2017
2016
With ballpoint precision, The Sun Daily, November 1 2016
Myriad of marvels, The New Straits Times, July 17 2016
Working The Art Circuit, The Star, June 19 2016
Exploration & Expression @ PORT Commune, Art KL-itique, May 29 2016
Exploration & Expression, BFM Radio (Front Row, The Bigger Picture), May 20 2016
Moral Compass by Syahbandi Samat, ArtQulture, March 12 2016
2015
Melukis Puisi: Sebuah Pencitraan Puisi-Puisi Pyanhabib @ White Box, The Art KL-itique, May 31 2015
2013
Snippets: Q3 2013, The Art KL-itique, October 12 2013
2011
Luahan mata pen, Utusan Online, December 24 2011
MEA Award recognises emerging artists in Malaysia, The Star, November 24 2011