Extract from "Masterpieces from the National Art Gallery of Malaysia" 

《Gerak Termpur》1996　Welded metal　

82cm x 51cm x 51cm and　61.5cm x 56.8cm x 50cm

Born:     1967

Education:

1986 -    School of Art & Design, University Technology MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam

　　The theme of the battling warriors is especially popular in Malaysian society. And this is best reflected in the story of the final duel between the legendary Malay warriors Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat. Both warriors were very close friends but circumstances of honour and duty had brought them face to face in a final battle to the death. Hang Tuah, working for the ruler was the victor and Hang Jebat, the rebel who had challenged the ruler, was killed. Central to the final outcome of the duel was a magical keris or dagger which changed hands a few times during the battle. This theme has been celebrated in Malay poems, dramatic performances, films and also in Malaysian art.

　　Raja Shariman’s sculptures of the battling warriors immediately bring to mind the story of the Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat duel. And, more so when he has used Malay silat postures and the Malay keris in several of the works belonging to this series of works produced by him. He is a sculptor who works with metal and he uses the welding approach to create his forms, which are usually made from used scrap metal bits. His ability to handle metal is truly remarkable as evidenced in these two pieces reproduced here. Raja Shariman’s malleable use of the metal medium is impressive and he achieves very plastic qualities out of his manipulation of the medium. His treatment has lent to the forms a dramatic energy and liveliness. But these two forms involved in the ferocious hand to hand combat are not the flesh and blood characters of the Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat legend of ancient times. These are depersonalised, dehumanised, cyborg-like creatures, more at home in the science fiction stories of a future age and time. One wonders, has that time already arrived?